Everywoman: One Woman’s Truth About Speaking the Truth

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Self Promotion - it’s very refreshing to hear someone just straight up talk about how they had to promote themselves to get where they had got. This was a great read! I've admired Jess for a while, just because it's not every day a woman from the midlands is on the TV, never mind as an MP. I read this book in one weekend while house-sitting for my sister. It was so hot out that I basically hibernated on the sofa in front of a fan and devoured this book. Just like some other books I’ve read, it feels a little presumptious to assume that the author is speaking on behalf of all women, we all have such different experiences that you can’t just generalise, but this one wasn’t as bad as some others. This book is a mix of laugh out loud hilarious, make you cry unbelievable and shares some completely absurd statistics, like people in the UK donating more to donkey charities than to women's charities (no offence to donkeys, cute beans).

There's nothing wrong with being all of those things of course. But women who fall outside of that group, even by one category, know that we do not and never will be allowed to represent all women. So, speaking the truth isn't always easy but I believe it's worth it. And I want you to believe it too. The truth can be empowering, the truth can lead to greater equality, and the world would be incredibly boring if we let all of those people who allegedly know everything, say everything. This is part-memoir, part-reflection on womanhood. Jess Phillips doesn’t actually discuss her political views to any great extent in this book, she primarily focuses on women’s issues, such as domestic violence, rape, the gender pay gap, and the ways that women are silenced in the work place. Her views on the importance of feminism and equality are explained clearly and powerfully. Although this may sound heavy going, the book is actually quite light hearted in general, and I laughed out loud at some parts. The problems with this book, again, start with the title: "Everywoman". I assume that instead of suggesting this is about "every woman" she means "Everywoman" in the sense of being just like you and me, salt of the earth, representative of this here gender that we have. Like Moran's book, Phillips has written a book that is really mostly about herself. It's fine to write a memoir or autobiography. It's more of a problem when you don't seem to know if you're writing a book about yourself or about all women. I do not want any particular woman to set herself up as Everywoman, because firstly it's impossible for one individual to represent the huge diversity that exists within this gender, and secondly every time someone tries it is without fail a white, middle class (which she is, whatever people may say about her accent) professional, able-bodied, cisgender, heterosexual woman. I’d heard of Jess Phillips before with some of her tweets being retweeted into my timeline, but I didn’t really know much of who she was. This book was a great intro into her mind and the things that she stands for.Lord knows we need more MPs like Jess Phillips . . . as fresh as mountain air amid the Westminster tumbleweed in this refreshingly bracing memoir." ( Metro) Don't get the idea that this is a dry, weighty, preachy tome, it is nothing of the sort. It is full of warmth and humour, filled with the loud and proud Brummie voice that Jess is so well known for. I had the privilege to hear her speak last year in Birmingham and she was such a wonderful speaker, full of wit and anecdote. How I wish every one could have an MP like Jess. How I wish we all had a cheerleader, a friend like Jess. All in all, I thought this was a great read, I think Jess Phillips has a great future, she’s going to go far. Even if she’s not your cup of tea, this was still a great read. If you’re thinking, ‘Jess who?’ then I’m glad that there was something about ‘Everywoman’ and ‘truth’ that caught your eye. This book is an interesting look at what it’s like being a woman predominantly in the political sphere but the material is applicable to many other careers particularly those where a woman has dared to attempt to participate in and challenge an otherwise patriarchal career. Jess talks about her upbringing and the struggle of balancing having a family and maintaining her political career and she talks openly about the sacrifices she has had to make to continue doing her job. She discusses online abuse and the threats she has received simply for having a political opinion and she talks about times she has been patronised for daring to think she can ‘have it all’.

I digress. This is a great book. It's a wonderful concept. Brilliantly spaced between the chapter formats and her voice isn't lost like some in this structure are. Jess Phillips and I probably agree on about 95% of the issues. It certainly raises my estimation of her when the worst people on the internet despise her as much as they do. The book is interesting, readable, sometimes funny, and usually pretty well informed. So, speaking the truth isn’t always easy but I believe it’s worth it. And I want you to believe it too. The truth can be empowering, the truth can lead to greater equality, and the world would be incredibly boring if we let all of those people who allegedly know everything, say everything. I've always been quite fond of Jess Phillips. She speaks her mind (sometimes a little too much), but at heart, she seems to care about what she does, and genuinely wants to make a difference. Yes, she wears her heart on her sleeve, in a working environment which doesn't really accept that sort of thing, and I respect her for it. Politics really should be done differently, and generally speaking, I like those who challenge the status quo. This woman is nothing short of a hero. I love the fact that she has a potty mouth and is also very brazen and open about her reservations about her life as an MP.Or you might already know me as that gobby MP who has a tendency to shout about the stuff I care about. Because I’m a woman with a cause, I have been called a feminazi witch, a murderer and threatened with rape. The internet attracts a classy crowd.

Jess Phillips is refreshing, her no-nonsense, straight-forward approach aims to open politics up to all and that can only be a good thing. The UK political system continues to be dominated by upper-class, privately-educated men when surely it is in the interests of the country if the political system is representative of the people that it aims to represent; otherwise it is only beneficial to very few people. Jess is a state-educated, working class woman and also the current MP for Birmingham Yardley, she is often criticised in the media for being loud, outspoken and opinionated – all traits that if spoken about a man would be viewed positively. It's semi-autobiographical, and we learn a lot about Jess' teenage self, her siblings, family etc. Particularly uplifting was a chapter on sisterhood, where Jess relays stories of her mother and mother-in-law, and stories her friends have shared about women helping other women. I also liked the chapter where Jess covers self promotion and how we need to do it more, noting the fine line. That’s doesn’t mean this is a guidebook of any kind of political treatise. It is a “from the heart” overview of the world we live in, the perspective of one woman, but goodness what an inspiring woman.If you’re thinking, ‘Jess, who?’ then I’m glad that there was something about ‘Everywoman’ and ‘truth’ that caught your eye.