Ariel Levy Interview
November 28th, 2006Ariel Levy will be on today’s Fresh Air. Catch it on NPR if you listen to it, or check back at the site tonight to listen online. Personally, I haven’t read Female Chauvinist Pigs and excerpts and columns written by Levy have failed to impress me, but Terry Gross always does thought-provoking interviews. It should be…interesting. If you’re into Levy you might want to hear, if you hate her, you might want to listen too. 
November 29th, 2006 at 6:10 pm
I thought that overall FCP was a good book (still hate the title, though), although you have to take it in the context of it only addressing a primarily white, middle- to upper-class phenomenon. Many people also get the impression that Levy is saying that “raunch culture” is a new phenomenon, which obviously ignores the way that sexuality has been treated throughout history. Although I do think it’s a good term to use to describe modern middle-class commercialization and commodification of female sexuality.
If you do pick up the book, though, I recommend skipping the part where she talks about bois. It’s such a gross over-simplification of queer culture (not to mention that she conflates butch lesbians with genderqueer and transgender people in a couple of parts) that all it does it take away from her point.
December 6th, 2006 at 9:38 pm
Actually, tekanji, she came across as a lot less abrasive and judgemental in the interview than in the writing by her I’ve read. Perhaps I’ll reconsider my opinion about whether or not to check out the book.
April 13th, 2007 at 1:07 pm
I’ve read fcp, and for the most part, it’s quite interesting and relevant… but I mean, as you get closer to the end, her arguments start to fall apart and get a little silly. Other than that, decent read!