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eveningsout

Sex, lies and stereotypes

Sex Lies and Stereotypes

An Unconventional Life Uncensored by Kim Ficera

Kensington, $14 trade paperback

Amazon Girls Handbook by Becky Thacker Wicker Park, $13.95 trade paperback

Reviewed by Anthony Glassman

Being humorous about women's lives is a good thing. Everyone needs to be taken out of themselves and shown the fundamental absurdity of life, given a little picture to let them know that their problems are universal and, generally speaking, not really all that bad.

A man writing about women's lives in such a way would probably be crucified, and with good reason. A gay person doesn't want to see a heterosexual making fun of him and a Jew would be livid if an Arab started asking, "How many Israelis does it take to screw in a light bulb?"

Luckily, this reporter is only reviewing the books; he did not write them. He enjoyed them, certainly, but the women in his office would probably hurt him severely if he said half the things Kim Ficera does.

Sex, Lies and Stereotypes is a far cry from politically correct. Ficera is not necessarily politically incorrect, she simply does not take people's feelings into account when she writes.

For example, when talking about the overabundance of Lindas, Donnas and Susans in the lesbian world, she doesn't worry about what any given Linda, Donna or Susan will think when reading the book. Certainly, one can be sure she hopes the three groups will find her writing about their names amusing, but she probably isn't that concerned if they don't.

Her writing about procreation and offspring, especially, might take some aback. She is occasionally unkind in her choice of words, for instance. Breeder is not necessarily a word used in polite company in the Midwest to describe another person. However, she is extremely funny, a fact that

Sex, Lies and Stereotypes.

kin

AC

AMAZON GIRLS

HANDBOOK

"We've prepared

for a jew things,

Becky Thacker

should forgive any number of linguistic sins. Becky Thacker's Amazon Girls Handbook, on the other hand, is not only politically correct, it self-reflexively spoofs political correctness.

Designed to be a scouting manual for the eponymous female organization, it covers activities Amazon Girls can organize, merit badges and how to attain them, as well as the different levels of Amazon Girls, from Tomboy to Goddess.

Thacker is far from irreverent, however. She very much loves the women around her and believes others should revel in the women surrounding them. At the same time that the book is tongue-in-cheek, it is also a paean to togetherness and communality, a tribute to making the world a better place for everyone.

She also includes, right from the very beginning, wise advice to novitiates. The Amazon Girl motto, for one, can be read as the most important guidepost on the road of life: "We're prepared for a few things."

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