Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

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Words are just nifty. And gaining a better understanding of how they're used in language and communication, even more so. It can be a downer (or rage-inducing) to realise where language has created or reinforced oppression/prejudice, which makes me even more grateful for this incisive and funny book; Montell does a great job of opening the conversation, then encouraging a way forward... people and language can change.1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? It got me to think a little harder about some common word choices I didn't examine too closely previously, I'm sure it could do at least as much for anyone else who picks it up.
I think the expansion of the six different forms of the word 'like' was my favourite 'new thing I learned'. We're (by which I mean all genders) not actually overusing it, because it's actually meaning and doing different things in different parts of the sentence! 12mo

Robotswithpersonality 3/4 Since we're here, a note on terminology:
There's a certain inevitability to feminist analysis that refers to historical research resulting in the traditional gender binary coming heavily into play, but overall the book does a great job of being inclusive and clear about the distinctions between gender and sex and the existence of a spectrum for each.

I'd love to see these discussions re-examined in twenty years.
12mo

Robotswithpersonality 4/4 ⚠️mention of sexism, misogyny, homophobia, sexual harrassment, SA 12mo

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Robotswithpersonality

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

🇨🇦😁

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Robotswithpersonality

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

Hee hee hee.

To quote Prince John from the animated Robin Hood film of 1973: "forgive me a cruel chuckle".

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Robotswithpersonality

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

Such a vivid verb, you don't see it out in the wild often enough.

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Robotswithpersonality

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

I don't care if it's in Swedish, I desperately want picture books with Batman wearing a baby in a sling. Batfam fanart of little Damian made canon, pretty please! Or maybe he's just babysitting for Clark and Lois? I'll take it all!

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Robotswithpersonality

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

Goals.

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Robotswithpersonality

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

While I'm always happy to enter new labels with accompanying metadata into the system that is my brain, there is a part of my noodle that is eternally crying out: "must catalogue!"
I take it this isn't just an info management thing...

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jackday

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

pick

Reread. Love. Fave parts are all the asterisks and the chapters on swearing and gendered forms of speech. Just watched an Irish movie set in the 1920s and they really did use like like valley girls. Amazing.

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ShyBookOwl

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

I don't read a lot of non-fiction but I absolutely loved this one #LetterW #alphabetgame @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Perfect!! 2y

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Beatlefan129

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

Sorry for the delayed posting, but I received this surprise book in the middle of a crazy stressful week and it really made my day. Thank you! #LitsyLove is an amazing group and you are the best people in the world for keeping it all going ❤️

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks, Professional_Book_Dragon

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I‘m happy you got it and I hope this week is better ❤️❤️ 3y

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Chelsea.Poole

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

pick

Pictured with my Christmas tree because this book is an absolute GIFT! I learned so much about language and how groups are affected by its usage. And even tips for changing the system! Seriously, where are these concepts in our education system?? A top read of the year, right beside Cultish, Montell‘s other excellent book. I‘ll be reading everything this woman writes!

KathyWheeler I loved this book. It was so well-written and interesting. 3y

Megabooks She‘s an auto-buy for me now! 3y

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Chelsea.Poole

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

One of our library system‘s branches is in an old barn with a gorgeous maple out front that always puts on a great fall show🍁
Got my time in for the week and waiting to pick up my son from school. Found this book in my bag, so I‘ll read with this excellent view 📖

ravenlee That‘s such a cool place for a library! 3y

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ManyWordsLater

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

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EVERYONE should read this book.

Well structured, fascinating, endlessly eye opening to how language influences gender and gender norms.

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staci.reads

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

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I enjoyed this look at language and gender issues. The author used a lighthearted, flippant tone, and made me chuckle at times, but her tone shouldn't diminish the importance of these discussions. Our beliefs and values often inform our word choice, but just as often, the words that become mainstream inform our beliefs and values. #SheSaid

Singout And, um, I got it in my library feed today…I guess it‘s going to be one of those few months later reads! 3y

BkClubCare Sorry, I didn‘t follow you immediately when you liked somethingorother that I posted. I am really starting to like this ad less convo possible positive-oriented app and still learning. 🥰🥸📚 3y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

Another book wrapped up #SheSaid!

How‘d you feel about the last section, about the book overall?

I enjoyed this one, informative yet fun, made me think about things in new ways, that‘s always a plus for me.

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar @vlwelser @KVanRead @SamAnne @Julsmarshall @arlenefinnigan @Chab256 @Scochrane26 @CoffeeK8. @MallenNC @Caroline2 @DebinHawaii @Nute @Currey @Augustdana @Suet624 @Singout @mhillis @BarbaraTheBibliophage @megnews @Jgotham @AnneCecilie @Kdgordon88 @kspenmoll @staci.reads 3y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Smrloomis @KathyWheeler
@ImperfectCJ @bibliobliss @sabyym @JenlovesJT47 @Karisa @fredthemoose @ravenlee 3y

fredthemoose I really loved this book. I ended up binging it in a few days so I don‘t remember what came when, but I know I saw myself in the talk about not judging how other people speak (not proud to say I know I‘m guilty of that 😬) and about how several patterns of speaking that women employ are actually examples of power and can change speech patterns of societies more broadly. 3y

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MallenNC I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I might. The title is a bit of a turnoff for me (I know she would say it shouldn‘t bother me, but I‘m conditioned to dislike the word “slut” 😐). But I learned a lot and I liked her approachable style. You can tell she really likes her subject! 3y

MallenNC In this section, I most enjoyed learning about the slang terms developed in the LGBTQ community. 3y

sabyym I never thought I‘d ever be interested in linguistic books but this really was a good introductory book and I want to LIKE (my like intended) read more about semantics. This is why I love group reads, so many books that stay in the tbr forever. (edited) 3y

sabyym In this chapter I loved learning about why there were less slangs documented for lesbians compared to gay men, how self identifying one‘s own genitals can be empowering. Also how feminist tried to create their own language. Interesting piece of history. 3y

Deblovestoread This was fun interesting read. And I learned quite a bit which can be used in everyday life. There are still words that make me cringe and at 62 they probably always will but making word choices that even the playing field is another step in uplifting women. 3y

