Fight Like a Girl

I really like Ford's fire. This was at its best when she caught hold of a topic and gave an opinion that might seem controversial or novel, but she just says it flat-out, unapologetically, and makes you realize that, hey, yeah, abortion doesn't have to be something discussed solely in hushed tones, as an unavoidably Terrible Decision, or hmm, I've been walking around for 30+ years with the unconscious assumption that women kind of owe beauty/thinness/hairlessness to the world, and that is patently ridiculous when you consciously examine it.

At other times, this feels a little rambly, and Ford goes to great lengths discussing issues that are foreign to me (like a program exclusive to Australia) or just not that pertinent in my mind. I feel like feminist writing often centers too much attention on internet trolls, and Ford spends a lot of time on a litany of awful online comments. Maybe people who are unaware of the cesspool of misogynistic comments that is internet comment sections need to see this, but it was just depressing and made me feel weary. Similarly, the extensive catalog of specific, horrifying instances of sexual violence was too much. It seemed to stray from any theme or point, and to just bludgeon the reader to the point of despair.

My other concern is that Ford's attitude toward mental illness is downright dangerous. While it is her personal, lived experience, and she has every right to avoid drugs and use long walks to handle her own anxiety/depression, she sends the message that antidepressants are bad, and frankly comes across very like the most odious David Avocado-style memes that exhort mentally ill people to “just get over” their medical condition with a good dose of nature!

Overall, I'm glad I read this, and I love Ford's passion and courage. I only wish the book were edited a little more tightly, and that she could talk about her mental health struggles without vilifying medical intervention.