FemResThe Living Review

Cultural Critique

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132 · Cultural Critique

Books

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01

Books · Feb 2025

Enemy Feminisms: TERFs, Policewomen, and Girlbosses Against Liberation

Sophie Lewis

A provocative and unflinching examination of reactionary strands within feminism that work against liberation. Lewis traces two centuries of 'enemy feminisms' from imperial feminists to contemporary TERFs, revealing how feminist rhetoric can be weaponized to reinforce rather than dismantle systems of oppression.

02

Books · Feb 2025

The Male Complaint: The Manosphere and Misogyny Online

Simon James Copland

A comprehensive analysis of the online manosphere and its relationship to contemporary misogyny. Copland examines how digital platforms have enabled the formation of misogynistic communities that blend historical male grievances with modern technological capabilities to create new forms of anti-feminist resistance.

03

Books · May 2024

Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk

Kathleen Hanna

An electric memoir by the legendary frontwoman of Bikini Kill and Le Tigre. Kathleen Hanna chronicles her journey from a tumultuous childhood through the birth of the Riot Grrrl movement, revealing the raw truths about surviving as a feminist voice in a hostile punk scene while building revolutionary music and community.

04

Books · Jan 2024

The Furies: Women, Vengeance, and Justice

Elizabeth Flock

Emmy Award-winning journalist Elizabeth Flock's groundbreaking investigative work exploring what few dare to confront: the role and necessity of female-led violence when institutional protections completely fail. Through three immersive narratives of real women who fought back, this book challenges us to rethink what justice, self-defense, and women's safety truly mean.

05

Books · Nov 2023

Normal Women

Normal Women: Nine Hundred Years of Making HistoryPhilippa Gregory

New York Times bestselling historical novelist Philippa Gregory's magnum opus - a groundbreaking feminist nonfiction milestone that radically redefines the extraordinary role ordinary women played in British history. Did you know there are more penises than women in the Bayeux Tapestry? That the 1381 Peasants' Revolt was a tax protest started by women? That Darwin believed women would evolve to become inferior? For the first time, placing women - 50% of the population - at center stage of 900 years of English history.

06

Books · Mar 2023

The Body Liberation Project: How Understanding Racism and Diet Culture Helps Cultivate Joy and Build Collective Freedom

Chrissy King

A groundbreaking work from strength coach and social justice educator Chrissy King that blends memoir, inspiration, and practical exercises. The book reveals how diet culture and the fitness industry are rooted in white supremacy and Eurocentric beauty standards, moving beyond body positivity to something more revolutionary: body liberation, recognizing that none of us are free until all of us are.

Films

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01

Films · Sep 2024

The Substance

Coralie Fargeat

A body horror film directed by Coralie Fargeat, starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. Following washed-up actress Elisabeth who, after being fired due to ageism, uses a mysterious drug to create a younger, perfect version of herself. Through extreme body horror aesthetics, the film deeply explores crucial issues including ageism, beauty standards, body politics, female self-hatred, and patriarchal control over women's bodies, becoming a representative work of contemporary feminist horror cinema.

02

Films · Jul 2024

MaXXXine

Ti West

The concluding chapter of Ti West's X trilogy, with Mia Goth returning as Maxine Minx. Set in 1985 Los Angeles, Maxine transitions from adult film star to pursuing mainstream Hollywood acting career while facing threats from a serial killer. The film deeply explores crucial issues including women's survival struggles in the entertainment industry, sex work destigmatization, Hollywood power structures, and how women fight for autonomy in male-dominated industries.

03

Films · Sep 2023

Poor Things

Yorgos Lanthimos

A surrealist fantasy drama directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Emma Stone. Adapted from Alasdair Gray's novel, it follows the extraordinary evolution journey of Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life through brain transplantation in Victorian times. The film explores profound themes of female sexual autonomy, body politics, social liberation, and personal awakening through richly imaginative visual language, becoming a significant representative work of contemporary feminist cinema.

04

Films · May 2023

In Flames

Zarrar Kahn

Zarrar Kahn uses supernatural horror to follow a Karachi mother and daughter after the death of their family patriarch, exposing how grief, property insecurity, and male surveillance make ordinary movement dangerous.