MallenNC @sabyym I love group reads bc they get me to read books I either wouldn‘t otherwise or that were hanging out on my perpetual TBR! 3y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @fredthemoose This one was hard not to binge read all at once, I agree. And yes, I learned some things I never considered about speech patterns. I even loved a bunch of the tangents, like the origins of “nice”. 3y

tenar I wouldn‘t have heard of this one if it wasn‘t for the group, so I really appreciate it! I thought a lot in this section and the last about what we also read in The 7 Necessary Sins of Women & Girls on the power for women and LGBTQ+ people in profanity and openly naming body parts. Renaming genitals is a great expression of that! I also was amazed to learn about Polari - I knew about ballroom, but not about the originators of ‘camp‘ and ‘twink‘?! (edited) 3y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @MallenNC I tend not to like it either, mostly because it‘s a very gendered insult… there really isn‘t a male equivalent either, although we are starting to use it more for both sexes, but it definitely wasn‘t that when I was growing up. She was a slut, but he was a stud/player. I have found myself using it more in none traditional ways though…like wordslut. (edited) 3y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @sabyym Right… it can be so precise and boring, if it‘s dry, but if done right, it can be very interesting and you can learn a lot from it. And she did a great job with this book. 3y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Kdgordon88 Yes, some words are much harder to rehab than others. At least for me. 3y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I have never heard of Polari before! I thought that was fascinating! 3y

ravenlee @MallenNC I also dislike the title, and while I think my mom would find this book really interesting (and from what I‘ve told her she agrees) she flat out won‘t read it because of the title. 3y

ravenlee I learned a lot from the section on gay lingo, which I found fascinating. Reading about the “gay voice” reminded me of college. I went to a small lib arts school and was in the music conservatory, which had a strong music theater program and also a large gay population. One day someone asked a younger guy how he was liking the music theater course and he responded in the whiniest, “gayest” voice, (cont) 3y

ravenlee “Why does EVERYBODY assume I‘m music theater? I‘m vocal performance.” Said in singsongy upspeak, complete with the wrist/hand flap. Everybody just stared at him, no words. Even in a very liberal, pretty open-minded setting, we mostly assumed flamboyantly gay=music theater. 3y

vlwelser I thought this was super fun and it could have been a really dry topic. The audiobook was great. She's really pumped about language. I loved learning the origins of some of the slang she mentioned. It is kind of an intro though. But I'm not sure that I'd necessarily want to read an entire book on any of the individual topics. She did a great job. 3y

staci.reads I havr found myself sharing lots of excerpts from this book (and Invisible Women) with the men in my life, especially my husband and my admin team. I'm a high school principal with 3 male assistant principals and a male student liasion in my office. I adore them, and they are absolutely open to discussing gender issues, but it's been nice to share some excerpts and say "see, this is the kind of thing I've been talking about." ⬇️ 3y

staci.reads Especially when I could cite chapter 7 to them and say "So when I swear in front of you, you now know it's a sign I trust you." ? 3y

staci.reads I really want to read "Native Tongue" now and explore the Laadan language! I am totally using the word "radiidan" to describe Thanksgiving and Christmas from now on! 3y

KathyWheeler I loved this book and also found myself sharing a lot of it with my husband, who found it all fascinating. This is the 3rd book I‘ve loved about topics I allegedly find extremely boring — Freakonomics and Invisible Women were the other two. The section on the gay voice and gay language was really interesting. 3y

ravenlee @vlwelser I enjoyed her approach, and actually wished for more in some places. I think a whole book on a couple of the topics (gay lingo would be fabulous) written in this style could really work, whereas a book of snippets like this written in a dryer style would feel interminable. 3y

vlwelser @ravenlee If she wrote a book about gay lingo, I would definitely read it. Actually, I might be on board for whatever she comes up with. I already put a library hold on her new book.

Cultish: The Secret Language You Didn't Know You Were Using

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @staci.reads I love that! That‘s a great way to share a good book! (edited) 3y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @KathyWheeler I felt that way about The Big Short. Never thought I‘d read about housing market derivatives and market shorts, but wow did I learn a lot! I‘ll have to add Freakanomics to my to read list.

The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine (movie tie-in) (Movie Tie-in Editions)

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @KathyWheeler Honestly, there was a time not too long ago, when I swore I didn‘t like non-fiction. Now it‘s a good section of what I read. I‘m not sure if our tastes change or just grow, or we just get curious about new topics and slowly widen our range, but I‘m so glad when I find a new topic that grabs my interest. 3y

KathyWheeler @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I‘ve always read a good deal of non-fiction. Not nearly as much as fiction, but still a decent amount. Some topics strike me though as almost objectively boring, so I‘m always pleasantly surprised when I run across a book about those topics that proves me wrong. I need to check out The Big Short. 3y

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MallenNC

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

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This was an informative book about language and how it is used to control or take power from women. A lot of the things we‘re taught are wrong (like saying you know or like, or cursing) are to make women question themselves and focus in how they speak rather than the content of what they‘re saying. You can tell that the author really enjoys this topic, and she writes in a fun way. This was our #SheSaid book for August.

OriginalCyn620 Sounds good! Stacked it! 3y

MallenNC @OriginalCyn620 I can give you my copy. 3y

OriginalCyn620 That‘d be great @MallenNC! Thanks! 3y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

pick

I really enjoyed this one #SheSaid. A great mix of knowledge, making me think of things in new ways, and fun linguistic tangents that I just loved! Pick!

vlwelser Such an unexpectedly fun book. Great pick! 3y

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vlwelser

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

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This author is so pumped about language. It's awesome. I definitely recommend the #audiobook. I already requested her new book from my library.

#SheSaid with @Riveted_Reader_Melissa
Final discussion on Sunday. Until then 🤐

#DoubleSpin done!
@TheAromaofBooks

Riveted_Reader_Melissa This was a good one, and fun at the same time! 3y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa I just googled that, her next book, and I‘ll have to check it out too! 3y

vlwelser @Riveted_Reader_Melissa It seems pretty popular. It might stick out because of the cover.

Cultish: The Secret Language You Didn't Know You Were Using

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MallenNC I kind of wish I had done the audiobook, though the print is still working for me! I have seen Cultish around on Litsy and Instagram but hadn‘t put together it was the same author. Definitely sounds interesting. 3y

vlwelser @MallenNC this author is quite a character. I'm definitely intrigued about what she came up with for Cultish. I requested the audiobook version from my library. There's something charming about how excited she sounds when talking about language. 3y

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!! 3y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

Discussion time! Another group of great chapters, lots to think about & discuss! What struck you this week? I thought a lot about the use of interrupting & mansplaining as suppression tools. I knew they were an issue before, but this made it more clear somehow. I also liked that she included great catcalling info, and how it‘s used against other groups, and how when confronted they don‘t care that‘s it‘s wrong. Very interesting stuff!

