We Were Feminists Once: From Riot Grrrl to CoverGirl®, the Buying and Selling of a Political Movement

Once a dirty word, “feminist” has been rebranded as a shiny label sported by movie and pop stars, fashion designers, and multi-hyphenate powerhouses like Beyoncé. It drives advertising and marketing campaigns for everything from wireless plans to underwear to perfume, presenting what’s long been a movement for social justice as just another consumer choice in a vast market. Andi Zeisler, co-founder and creative director of Bitch Media, provides a scathing critique of how the concepts of feminism and empowerment have been co-opted for profit and twisted to be about self-actualization rather than community uplift. As much a fun romp through pop culture as a pointed critique of it, this book shows how we got here and also points out a path forward to taking back the movement.

(This book may contain a sharpie mark on the top or bottom edge and may show mild signs of shelfwear.)