Review: On Womanhood by Sophie Gilbert

This was, for me, what becoming a mother was like. Who was I before? I couldn't remember. My identity, my desires, my instincts had all been subsumed by the urgency of the present, the heavy mental load of care. A year or so later, I read that the French have an expression for exactly this state of diminishment imposed by motherhood: 'femme fondue' or 'dissolving woman.'

Some essays in this collection worked more for me than others, but each one of them was intelligent and carefully considered. Naturally, I was most impacted by the introduction and "The Calamity of Unwanted Motherhood". We all know my brand by now.

I think this collection is very approachable when it comes to the topic of feminism because it examines it through the lens of pop culture. It's easier (at least for me) to digest large topics when they're broken down and sprinkled into reference points I'm familiar with.

I could definitely see myself revisiting these essays.