#SheSaid

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Smrloomis @KathyWheeler
@ImperfectCJ @bibliobliss @sabyym @JenlovesJT47 @Karisa @fredthemoose @ravenlee 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @ImperfectCJ 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa I also found the information about the Supreme Court dynamics as they added more women interesting and the fact that the women of color was interrupted the most. Also the fact that Thatcher had speech lessons to be, basically, more authoritative sounding. But how Clinton corrections there, were punished as inauthentic. 4y

MallenNC The catcalling chapter was interesting and disheartening. It isn‘t surprising that when confronted the cat callers didn‘t care. I found the chapter on curse words fun to think about. ⬇️ 4y

MallenNC And I thought the point about normalizing women‘s voices by normalizing women as leaders was a great point. I‘m lucky to work at a women‘s college where the majority of directors/managers and execs are women. I don‘t experience interruptions or negative focus on women‘s voices at work because of that majority. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @MallenNC Yes! I thought that chapter interesting. I‘ve often felt that way about people who make up words when one doesn‘t exist to fit the situation, some like mansplaining have become words now, but the mental dexterity to make a word the explain a phenomenon or situation that doesn‘t have a name…is a very smart and intellectual act too, just like creative swearing. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @MallenNC And yes, some of it like the Court dynamics or catcalling, felt like you can‘t win no matter what you do, BUT just be yourself and being seen in those positions (over generations) slowly changes the social perceptions of what positions are “natural” for women. 4y

MallenNC @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Yes, sadly it moves slowly but women who persist in “non traditional” careers help change perceptions. That was something I got from reading a book about the founding women at NPR. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @MallenNC The “Nevertheless She Persisted”… and keep reading things women have written about their experiences too. 😉 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Has anyone read Vox yet, a fiction about silencing women? It‘s been on my list for awhile, maybe I need to move it up now. This book has me thinking about it again and that premise.

Vox

Karisa Yes! Those parts stuck out to me too. Surprising that even women in such high positions were still interrupted even by those who were subordinates and trying to persuade them! I was also surprised by the catcalling statistics. I know I‘ve felt many of those things (angry, scared, belittled) but when she stated how high the numbers were of others who also felt those things brought it home. I also never thought how pervasive it is across cultures. (edited) 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Karisa Yes! When she went through what it‘s called in each culture, that each culture has its own name for the same phenomenon…that really hit home how universal it is and how big of a problem it really is! 4y

MallenNC @Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Karisa The fact that catcalling has “cutesy” names in so many cultures was striking to me too. It is sad to think women deal with this so much around the world that every place needed a term for it. 4y

ravenlee The part about interruption, ignoring, taking credit for what a woman just said, all of that really struck me. I was a bookstore merch manager years ago and left because of the two toxic guys at the top. But I had a good friend who was also in the mgmt there who always stood up for me in meetings. More than once he said, “Anne JUST said that.” And after I left he continued to be my ally, refuting when they blamed me for failures they caused. 4y

ravenlee And it was awesome for him to be there for me but frustrating it had to be done at all. We need more men like him, so that we won‘t need that at all, if that makes any sense. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @ravenlee Yes! Exactly…we need more like that until it‘s no longer necessary. The side story in this one about the writer‘s room meetings really illustrated that too, I‘m so glad you had at least 1 person in your corner, because without that…all the gaslighting begins to make you feel like you‘re losing your mind. 4y

vlwelser @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Vox! Yes! Read it! I'm totally hooked on that author. I'm reading this one right now. It's out in October.

Femlandia

vlwelser I love this book. Hearing the author swearing (and you can tell she has a giant grin on her face) makes the audiobook even more special. Catcalling is so weird. I don't even understand why men think it's ok to do it. This was something that Chanel Miller talked about some. Imagine if women did this to men? Of course they would be looked down on and called bad names for it. But patriarchy is a giant double standard, right? 4y

ravenlee @MallenNC what was the book you mentioned about the women at NPR? 4y

ravenlee That story about the writers‘ meetings really spoke to me. How many of us have had that same experience? Ugh, frustrating. 4y

MallenNC @ravenlee it‘s called Susan, Linda, Nina and Cokie

Susan, Linda, Nina, and Cokie: The Extraordinary Story of the Founding Mothers of NPR

MallenNC @vlwelser I was thinking about Chanel Miller during that chapter also 4y

MallenNC @ravenlee Even though I am lucky at my workplace I‘ve still experienced that writers‘ room situation. I imagine most women have. Infuriating. 4y

staci.reads @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I found the Supreme Court statistics depressing. If it happens to that degree to women in the highest court in the land, what chance do the rest of us have? 🙄😔 4y

staci.reads @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I have read Vox, and thought it was fantastic but infuriating! It made me irrationally mad at my husband the whole time I was reading it 😄 4y

KathyWheeler @staci.reads I stopped reading Vox because of that. I will go back to it, but at the time I was not equipped to be that irrationally angry. 4y

ravenlee @MallenNC thank you! 4y

staci.reads I liked her bit about of the use of words like "sweetheart" and "young lady" by men in the workplace. It is one of my triggers for sure! I am the head principal of a high school of 1100 students and 140+ staff. I had a male teacher call me "kiddo" last year...I am 49 yrs old ?. It was absolutely an attempt to disempower and subordinate. But it's that age of conundrum of how do you address it without being accused of being too sensitive? ?‍♀️ 4y

staci.reads @vlwelser I didn't know she had a new one coming out! Thanks for sharing! 4y

staci.reads @KathyWheeler Totally understandable! Sometimes real life gives us enough at which to be angry without fictional stories and characters piling on 😩 4y

staci.reads I was also fascinated by the section on the reasons women and men self-report that they swear. I had never thought about swearing as a way of showing intimacy or trust for women, but I totally see that now. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @vlwelser Sounds great, I‘ll have to add that one to my list too. 4y

Karisa @staci.reads I was listening to a Brene Brown book this morning, and it made me think about that more too. She definitely slips a few swears in and they seem to serve that purpose. It‘s so interesting! Now I‘ll be listening for it more too😊 4y

vlwelser @Riveted_Reader_Melissa it's great. I just finished. I couldn't stop reading it. Her other book is really great also

Master Class

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @KathyWheeler @staci.reads I completely understand that, I was just thinking that I needed to start picking some light fiction stuff to read with my more serious books, it can easily become too much without some balance! (edited) 4y

KathyWheeler @MallenNC That‘s one of the nice things about being a librarian; it‘s a majority female profession and my library had a majority female staff, so I‘m not subjected to this. It‘s when I‘m on university-wide committees that it can be a problem. 4y

KathyWheeler I felt validated by the section on swearing. I‘m a swearer— got it from my mom. 😊. But I was always told that people who swore had limited vocabularies and weren‘t smart. Well, I was always confused by that as a kid because I knew that both my mom and I had pretty big vocabularies. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @KathyWheeler Haha! I have the opposite with my mom. Even as a teen I creatively used freaking as a substitute and she still called me on it, because she said “she knew what I was really saying!” But reading this book, I get that too, she was working her way up socially so also trying to be more/imitate higher class language standards. (She was the first in her family to go to college & she did that after getting her GED & all after I was born) (edited) 4y

KathyWheeler @Riveted_Reader_Melissa my mom never did go to college; she was determined that I would. And I did. (edited) 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @KathyWheeler Yes, mine too. Hears to great and empowering moms! 4y

KathyWheeler @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Yes! 😊 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

Well #SheSaid this has been a tough week y‘all (I‘m working on incorporating this one), many of our past reads are coming back to me as I watch the news this week (Malala Yousafzai particularly).