05

Films · Oct 2020

The Forty-Year-Old Version

Radha Blank

Nearly 40-year-old African American playwright Radha decides to reinvent herself as a rapper after facing setbacks in New York's art world. This semi-autobiographical black-and-white film deeply explores ageism, intersectional oppression of race and gender, artistic autonomy, and middle-aged women's identity reconstruction in male-dominated industries.

06

Films · Feb 2020

Emma.

Autumn de Wilde

An adaptation of Jane Austen's novel directed by Autumn de Wilde, starring Anya Taylor-Joy. The film follows wealthy young woman Emma Woodhouse in Regency-era England as she enthusiastically matchmakes for others, discovering her own true emotions in the process. The director reinterprets this classic literary work with exquisite visual aesthetics and a modern feminist perspective, deeply exploring important themes including female independence, class consciousness, marriage choices, and coming-of-age awakening.

Videos

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01

Videos · Jun 2025

Debate: Feminist Women vs Non-Feminist Women

The Diary Of A CEO

This is a debate hosted by 'The Diary Of A CEO' featuring three women representing different perspectives on women's social issues, feminism, sexual liberation, and gender roles. The discussion focuses on the impact of sexual liberation and second-wave feminism on women's freedom, mental health, and interpersonal relationships, as well as the far-reaching consequences of modern feminism on gender roles.

02

Videos · Mar 2025

BK Talks. Pedagogies of Feminism

BKTUDelft

This video is a recording of a panel discussion titled 'Pedagogies of Feminism,' where a panel of speakers from the fields of architecture and urban design share their experiences with feminism. The discussion covers how feminist values can be applied in design, the importance of recognizing the contributions of women, and the need to challenge existing patriarchal and capitalist structures. It also highlights an online platform for feminist spatial practices and discusses the challenges of translating academic theory into professional practice.

03

Videos · Nov 2024

An Invitation to All Men: Taking Feminism Further

Hannah Ferguson

In this TEDxSydney Youth talk, Hannah Ferguson extends an invitation to all men: to engage more deeply with feminism. She points out that misogyny is not limited to extremists but exists widely among ordinary male populations. The speech explores the growing ideological divide between men and women, calls for redefining the term 'feminism,' and emphasizes that men are also harmed under patriarchy. Ferguson encourages men to move beyond the 'ally or enemy' binary opposition and challenge harmful speech and behavior in private spaces where women are not present through dialogue and education.

04

Videos · Sep 2023

2010s Pop Feminism: A Painful Look Back

Lily Alexandre

In this video, Lily Alexandre provides a retrospective analysis of pop feminism, examining its rise, critiques, and eventual decline. The video contrasts the movement's focus on awareness with the need for a more systemic, materialist approach to social change.

05

Videos · Aug 2023

What is Feminism?: From Beauvoir to Contemporary Controversies

Wild Amber Miss

In this episode 'What is Feminism?', Bilibili creator Wild Amber Miss traces the development of feminism in an accessible way, starting from Simone de Beauvoir's philosophical thought to explore core feminist issues, social misunderstandings, and contemporary controversies. The video combines book reviews, cultural critique, and personal reflection, representing one of the key introductory feminist content pieces in the Chinese context.

06

Videos · Nov 2017

Without Laughter, There Is No Feminism

Cynthia Híjar

Mexican cartoonist Cynthia Híjar argues that feminist humor can expose everyday machismo, create shared recognition, and sustain movements without trivializing pain.

Podcasts

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01

Podcasts · Sep 2025

Bad Feminist Film Club

Kelly & Sarah

A weekly podcast that examines films through a feminist lens while acknowledging the complexities and contradictions of loving problematic media. Hosts Kelly and Sarah discuss everything from classic Hollywood films to contemporary blockbusters, exploring themes of representation, power dynamics, and cultural impact with humor and insight.

02

Podcasts · Sep 2025

Big Bitch Energy

Krystle & Kimber

Big Bitch Energy is a feminist podcast hosted by Krystle and Kimber, exploring gender, labor, and cultural issues with socialist leanings and critical humor. The show covers content ranging from sexual harassment in the tech industry, colonialism criticism, body politics, academic patriarchy, social media norms, and gender exclusion in gaming culture. With a sharp, satirical, and left-wing critical style, it represents one of the feminist voices in the Canadian context.

