Faludi's The Terror Dream

I have been reading extracts in G2 from Susan Faludi's new book, The Terror Dream.

In it, Faludi discusses particular myths about femininity which were perpetuated by the media after 9/11.

These myths focus on the insistence of the media to represent men as heroes and women as passive victims to be saved, how the fire fighters' widows were represented and later demonised by the press, and how women supposedly turned their career ambitions into ambitions to be wives and mothers after the attacks.

It seems an interesting analysis, especially since it is such an up to date analysis of how media represent women, and that 9/11 is such a topical, emotional issue anyway.

Although I have yet to read the entire book, I think that it is an important analysis of the ways in which women are still perpetually oppressed and hedged in by stereotypical representations of 'femininity', even today, when feminism is seen by many as unnecessary and redundant.

The realisation that women are badly mis-represented in the media needs to be kept alive, and books like Faludi's help to ensure this negative image of women in the press is exposed.