I found myself grateful that our current read is written in a lighter manner, well… like… you know… who knew women were such innovators of language, and that we innovated it so subversively in many cases. I‘m loving these little facts and tangents too.

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Smrloomis @KathyWheeler
@ImperfectCJ @bibliobliss @sabyym @JenlovesJT47 @Karisa @fredthemoose (edited) 4y

vlwelser I like totally love this one so far. I have the audiobook and it's fun to hear her getting super excited about things. A little 💡 went off in my head when she talked about the 4 different likes being homonyms. I have been criticized for the inflection thing. I love language. This book is fun. 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa I loved the footnote on the origins of “nice” 4y

vlwelser I definitely use they when I talk about a nonspecific person. Who am I to decide what gender an unknown person has? But I do it unconsciously. I thoroughly believe that the rest of the world will eventually catch up. The same with y'all. In my brain that's just the plural of you. And I have never lived in the south. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa The quote by Shakespeare was super interesting to me (in the gossip section, about him associating it negatively with women more) because the play in question where the quote was, it was after they killed a nurse because she wouldn‘t keep their crime a secret….and it‘s in the same play where they cut out a women‘s tongue so she wouldn‘t tell people about their crime (in that case a sexual assault). So interesting that she picked that play to ⤵️ 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ to show his use of the word gossip as derogatorily associated with women! 🙄 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa And I loved the Yoruba language where he /she literally translates to person with a penis/vagina. I think I might try using that in my inner dialogue a bit, because it made me laugh about how crazy it really is when we really look at what we are saying. 4y

tenar I‘m also loving this book and appreciating the lighter tone right now, while still learning so much. It was very interesting to learn about the studies done on highly gendered languages and ideas of human gender. I‘m learning French, and it‘s made me wonder all the time about how speaking, writing, thinking like this might influence how you understand sex & gender.

(The first thing that really threw me for a loop wasn‘t even gendered nouns…. 4y

tenar It was that man/husband and boy/son are both sets of two distinct words, but the words for woman/wife are the same, as are girl/daughter. So to say “my wife” in French is identical to saying “my woman”. As just an English speaker, that was a wild beginning! And I think some of the evidence here shows it‘s likely significant.)

I loved the AAVE footnote on “he be” and the Cookie Monster. What a clever way to study language! 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar Yes, I‘m loving all the tangents and asides and footnotes as much as the text itself. Such great examples, and yes. @vlwelser her enthusiasm is noticeable even in the text version. I bet it‘s great on audiobook! We lucked out again with the right tone book at the right time. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I remember that when I was learning Spanish, it seemed so odd to me as an English speaker that a table had a gender and was female. Yet 1 more odd thing I have to think William the Conqueror and Old Norman French for, I guess. Who knew!! (edited) 4y

MallenNC The main thing I took away was the part about women being language innovators and the theory that it‘s because language helps women “move up”. And also that criticism of the way women speak is another way to ignore the content of what they‘re saying. 4y

MallenNC Also I need to point out that Bob Garfield was fired this year for bullying in the workplace. That made me side eye his criticism of women‘s speech. 4y

MallenNC @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I‘ve always been curious about gendered nouns when learning Spanish and (a little) Italian. 4y

KathyWheeler @vlwelser The thing that gets me about the complaints about this usage is that the complainers already use they this way when a person is of unknown gender. They just don‘t think about it. Now they‘re told it‘s inclusive language and they don‘t like it. 4y

KathyWheeler @MallenNC I‘ve always been confused by gendered nouns. When I lived in Germany as a kid and was learning German, I wanted a logical reason for why nouns were given the genders they were, and I could never find one. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @MallenNC Yes! I loved that little tidbit, that men use the same language quirks, they are influencing all of our collective English, but it‘s women who are punished for using them. Very telling. I also found the insights into how women use them very interesting, plus the whole idea if women‘s conversation as a communal jam session. 4y

MallenNC @KathyWheeler This book was the most explanation I‘ve ever gotten about gendered nouns. I‘ve always just been told to learn it. 4y

MallenNC @Riveted_Reader_Melissa It reminded me of when I first started listening to podcasts. Sometimes I wouldn‘t like the voice of the female host. It finally hit me it was bc I‘d been “taught” that female voices were wrong. Then I decided why shouldn‘t she be able to host? Who says her voice isn‘t “right”? 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @KathyWheeler Yes! Had this talk with an English teacher recently. She contended that They was not singular, it‘s becoming that way informally now, in causal conversation, but proper English it‘s a no-go. And I was like, everybody who has ever been pregnant wishes for their baby, that “they” grow up safe & healthy. They never use “it”, it was for objects. So yes, I think we‘ve always used it as a singular, it‘s just now that there is ⤵️ 4y

tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Wow, thank you for sharing your Shakespeare knowledge! That‘s verrry interesting context. 🧐

I felt the same learning about Yoruba. Sometimes when the pronoun arguments get way out in the weeds, it occurs to me how bizarre it all is! Why is it, again, we think it‘s important to flag each other‘s presumed genitals in everyday speech? Especially kids, where the discussion often goes? What societal value does this align with? 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ attention drawn to it, or that it‘s been used in a new permanent way, that people have decided they don‘t like it. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I can thank the #ShakespeareReadAlong for encouraging me read a bunch of the plays they don‘t teach in high school. But yes, as soon as she used that line, I was like….What!?!? That‘s the play where women were demeaned by calling them gossips, that‘s the least of it in that play. 🙄 4y

tenar @KathyWheeler @MallenNC Same! As I learn French, I bump into resource after resource dismissing questions about gendered nouns- there‘s no rhyme or reason, just learn them! It may be true that wondering about it isn‘t going to speed up learning the new language, but I feel like there‘s such a quashing of curiosity! This book is teaching us every word has a story, whether we know it or not, and that these words do go on to influence our thinking. 4y

vlwelser @KathyWheeler it does seem like an excuse. Like they object to the idea and this is just a symptom. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar Loved the Yoruba context…I seriously think I‘m going to use that in my internal dialogue more, not only to remind myself how crazy it is that we have to specific what parts someone has before we can make them dinner or give them a library book, but also, why think ‘OMG so-and-so is such an ass‘, when I can think ‘that person with a penis is such an ass‘. 🤣 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @vlwelser I think they just never thought about it before, and now that they are forced to…they are thinking. (And again, that “they” could be singular or plural 😉) (edited) 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I‘m taking from this last chapter that a lot of those object words became female or male, just group A or B, long before those pronouns became associated with male or female. 4y

