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Hello Boys Jo Gorski gives us her impressions on two new texts Dick For A Day and The New Feminism Dick For a Day ëWhat would you do if you had one?' is the question posed by Dick For A Day's subtitle; responses from a selection of women writers are arranged and introduced by Fiona Giles. Giles opens the book with the following disclaimer "The point is not to promote the myth of penis envy; obviously, women don't need a penisí. This immediately begs the question, however, what is the point of the book? Gender roles, gay and straight sex, the mechanics of peeing, the problems of making over and accessorizing one's dick, the inability to have a dick without a testosterone-charged attitude to match, as well as the curious story of Snow White and Her Seven Dicks, all feature in the collection.
Dick for a Day is an explicit book, with descriptions from women of exactly how they would use their new dick, but it achieves more than simply titillation. The perspectives adopted by each woman as she approaches this fantastical subject articulate varying attitudes towards the dick itself. Does having a dick make you 'male' and allow you access to a man's world, or do you remain a woman with slightly altered anatomical features? Giles is correct, the responses do not seek to promote the myth of penis envy, nor has she produced a collection which attacks men and their 'manhood', the predominant reactions to acquiring the new dick are marked by detached curiosity. A number of the pieces view the dick as a novelty item: Mary Mackey receives hers as part of a 'Cock-Around-The-Clock' promotion while Lisa Palec finds hers gift-wrapped and mislaid by its original owner. The attitudes within the book vary from Jenny Holzer's ëMany thanks . . . but I don't want a dick even for one dayí, via Pat Calfia's analysis of dicks, gay men and straight women, to Catharine Lumby's sensual delight in her new toy ëPink, plump, and about four and a half inches long.í Dick for a Day has its fair share of bland and stereotypical responses, but is predominantly well-written, imaginative, and perceptive. It is without doubt an effective collection. + Jo Gorski Dick for a Day, Fiona Giles (edt), Indigo Press

The New Feminism Heralded as the book which everyone would be talking about this year, apparently the book for every female in Britain, I'll forgive you if you haven't actually heard of Natasha Walter's The New Feminism. Because despite these promises, and numerous other inflated claims by her publishers, Walter has not become a household name, and women have not been queuing up to get their hands on a copy of her book. Unfortunately this is precisely the point that she is trying to make in her work. British women have been fooled into thinking that feminism has achieved its aims. A new generation of women have gone through GCSEs, A-levels, Univesity and have been denied nothing. Girls are now consistently achieving higher grades than boys in all subjects at all levels, we have had a female Prime Minister, there are female role models in almost every industry, but women are not yet equal, women do not have the freedom to achieve everything that a man can. A prime case in point is the ridiculous discussion regarding the suitability of the female body for boxing, as if any body is naturally suited to the sport. Walter has attempted to draw our attention to this within The New Feminism and to outline the way she believes feminism must progress in order to achieve a true and substantial equality.
Walter recommends a separation of the personal and political elements of the feminist movement to distance it from the bra-burning and dungaree-wearing political correctness of past years, in order to acquire increased impact for the political argument. The New Feminism advocates a more aggressive approach now that increasing economic equality has diminished the links between male control and female decoration. Women are no longer decorated for and by their men and may now concentrate on increasing their economic and political equality. ëToday, young women can link fashion with power rather than powerlessnessí, Walter compares a teenage girl's dream of being a supermodel with a young boy's ambitions of playing for Man United. The focus of feminism must move away from the personal realm in order to influence events in the larger arena.
Walter recommends a separation of the personal and political elements of the feminist movement to distance it from the bra-burning and dungaree-wearing political correctness of past years, in order to acquire increased impact for the political argument. The New Feminism advocates a more aggressive approach now that increasing economic equality has diminished the links between male control and female decoration. Women are no longer decorated for and by their men and may now concentrate on increasing their economic and political equality. ëToday, young women can link fashion with power rather than powerlessnessí, Walter compares a teenage girl's dream of being a supermodel with a young boy's ambitions of playing for Man United. The focus of feminism must move away from the personal realm in order to influence events in the larger arena. The aspect of The New Feminism which has gained most exposure is Walter's assertion that Margaret Thatcher is one of the great unsung heroines of the feminist movement. Vehement opinion has derided Walter for championing a woman who did so little to protect the interests of women while in power, while she argues that it is precisely this kind of idealistic feminist rhetoric which has held back the progress of many women. Walter cites Sylvie Pierce, chief executive of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, who was involved in the women's movement of the seventies and spoke to Walter about ëthe tyranny of structurelessness, in which you couldn't have a chair of a meetingí. Walter argues that women must move away from the traditional assumptions that women are more naturally inclined towards healing, and peace-making in order to claim their place at the head of the table. It is with this in mind that Walter heralds Margaret Thatcher as a woman who wasn't afraid of power and who normalised female success. Within The New Feminism Walter effectively argues for the belief that women must become insiders and seek power in order to achieve true equality. It is a book which warrants attention from those who believe that feminism has nothing relevant for them, as well as the stalwarts who may need a slight change of focus. + Jo Gorski The New Feminism (a breath of fresh air), Natasha Walter ,Little, Brown & Co

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