03

Podcasts · Sep 2025

Black Feminist Rants

LaKia Williams

Black Feminist Rants is an independently produced podcast hosted by LaKia Williams, focusing on the experiences of Black women and non-binary individuals in social justice spaces, with reproductive justice as the core framework for conversations. The show covers oral history, youth activism, motherhood and lactation politics, perfectionism criticism, and self-healing, blending personal narrative with political criticism to showcase the diversity and depth of Black feminism.

04

Podcasts · Sep 2025

The Faithful Feminists Podcast

Channing & Elise

The Faithful Feminists Podcast is a show hosted by Channing and Elise, interpreting the Mormon (LDS) official 'Come Follow Me' study manual from a feminist theological perspective. The show emphasizes the coexistence of faith and criticism, covering content including gender politics in biblical texts, marginalized group experiences, sacramental symbolism, and community care, representing a unique voice in feminist religious criticism. The show concluded in 2023, with all episodes still accessible.

05

Podcasts · Sep 2025

Feminism Ruins Everything

Millicent Sarre & Ellis Dolan

Feminism Ruins Everything is a podcast hosted by Millicent Sarre and Ellis Dolan, critiquing film, television, musical theater, and popular culture works from a feminist perspective. With a humorous and highly critical style, emphasizing 'friendly feminism' and cultural deconstruction, the content covers queer representation, gender stereotypes, artistic philosophy, and media renarration, representing one of the cultural feminist voices in the Australian context.

06

Podcasts · Sep 2025

The Feminist Bar Podcast

Tinatswe Mhaka

The Feminist Bar Podcast is a feminist podcast hosted by Zimbabwean writer and activist Tinatswe Mhaka, focusing on the intersectional experiences of gender, emotion, and identity. Centered around the 'Love Series,' the show invites women and queer individuals from different backgrounds to share stories of self-discovery, trauma, desire, and resistance within intimate relationships. With an intimate, frank style full of emotional tension, emphasizing authenticity and emotional politics.

Articles

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Papers

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01

Papers · Jun 2023

Female and Feminism: Gender Politics in Art History and Responses in the Chinese Context

Female and feminism: a historical overview of women and art in ChinaCui Shuqin

This paper explores the multifaceted responses from the Chinese art world to Linda Nochlin's famous 1971 question 'Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?' The author analyzes how feminist art criticism has been translated and practiced in China, and drawing on the theory of 'feminism with Chinese characteristics' proposed by Zhu and Xiao, emphasizes the non-binary nature of gender politics within specific historical contexts.

02

Papers · Jan 2004

Nego-Feminism: Theorizing, Practicing, and Pruning Africa’s Way

Obioma Nnaemeka

Obioma Nnaemeka theorizes African feminist agency through negotiation, give-and-take, and the strategic navigation of institutions rather than a universal script of confrontation.

03

Papers · Dec 2000

But the empress has no clothes! Some awkward questions about the 'missing revolution' in feminist theory

Liz Stanley & Sue Wise

This provocative 2000 article challenges the state of contemporary feminist theory, arguing that while feminist epistemology, methodology and ethics have undergone revolutionary transformation, feminist theory remains trapped within parallel structures to mainstream/malestream social theory. Stanley and Wise call for a fundamental feminist autocritique and the development of feminist metatheory.

04

Papers · Jan 1990

Rethinking the Public Sphere: A Contribution to the Critique of Actually Existing Democracy

Nancy Fraser

This groundbreaking 1990 essay provides a feminist critique of Habermas's theory of the public sphere. Fraser introduces the concept of 'subaltern counterpublics' to reveal the exclusionary nature of the bourgeois public sphere, arguing for the necessity of multiple publics and offering a new theoretical framework for understanding democratic participation and social justice.

05

Papers · Jan 1988

Can the Subaltern Speak?

Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak

This foundational text of postcolonial feminist theory questions the possibility of Western intellectuals representing the oppressed. Through analyzing colonial discourse on Indian widow immolation (sati), Spivak reveals the imperialist logic of 'white men saving brown women from brown men,' arguing that subaltern women are structurally silenced under the dual oppression of colonialism and patriarchy.

06

Papers · Jan 1975

The Laugh of the Medusa

Hélène Cixous

Hélène Cixous's 1975 classic feminist essay introduces the important concept of 'écriture féminine' (feminine writing), calling on women to reclaim their bodies and voices through writing, and remains one of the most influential texts of French feminist theory.