MallenNC @vlwelser @KathyWheeler I am a writer at my job and I admit when singular “they” started to be used more it did sound off to me and I thought but we‘re taught not to use it that way. But then I decided that “grammar rules” are far less important than people. If they/them are someone‘s pronouns why does a grammar rule matter to me? And as you said using the singular they is something that is done in spoken conversation all the time. 4y

tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa That‘s what I took away, too- gender‘s association with sex came later than most words were assigned gender. (Reminded me of Mark Twain‘s rant, “in German, a young lady has no sex, while a turnip has.”) Does this question make sense: Once gender was associated with sex, was there an additional, matching linguistic move needed for the A/B genders to become called “masculine”/“feminine”? I wonder, did they have names before? 4y

KathyWheeler @Riveted_Reader_Melissa The singular they has been in use, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, since, I believe, 1365. That English teacher argument drives me crazy because it‘s simply wrong. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @KathyWheeler There is some English grammar I will fight for, especially if it‘s inclusive….well that and the Oxford Comma, let‘s not get crazy here! 😂. 4y

ravenlee Hi everyone! I found the section on men‘s/women‘s group talk very interesting. My mom was just telling me when her brother and his partner (woman) visited last week the three of them were trying so hard to have a give-and-take discussion and my dad kept dominating the whole thing with story-telling, and it felt very much like the jam session vs expert-holding-forth style. 4y

ravenlee I also noticed the bit about implied-gender nouns in English and the struggle to find inclusive or neutral alternatives. What the French feminists do sounded pretty awesome to me! As a drummer all my life, as an Air Force navigator for several years, I‘ve often been the “female” whatever, and it can certainly feel frustrating and limiting. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @ravenlee That part of the book was so interesting to me. I loved the explanation of conversation like a jam session, sounded like the perfect way to have a conversation, with give and take. I also loved that the acronym for the old guard in language was NORMS 4y

KathyWheeler @Riveted_Reader_Melissa The Oxford comma is a necessity. There was even a law case decided in favor of one party because the lack of an Oxford comma made the statement read one way when the people who wrote it meant it another way. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @ravenlee also…. I‘m so sorry, I forgot to add you to the tag. My apologies, I‘m glad you found us anyway… I‘ll make sure you‘re on my list this time! 4y

KathyWheeler @ravenlee That was an interesting section. As a librarian, I often hear men in my profession referred to as “male librarians” or “guybrarians.” I wonder if it frustrates them? 4y

ravenlee @Riveted_Reader_Melissa no worries! I‘m just glad I found y‘all and managed to catch up! @KathyWheeler it reminds me of an infographic I‘ve seen with a (satirical) flowchart to determine if a toy is for boys or girls. Step one: is this toy operated with genitals? If yes: this toy is not for children; if no: this toy is for both boys and girls. These words strike me the same way. 4y

KathyWheeler @ravenlee I‘ve seen that infographic; it always makes me smile because it‘s so true. 4y

Karisa @tenar I have been dabbling with learning French (via Duolingo) too. And this section of Wordslut had me thinking moreabout “mari“ for husband vs. “femme“ for wife. So, they are literally just calling their wives “woman“?! 😂
4y

Karisa @vlwelser I've been listening to it as an audiobook too. She's so much fun to hear aloud! 4y

Karisa @ravenlee 😅 I was nodding along with the men's/women's group talk section too. It made me realize while I have had a difficult time speaking with one certain coworker (woman). She uses more of the traits associated with male speech (showing expertise/commandeering, not many mmhmms/listening supports, etc.). I wouldn't hold those things against a male speaker as much--more to be expected but was holding her to a different standard. . . 4y

Karisa One thing I know for sure after listening to this book: I'm going to think hard before I ever jump into grammar police mode again. I'll just save it for the formal revision of school papers in English class--maybe as suggestions. It's good to be at least aware of current standard English norms right? 😂 This book is going to give me a complex when grading papers! 😅 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Karisa Interesting, I can see that though…it probably seems a bit anti-social because she isn‘t relating, like a jam session, the way you anticipate. It‘s definitely making me pay more attention, I finally figured out why my nephew drives me crazy in conversations, he comes in and no matter what‘s going on, he sets himself up in the center as the leader (male centered convo. style). I just didn‘t have the knowledge to put my finger on it before 4y

Karisa @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Yes! My brother in law does that too. I call it the “expert voice“--it makes me feel like he is questioning my intelligence. Gosh, with someone younger than me it would bother me even more (“You whippersnapper you! I changed your diapers.“ 😅,) but that's a different issue for me to work on. . . 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Karisa Totally agree, he‘s just 22, and at that great age where they think they know everything, and everyone else is too old and fuddy-duddy to understand the way things are today. I was chalking it up to age and hoping he‘d outgrow it in a few years, but maybe it‘s just a male thing 🤷‍♀️ 4y

tenar @Karisa Right? I still do a poor job translating it. From the way Duolingo taught, I default to the “woman” and “girl” meanings, so I read a lot of sentences like “his woman…” or “their girl…” and only realize it means wife or daughter if it sounds sufficiently weird enough. 😅 I wonder if French feminists have ever floated a new word for “wife”? I did learn from Pimsleur “mademoiselle” is falling out of use in favor of “madame” for all women! 4y

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KathyWheeler

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

This book is making me increasingly less inclined to judge people by their grammar. I had no idea that the use of hypercorrection (using I in a sentence where you should be using me, for example) is frequently employed by women of “less socioeconomic privilege” in order to help them gain respect. There are other examples too that are all making me rethink my attitude towards grammar. #SheSaid

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Me too! Maybe our wanting to correct grammar is that we want to lift up everyone with better grammar? 🤷‍♀️ 4y

KathyWheeler @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Could be. I like that way of looking at. When I taught it, I always tried to give students really simple tools to remember things that seem hard — like when to use I vs me. 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

On Twitter today… sometimes the universe shows you cool things that just happen to go with the book you are reading and the #SheSaid discussion.

Folks
Y‘all
Mamser

#BookSerendipity

Riveted_Reader_Melissa How about this one @Megabooks @KathyWheeler @Karisa @Kdgordon88 Mamser (edited) 4y

Megabooks I like it!! Mamser 👍🏻👍🏻 4y

julesG Definitely fitting! 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

A new month & a new book #SheSaid!

I‘m really liking this one you folks (it just doesn‘t roll off the tongue quite right for me)…y‘all (I think I prefer that one too). I‘m finding this one very interesting & I really like her writing style so far. Plus I‘m thinking about words a bit more, the part about female derived insults was illuminating. I love all the little word histories & facts. How is everyone else making out? What‘s struck you so far?

