This book thoughtfully and thoroughly investigated the backlash against the rights that women had gained in the 80's. She begins by looking at the media, and the backlash representation of women that took place under Reagan. Idealistically, women were portrayed as returning to the home, as dedicated wombs and mothers, and as playthings for men. This did not reflect the realities of women, but the media liked it because thats where alot of frightened men felt women should be.
Susan Faludi also looked at the backlash war in politics and the political agenda of the 80's. Women lost much ground that they had gained in the 70's in the 80's. Yet, politicians and the media groaned about all the new power women had, when actually it was declining, or perhaps because of it, it was declining.
She also looks into the backlash world as it applied to women in the workforce and reproductive 'freedom'. In the 80's an over-concern for the womb forced many women out of the workforce. Factories would claim that certain chemicals were harmful to women's reproductive health, therefore they must not have those, no so coincidentally, high-paying jobs. The reproductive health of men was never considered. Esentially, it was an excuse to get women out of "men's" jobs.
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