A format paperback with flaps
176 pages
11 February 2021
ISBN 9781911648185
Cover design © House of Thought
Everybody knows a Chauvo-Feminist…
The 2017 #MeToo movement was a flagship moment, a time which empowered women to share their stories of sexual harassment and abuse in a spirit of solidarity and in demand of change. But have some men simply changed tactics?
Acclaimed author Sam Mills investigates the phenomenon of the chauvo-feminist, the man whose public feminism works to advance his career, whilst his private self exhibits age-old chauvinistic tactics. Through testimonies and her own experience, Mills examines the psychological underpinnings of the chauvo-feminist, exploring questions of modern relationships, consent, and emotional abuse and asks how we might move beyond ‘trial by Twitter’ to encourage an honest and productive dialogue between men and women.
Sam Mills is the author of numerous books, including The Quiddity of Will Self (Corsair, 2013), and recent memoir of love, madness and caring The Fragments of My Father (Fourth Estate, 2020).
Praise
‘We’ve all met That Guy. In this searching and provocative essay, Sam Mills neatly skewers the men who publicly spout feminism while treating women badly behind closed doors –– and asks how we can move forward to a happier, more feminist future.’
—Samantha Ellis
‘Thought-provoking, on point and abreast of contemporary ideas about the chauvinism of women’s everyday lives. A book for our times.’
—Monique Roffey
‘In this lithe and luminous essay, Sam Mills explodes the hypocrisy of many men in the wake of the #MeToo movement . . . Clever, funny, gripping and beautifully written… An exploration not just of the female experience, but of civilisation itself. This is a dazzling, essential book. Men with mutant politics: beware!’
—Emma Jane Unsworth
‘Wide-ranging in scope, this thought-provoking pocket essay book is a crucial addition to the canon of contemporary feminist writing.’
—Robert Greer
About the author
Sam Mills studied English Language and Literature at Oxford University and worked as a journalist and publicist before becoming a full-time writer.
Her debut novel for adults, The Quiddity of Will Self, was described by The Sunday Times as ‘an ingenious, energetic read’ and by the Guardian as ‘extraordinary’. Her literary memoir of caring for her father, Fragments of My Father, was published by Fourth Estate in May 2020.
Georgia DC for Bookblast, 21 June 2021: Review | Chauvo-Feminism: On Sex, Power and #MeToo, Sam Mills
Mika Ross-Southall for The Spectator, 24 April 2021: Beware the woke misogynist: Sam Mills warns against men who publicly champion feminism in order to lure women into abusive relationships
Ellspells, 22 April 2021: Review: Chauvo-Feminism by Sam Mills
CP Hunter for The Arts Desk, 29 March 2021: ‘Q&A: Author Sam Mills on the phenomenon of the ‘chauvo-feminist’’
Ordinary Instant Podcast, 1 March 2021: ‘Talking Genuinfluencers & Chauvo-Feminism’
Andrew Gallix for The Irish Times, 27 February 2021: ‘Books in brief: From drone music to fig leaves for misogyny’
Anna Hollingsworth for Shiny New Books, 23 February 2021: ‘Review: Chauvo-Feminism: On Sex, Power and #MeToo by Sam Mills’
New Statesman, 17 February 2021: ‘NS Recommends: New books from Eliot Higgins, Matthew Kneale, Jane Smiley and Sam Mills’
Rebecca Savage for Lucy Writer’s Platform, 15 February 2020: ‘Chauvo-Feminism: men, women, and feminism in the aftermath of #MeToo’
Sam Mills on TalkRADIO, 13 February 2021: Badass Women’s Hour (21.15-21.45)
Jackie Law for neverimitate, 12 February 2021: ‘Book Review: Chauvo-Feminism’
Sam Mills for Stylist, 11 February 2021: ‘Have you met a chauvo-feminist? That’s a man who acts like a feminist but is a chauvinist at heart’
Anna Vaught for 3:AM Magazine, 10 February 2021: ‘Review: Chauvo-Feminism’
Martin Chilton for The Independent, 1 February 2021: ‘Books of the month: From Daisy Buchanan’s Insatiable to Nikesh Shukla’s Brown Baby’
The Indie Insider Newsletter, 23 December 2020: ‘New Year’s Read-olutions: What we’re looking forward to in 2021’
Chiltern Voice Community Radio Book Club 2020, 28 November 2020: Interview with Sam Mills
The Idler: Review of Chauvo-Feminism
The London Magazine Podcast, October 2022: Interview with Sam Mills
Sam Mills for The London Magazine: Les Liaisons Dangereuses: A Book That Keeps Burning