DebinHawaii, Julsmarshall, CoffeeK8, bibliobliss, Jgotham, Augustdana, MallenNC, BarbaraTheBibliophage, KVanRead, kspenmoll, KathyWheeler, JenlovesJT47, Smrloomis, Caroline2, AnneCecilie, mhillis, arlenefinnigan, megnews, Suet624, Nute, Deblovestoread, Chab256, Currey, vlwelser, staci.reads, Karisa, Scochrane26, SamAnne, tenar, ImperfectCJ, Singout, sabyym

vlwelser I am still waiting for my library hold. I will catch up with you all later. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @vlwelser No problem. I‘ve been there! 🤞it comes in soon. 4y

Karisa I love learning about the history of words. It‘s surprising how some now have changed to have a totally different meaning (dude used to be an insult? 😂). It‘s also giving me a whole new respect for informal speech like y‘all and making me think twice before using “guys”. The female vs woman section was confusing me a bit. So female is often used often in a more negative ways? I hadn‘t noticed that before but will be listening for it now. 4y

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Deblovestoread I am learning a lot. I find the evolution of word meanings fascinating and hope to be more thoughtful in my choices. Y‘all is easier than you folks for me too. And the c word makes me cringe and probably always will. 4y

Karisa Oh, but I have noticed that the worst insults to guys often involve calling them girls in some way (at least in middle school). I‘m a sixth grade teacher and question that usage all the time (why is it bad to throw like a girl? Ms. G got a softball scholarship and Ms. W. plays in a football league you know…). 😂 Glad to say it seems to be used less frequently as the years go on though. Maybe they just know not to say that stuff around me though😂 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Kdgordon88 I agree, there are some that will be tough for me to reclaim personally, but I have seen the shift in words like Bitch, from Meredith Brook‘s song, to other artists owning it as a badge of toughness. I was glad that she gave definite props to women and artists of color for leading the charge there. The other word, which she didn‘t mention, that I‘ve seen a reclaiming of in recent years is Feminist. There was a time when they were ⤵️ 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ militant “feminazis”, but in the past 10 years that words been reclaimed to its more original women‘s rights/equality meaning. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Karisa That part was very interesting to me. I‘ve noticed the pejoratives for everyone/thing tend to be female based (even things like douchbag, manwhore, being ‘on the rag‘) all denigrate something to do with womanhood/femaleness. But I‘ve always thought of female and women as essentially interchangeable….besides the fact that both are build on the male standard again, like female (engineers) fe(male) wo(man), the bases is always male with ⤵️ (edited) 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ with an added qualifier for woman. But I must admit I didn‘t realize that female was used derogatorily much more than women. Definitely something I‘ll think about more with language now. But in my head I can hear the disgruntled man, complaining about “that female”….so subconsciously I guess I knew it, somewhere. (edited) 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Karisa and good for you! They may just change their language around you, but maybe some is sinking in a bit deeper and will stick with them, so keep up the good work. It‘s always good to make them question their assumptions and not just go with what everybody else says or does. 4y

KathyWheeler As a woman who has mainly grown up in the South, I‘ve often argued for the use of y‘all for the purpose of inclusivity. It was funny to see my argument here. 😄 4y

MallenNC I‘m behind on reading this but I‘m going to catch up and weigh in later today. I just wanted to chime in with a vote for y‘all. I‘m southern and I‘m glad our inclusive word is gaining traction. We have a lot to work on down here so I‘m glad we have this positive word to contribute. 4y

KathyWheeler @MallenNC I know! We do have a lot to work on down here, so you‘re right, it‘s nice to be able to contribute something positive. (edited) 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @KathyWheeler Yes! Affirmation!! I loved how she explained it to the other mom too! 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @MallenNC Catch up when you can, we‘ll be here when you‘re ready. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @KathyWheeler It‘s the little things, and every little bit helps. I‘m close to the western PA area she mentioned, so I also hear a lot of yinz and youse too. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa It‘s funny but I recently had a conversation with a English teacher about the singular “they” as gender nonspecific. She insisted it wasn‘t grammatically correct, but ok in casual use because of changing times, but isn‘t yet officially acceptable formally. I disagreed, when you have an unborn baby on the way, you always hope “they” grow up big and strong…you rarely hear a baby referred to as an “it” unless someone‘s being mean. 4y

Karisa @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I‘m liking “they” more and more too. I‘ve noticed my kids is it all the time now. Low key and inclusive 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Karisa It‘s become such a conflicted word as people seem to want to make a fight over it… but it‘s never seemed that radical to me. People have never been an it, it is for objects. If my nephew is bringing a friend over (gender/person unknown), I wonder what they might like for dinner, if they are allergic to anything, never what it might like for dinner or if it is allergic to anything. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa This happened to show up in my FB timeline today…I thought it was funny and related. I loved his reaction dance. 😂 https://fb.watch/7fSYS-d5ur/ 4y

Megabooks I‘ve been more cognizant of using y‘all and folks since reading this last year. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Megabooks It definitely makes you think more and notice things more. I‘m a big offender in the use of “guys” to include everyone, and when I tried to stop using that awhile back, she‘s right…their were not many great substitutes. So y‘all might be the ticket. 4y

KathyWheeler @Riveted_Reader_Melissa To me, the conflict over the singular “they” is just weird. People use it all the time — The Oxford English Dictionary traces it back to the 1300s. 4y

KathyWheeler @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Yinz and youse must be very regional. My West Virginia raised husband never heard them. He says he must have been too far west and separated by a holler. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @KathyWheeler Yep… I‘m guessing they came somewhere out of the Pennsylvania Dutch which is heavy in this area. Lots of regional words and foods trace back through that. We have a lot of Mennonite and Amish in this area, hex signs on barns (not witches, but actually quite beautiful), pierogies, etc (edited) 4y

MallenNC I just caught up on this week‘s section. I work in communications at a women‘s college, so we‘ve always been mindful of male centered language. Our last president was the first woman in that role, and she would only let us use female as an adjective. This book helped me understand why a bit more.⬇️ 4y

MallenNC Just in recent times we‘ve become much more focused on inclusive words at our work. We use “they” as a singular pronoun in our magazine for example if the alum uses it, and that was a big change. And definitely I‘m trying not to use guys. I try to use folks more. It‘s so interesting how the language we use is constantly changing. I‘m glad that there are ways to make language more welcoming.⬇️ (edited) 4y

MallenNC I also liked that she included the example of Dr Yvonne Brill and how she was described in her obituary. This was a good book to follow Invisible Women. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @MallenNC Yes! I thought the same thing. It flows nice after Invisible Women, but the writing style feels very different which keeps in feeling new and fresh too. 4y

tenar What a great conversation today, y‘all! 😁 I also used “you guys” liberally and got back in touch with my southern roots to be more inclusive with y‘all.

