Book Reviews
Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated, By Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney
March, 2009
If the title isn’t grabbing enough, the introduction alone will entice any reader. Through her own story as a female representative, the stories of other working women in America, and statistics and evidence supporting her point, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney’s, Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated exposes the inequalities of our country and lays out the steps for fixing them. From the workplace, to healthcare, to reproductive rights, Maloney writes about problems, solutions, and the steps necessarily to take to reach equality for women in all areas of life.
Perhaps it is true that people simply don’t realize the lack of development in rights for women in our country, or maybe people simply choose not to. Whatever the case may be, Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated unveils and exposes our country’s greatest disgrace. Unlike so many in our age, Maloney realizes that the feminist movement and women’s liberation are not ideas of the past. She points out the hypocrisy of a nation such as ours being so behind when it comes to giving women equal opportunity and fairness everywhere they deserve it. Her skeptical tone and outrage in certain parts of the book emphasizes her point and the seriousness of the matter.
However, the book isn’t a list of complaints or rants about the nature of our country with regard to women’s rights. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Maloney doesn’t hesitate to give credit where credit is due. Her criticisms lie not with the women of our country, but rather the chances they are not being given. In addition, rather than being a pessimistic glance at our world today, the book is very optimistic. Each section is titled with a goal, some examples being A Workplace That Works For Families, and Equal Opportunity for All. The stories in the book are inspirational. Each chapter is laced with stories of real women, some activists, mothers, workers, and everyday women. The point that is stressed over and over is that you don’t need to be a president, congressperson, or head of a big business to advocate and promote for equality and rights and that are so overdue.
This is a perfect book for someone just becoming interested in feminism, politics, or “women’s issues”. With just the right amount of historical background, personal stories, and shocking evidence, Maloney’s book strikes the perfect balance between exposing the lack of progress in regards to women’s equality, while giving credit to the progress we have made and describing the ways we can further this progress. I highly recommend, Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated.
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