Down Girl
Down Girl
Down Girl
Asian Women
March 2018, Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 109-112, https://doi.org/10.14431/aw.2018.03.34.1.109
Joewon Yoon
Korea University, Korea
nist or post-patriarchal times; that the “heteropatriarchy” (p. 297) and its
norms stand alive and well despite deconstructive endeavors in theory and
praxis. Mostly a diagnostic account, Down Girl ends without a specific pre-
scriptive conclusion. But Manne also sets her project out to be an amelio-
rative approach, and as such it leads the reader to anticipate at least some
hope for change.
We are currently witnessing extensive outcries against misogyny—“once
again,” as I wrote in the beginning. #MeToo is a continuation of
“#YesAllWomen” that the Isla Vista killing spree ignited in 2014. It may
yet morph into another hashtag, should some other incident(s) launch yet
another anti-misogynistic wave. But we are definitely going through a cul-
tural moment. I hope these accusations have opened a dam that won’t
close. I hope these outcries will finally lead us to turn a corner in history.
The debates and conversation should continue so that the momentum does
not get lost. For nothing protects misogyny like silence.