Unfortunately I‘m familiar w/ the derogatory female issue from the video gaming part of the internet. There‘s rampant sexism, and I‘ve seen inclusive spaces write in their chatroom rules No Using Female As a Noun When Referring to Human Women. All I can say is thank goodness for books like this! 4y

tenar @MallenNC @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I was thinking how well this paired the whole time I was reading! I think I‘ve felt that way about almost all the books we‘ve read lately; they‘re so much richer when taken together. Like, Backlash goes well with these last two particularly. 4y

MallenNC @tenar They do work well together. I wonder if that is just going to naturally happen as we choose to read books by women authors. I also keep thinking about what Sarah McBride wrote about the importance of representation. In all of these books, it shows what that perspective brings us. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @MallenNC @tenar I‘m beginning to think it might be because we are prioritizing women authors, and picking a lot of nonfiction….and things I read in this book and this section about women listening and relating a bit differently to their environment and inputs. Intersectionality is so obviously the way to go as we read all these different things that overlap & intersect, it‘s amazing to me we didn‘t arrive there (intersectionality) sooner. (edited) 4y

tenar @MallenNC Yes, Tomorrow Will Be Different and Invisible Women both made incredibly strong points about representation. I feel more capable of advocating for it after reading them. When I saw the next chapter of Wordslut is about the difference seen in language used just among women, I almost couldn‘t stop myself from reading on! 4y

MallenNC @tenar I‘m looking forward to seeing what that chapter has to say also! (edited) 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @MallenNC Me too! I was so curious, but I think it‘s good to take a break too because I want to take it all in. There is a lot of info and great history & language tidbits I want to absorb. 4y

MallenNC @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Yes, me too. Since I just caught up on the section for today, I‘ll at least wait until tomorrow. I don‘t want to start skimming because my brain is tired. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar @MallenNC Hopefully the next group of books on the expanded schedule will continue to keep building up our knowledge on various issues, topics, etc. I‘m loving the layered knowledge and depth of understanding we get with each new book. 4y

tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa @MallenNC Me, too. Looking at our lineup gets me excited. I‘m going to try my best to put a lot of what‘s in this month‘s book into action in my vocab not just with regards to sexism, but ableism, racism, and transphobia and homophobia, too. I‘m thankful to be learning so much cumulatively along with y‘all! 4y

MallenNC @tenar Yes! I‘ve said this to @Riveted_Reader_Melissa before but another reason I‘m glad to be reading these together is because it forces me to slow down and absorb the books and the thoughts of other readers rather than rushing to “get it done” so I can check another book off my TBR. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar Yes, words matter, the pen is mightier than the sword, all of that….and as we become more connected globally I think that‘s becoming more clear. Not only how language and discussions online across continents can influence change, band groups together, and sadly right now misinform. Being aware of the language being used I think is a great tool in being not only a better advocate or ally, but of just being more critical of things you ⤵️ 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ read or see. What language are they using, why, what‘s the motivation? Right now I‘m realizing how much we‘ve lost in teaching critical thinking skills, questioning narratives, and looking for authentic sources…instead of just trusting what same random person says on a meme on social media. (edited) 4y

Singout Waiting for the library hold—hopefully before we‘re finished! 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Singout I hope so too. This one is on Hoopla too if your library supports that app. 4y

ravenlee I just got this from the library and hope to start in a few days. Could you add me to the tag list, please? 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @ravenlee Sure! We‘d be happy to have you join us! 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

#SheSaid Updated schedule!!! Way into the future again, so you can set up library holds and/or interlibrary loans if you need too!

Where‘d these books come from?

I took all the “honorable mentions” from the last vote (those that missed the cut by 1 vote) AND then I added in the few books people have flagged me on over the last year as possible picks AND finally I prioritized those that dealt with groups or subjects we haven‘t touched much yet⤵️

DebinHawaii, Julsmarshall, CoffeeK8, bibliobliss, Jgotham, Augustdana, MallenNC, BarbaraTheBibliophage, KVanRead, kspenmoll, KathyWheeler, JenlovesJT47, Smrloomis, Caroline2, AnneCecilie, mhillis, arlenefinnigan, megnews, Suet624, Nute, Deblovestoread, Chab256, Currey, vlwelser, staci.reads, Scochrane26, SamAnne, tenar, ImperfectCJ, Singout, sabyym

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ AND had high Litsy ratings. Whew! If you‘ll notice we are missing a June & December in this list. I left room for 2 fiction picks again…so those we‘ll have to decide on later this year, so keep that in mind, if we can‘t come up with any, we can always fill those with other Nonfiction picks. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Megabooks Are you interested in joining us for any of these 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa If anybody would like added or removed from the tag list, please let me know! 4y

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Megabooks Thanks for tagging me! I‘ve read August-October, but I‘m very interested in Vanguard in November and Ida B Queen has been on my TBR forever, so probably count me in for those months. Please tag me in the future and I‘ll join in when I can. Hopefully I can join more often in 2022. 👍🏻 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Megabooks Will do! 😉 4y

MallenNC This looks like a great schedule to me. A few of those are on my “I need to read those” shelf already! 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @MallenNC I‘m so glad I‘m not the only one with that kind of “hurry up and read me already” lists! 4y

MallenNC @Riveted_Reader_Melissa You are not! And it never gets any smaller. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @MallenNC 😂 No it does not! As fast as I read, I add more to read! 4y

Deblovestoread Looks like some great reading! 4y

Karisa Oooh, these selections look good. How does #shesaid work? 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Karisa We read one book each month. Just before the beginning of each month I post a schedule for that book, usually dividing it into 4 equal-ish sections, and then every Sunday around noonish (east coast US) time I post a discussion for that week‘s reading and people hop in when they can depending on their time zone or schedule, so we hop in and out Sunday afternoon and discuss. The only rule is it has to be written by a women (hence ⤵️ 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ #SheSaid), and they are mostly nonfiction books, although we usually add 2 fiction a year. One somewhere halfway through the year, and the other in Dec. just to be a bit lighter around the holidays. I started it after reading yet another study about the disparity of reading books written by men vs women and started it as a way to prioritize at least 1 female writer each month in my own schedule and since so many of the books are thought ⤵️ 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ thought provoking and topical, I wanted people I could discuss them with. It‘s hard to read a book that moves you and not be able to talk with anyone about it. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Karisa I‘ll tag you on this month‘s schedule so you can see what I mean. 4y

Karisa @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Thanks! And I know what you mean about wanting to discuss and finding not so many to talk with about books sometimes. That‘s why I love Litsy! 💗 (edited) 4y

Singout Resilience is futile and A mind spread out on the ground are both amazing! 4y

rockpools Are you happy for people to dip in and out? I‘m finding the Wordslut posts fascinating, and would love to join you for September, but probably couldn‘t commit to every month. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @rockpools Yes you can! I just add you to the tag list, and if you want to read and discuss that month, great…if you‘re just not interested or have read it before, that‘s fine too. So yes, you can join for one or a few or all. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @rockpools And Wordslut is on Hoopla if your library supports that and you are looking for a copy. 4y

rockpools @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Fantastic- thank you 😊. I‘m in the UK, so no Hoopla, sadly - I think I can get about half of the others through the library though, and a couple have been on my ‘to buy‘ list for some time. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @rockpools I try to post them ahead of time, so even if your library doesn‘t have it, they might have time to track it down through interlibrary loan. 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Here‘s the upcoming book list @Chelsea.Poole 3y

Chelsea.Poole @Riveted_Reader_Melissa excellent!! Thank you 😊 3y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Chelsea.Poole You‘re very welcome! 3y

tenar Hey, I was just chatting about Disability Visibility with a friend and realized, though it‘s edited by a woman, there are a few more male writers in it than I had remembered. Without doing a deep dive on everyone‘s gender identity, it looks like around 5 of the 37 essayists are men, and a couple others are non-binary. Sorry if I nominated an inappropriate book! Wanted to let you know right away in case it doesn‘t meet criteria. Ty for hosting! 3y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar Thank you for nominating it, I‘ll check it out, but I think it will still be fine. 3y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

The next schedule for #SheSaid and anyone else who would like to join us!

