Review - Living Dolls: The Return of Sexism
By Jacinta Chavulak, Socialist Party
In her book Living Dolls, Natasha Walter paints a horrifying picture of Britain’s sex culture. The book explores the modern reality of sex in our everyday lives and explains that sexism is worse now than ever before.
Walter begins her book by examining children’s toys. She looks at the difference between girls and boys toys and explains how toys sexualise people from a young age. Bratz, Barbie dolls and make up sets are all examined in detail.
In the first chapter ‘Dolls’, Walter briefly explores the 1970’s feminist movement and the aims behind it. She looks at the difference between the women’s free love movement of then and the hypersexual culture which exists today. Women’s liberation was a key issue in the 1970s, now the focus is on how women appear to men.
Walter argues that that the sexualisation of our culture is not helping to liberate women. It is further embedding women into society as mere sex objects. From here we are thrown into a whirlpool of facts, experiences, real-life horror stories and a lot of scientific analysis of behaviour and history. Walter states her points well with good evidence to back up her claims.
Sex is being marketed by big business as something that is liberating. But those at the heads of companies such as Hustler, Playboy and Girls Gone Wild are all men. At the same time the products of these companies are predominately aimed at men. The chapter on pornography clearly illustrates this.
Another argument which flows throughout her book is that of nature versus nurture. Walter correctly argues that material conditions shape people’s views and attitudes. For example women aren’t born with a gene that determines their apparent love of pink. The reason the colour is associated with women is because people are taught to become partial to it from a young age.
In the second half of the book ‘The New Determinism’, Walter breaks down the differences between men and women. She explores the idea that women are better carers but not better mathematicians. She traces these differences back to what children are encouraged and reinforced to be, rather than some talents that are biologically determined.
Modern feminism encourages a certain boldness and confidence, which is a positive thing. It is when this confidence is coupled with an over sexualisation of ones self for the sake of others where the lines between feminism and objectification become blurred.
There is however one major weakness of the book. While lots of her analysis is good, disappointingly Walter fails to outline a viable way to change the situation. In her final chapter she tries to end on a positive note by showing some initiatives that are being taken by women.
These include notable efforts such as the establishment of women refuge centres. She also puts forward the idea of websites and sticker campaigns. While stickers and websites can help raise awareness about women’s issues they do not fundamentally undermine the source of women’s oppression which is the capitalist system.
Walter fails to note that it is profit that lies behind this huge industry. As long as the profit motive exists women will continue to be exploited as sexual objects and divided from men. The only way to remove the profit motive is to change the system of capitalism. Only a socialist society based on human need and equality would create a material basis to put an end to sexism and discrimination.
While the book fails to point a way forward, it does provide some very good information about the issues facing young women. These facts and figures can be used to both combat sexism and strengthen campaigns for women’s rights. The task of socialists however is to go further and to link the oppression of women under capitalism to the need to fight for fundamental change.
Living Dolls: The Return of Sexism
By Natasha Walter
288pp, Virago Press Ltd
See also the following reviews by Christine Thomas and Laura Fitzgerald.
