Enemy Feminisms by Sophie Lewis
Opening Note
What if some of feminism’s enemies were, in fact, seeing through its banner? Enemy Feminisms isn’t just a history book—it’s an excavation of feminism’s fractures, told by someone brave enough to name the shadows within. Sophie Lewis invites readers to reckon with the past—and to do better in the future.
Overview
In Enemy Feminisms, Lewis catalogs over two centuries of conflicting feminist currents—from imperialists and prohibitionists to KKK feminists, girlboss ideologues, anti-trans radicals, and carceral feminists. She builds a radical feminist taxonomy to show how movements once aligned with liberation also bred domination—often under the guise of protection or “women’s safety.” Only by naming these harmful legacies can we move toward a truly liberatory feminism.
Analysis & Reflection
Lewis writes with razor-sharp clarity and generous rigor. She refuses sentimentalism, instead weaving archival research with theoretical insight and political urgency. Each chapter functions like an archetype study—its figures unsettling, familiar, and alarmingly contemporary. Her goal: knowing whom we must distinguish as enemies of liberation in order to fight effectively for justice.
This is not a book meant to comfort. It’s meant to call out. And in that call lies a profound love for feminism at its most radical and inclusive.
Broader Connections
This work speaks to readers of political nonfiction—particularly those drawn to left feminisms, decolonial criticism, and radical critique. It feels in conversation with works like Full Surrogacy Now or Abolish the Family by Lewis herself, and echoes thinkers like Judith Butler, Angela Davis, and Torrey Peters. Most powerfully, it refuses to reduce feminism to a monolith—it demands nuance, courage, and self‑awareness.
Critique
At times, the density of examples can feel overwhelming. The prose shifts rapidly from scholarly theory to satirical asides and sharp polemic—inviting reflection, but also forcing the reader to slow down and digest. The tone may feel relentless for those seeking comfort or cohesion, but that relentlessness reflects the stakes Lewis insists we face.
Closing Thought & Recommendation
Enemy Feminisms is a necessary mirror to feminism’s complicated past—and a guidepost for its future. It confronts the ugly truths so we can build something better. If you care about trans liberation, decolonial justice, and feminism that is mass‑based rather than state-based, this book is essential reading.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Tags: Feminism, Political Theory, Transfeminism, Abolitionist Thought, Critical Nonfiction