@tenar @vlwelser @KVanRead @SamAnne @Julsmarshall @arlenefinnigan @Chab256 @Scochrane26 @CoffeeK8. @MallenNC @Caroline2 @DebinHawaii @Nute @Currey @Augustdana @Suet624 @Singout @mhillis @BarbaraTheBibliophage @megnews @Jgotham @AnneCecilie @Kdgordon88 @kspenmoll @staci.reads @Smrloomis @KathyWheeler @ImperfectCJ @bibliobliss @sabyym @JenlovesJT47

KathyWheeler Looking forward to this. 4y

Deblovestoread Got my copy yesterday. Looking forward to this one! 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @KathyWheeler @Kdgordon88 I‘m looking forward to this one too. 🤞 4y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Karisa Here‘s the schedule for August. 4y

Karisa @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Thank you! And I found it available on Libby! 🥳 Must be meant to be! 4y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Karisa Then I‘ll add you to the tag list, just join in as you catch up. 4y

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bookseller_cate

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

pick

Borrowed via the Marigold Library System. #librarylove

The best part of this book was how scandalized my mother was when she saw the title. Just goes to prove some of Montell‘s points.

Definitely a fun and informative read. I don‘t agree with every point, but they all gave me something to think about how I speak. And how I think about how others speak.

SilverShanica I look forward to hearing about it 4y

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Daisey

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

pick

This book was fascinating and incredibly fun to listen to. I will be revisiting parts of it again. If you‘re not comfortable with lots of slang for genitalia or swearing, this book is not for you. Just look at the chapter titles and you will understand. Personally, I don‘t use that kind of language very often, but I find the history and statistics about it absolutely fascinating.

#audiobook #nonfiction #linguistics

squirrelbrain I loved this one too. I listened to it on audio but want to get a hard copy too so that I can refer back to it. 4y

Daisey @squirrelbrain I wished a few times that I had a print copy so I could share some quotes. 4y

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Daisey

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

I love books about language and the way that it changes, and after listening to the introduction, or Chapter 0, this is going to be another fascinating one. I‘m a strong fan of y‘all and may need to use some of this reasoning! Another chapter in, it has a lot of language I don‘t generally use, but I am intrigued to learn more about the development of the negative meanings and thoroughly appreciate the humor.

#audiobook #nonfiction

mabell Sounds fun! 4y

Amandajoy I agree! 4y

Megabooks This is a great book! I‘ve read it twice! 4y

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Crazeedi And I've been using y'all for exactly the authors reason! 4y

Daisey @mabell @Amandajoy @Megabooks So far it‘s fascinating and fun! I will definitely be listening again or investing in a print/ebook copy I can mark up. 4y

Daisey @Crazeedi I hadn‘t put as much thought into it, but it makes perfect sense as to why it appeals to me. 4y

Crazeedi @Daisey yes, every time I want to say something to a couple people , dont want 'you' dont want 'you guys'(I hate that). So its y'all for me!! 4y

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Oryx

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

Waiting for a vet appointment in the car, as we're not allowed in until they are ready. Luckily I came prepared (and the first outing of my book sleeve @Caroline2 ).

I love this book already - seriously, combining etymology and feminism? Yes please. Give me all the etymology and all the feminism.

BookishMarginalia Yes! 4y

ImperfectCJ I did this earlier this week (with Afterland). We aren't allowed in the vet's office at all these days, so plenty of reading time. 4y

Readergrrl Fantastic! Added to my ever growing TBR! 4y

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squirrelbrain Is Daisy OK? 4y

Oryx @squirrelbrain yes thanks. Always something with miss daisy.... She had a growth on her eyelid, so they did a little operation last week to remove. She's just got the all clear that the cone of shame can come off 4y

squirrelbrain Oh good, glad she‘s on the mend! 4y

Caroline2 Ah bless her! Poor doggie. We‘re at the vets tomorrow for Rory‘s vaccinations so that‘ll go down well. 😬 4y

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Oryx

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

I won some vouchers in a competition at work - what else would I spend on? January treat.

charl08 Ooh, great looking books! 4y

TrishB Lovely 👍🏻 I have All the Young Men in my sights! Look forward to your review. 4y

Oryx @TrishB it sounds really good. I've been writing in the field of HIV treatment for the last year, so interested to understand more about some of the social history. I think it's going to be a brutal read, but I'm sure it'll be worth it. 4y

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Oryx @charl08 I know - I'm finding it hard not to dump my current read (which is actually really good) and starting one of these! 4y

TrishB I think so! 4y

squirrelbrain Loved Wordslut! I too have All the Young Men on my radar @TrishB .... I keep resisting as I‘m trying not to spend too much on books.... but what else can we spend money on these days?! 4y

LeahBergen Lovely! I have Dear Reader waiting on my shelves. 👍🏻 4y

TrishB @squirrelbrain considering Christmas books I have brought a lot this month, but nothing else! Well, except food and wine! 4y

Caroline2 Ohhh this all look really good! 😯 Great book haul! 👍 4y

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KarenUK

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

Only read the introduction and I‘m LOVING this so far Helen! 😘👍 @squirrelbrain
How can I not love a book with these chapter titles!?

MicheleinPhilly I used to get so angry when I heard or read the word “dyke” and now I just laugh. I would never use it myself and understand if people are upset by it but really it just makes me wonder how pathetic the person uttering it is. 4y

squirrelbrain I hope you continue to love it! I listened to it (narrated by the author) and you could hear the smirk in her voice sometimes. I really want to buy a hard copy to refer back to and, in fact, @julesG did get a copy straight after our #buddylisten. 4y

KarenUK @MicheleinPhilly @squirrelbrain It‘s so fascinating but I‘m also totally loving her nerdiness and humor.... I love how she‘s talking about how language changes and evolves.... really fun. (edited) 4y

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mlzbthc

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

... the reality is that grammar and morality don‘t actually have anything to do with one another, and attacking a bigot‘s poor grammar does not itself prove you are a better person .... the moral significance of what someone says is about the content, not the grammar. As Cameron says, “ Hitler wasn‘t any less fascist because he could write a coherent sentence.” pg. 163

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mlzbthc

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language | Amanda Montell

I should‘ve taken more linguistic classes in college. #missedopportunities

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