Leigh Gilmore's THE #METOO EFFECT: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE BELIEVE WOMEN is a thorough examination and analysis of the impact of the #METOO movement and it's aftermath. Gilmore argues that although #METOO comprised a widespread social push to increase women's credibility, the movement may have succeeded in doing the opposite. Gilmore lists and discusses cases that support her conclusion. I learned a great deal from this book about the movement and about history of discrimination in the US judiciary.

This book is in the academic style, with the expected detached style and voice, except, it should be noted, when the author describes instances of sexual assault in sometimes visceral detail and, even more rarely, a high emotional tone. I think she did this at least in part in the pursuit of frankness, or even in an attempt to speak truth to power. But I want at this time to offer a trigger warnings for this book to anyone who has experience SA, abuse, or harassment of any kind. Be safe, but enjoy this informative book.

Rating #️⃣#️⃣#️⃣.5 / 5 hashtags
Recommended: yes
Read this if you like:
🇺🇸 Political nonfiction
♀️ Feminism
🏛️ Court cases
📝 Academic nonfiction

This book offers an academic perspective on the #MeToo movement. It especially demonstrates how Twitter transformed individual narratives into shared ones, reiterating the systemic issue of sexual violence. It also outlines the importance of survivors having the tools to tell their stories and of the public and courts listening and validating their experiences.

The book is very US-centric. There is some mention of events in Ireland and France and I would have enjoyed gaining an insight into #MeToo around the world, and into how the issue of sexual violence impacts indigenous American women.

The author looks at what the #metoo effect has accomplished and analyzes it’s implications.

The author has done a thorough job. It is a well-researched book that gives you a lot of insight into the history that led to metoo , the problems in our culture when it comes to sexual harassment and there are a lot of examples that give context to what she’s writing. This is not a book you can read in one sitting. You have to concentrate and be somewhat familiar with the language and terms she uses. She writes with compassion and understanding, and I felt enlightened when I finished the book.

She writes about a subject matter that we all need to know more about. I hope this book will reach many. I imagine it could be a useful book for those who study sexual harassment.

Thanks to netgalley and Colombia university press for the arc