Susanna Rustin’s SEXED: A History of British Feminism was published at the end of June by Polity, and has received some incredible reviews.

Described by The Observer as ‘Measured and insightful’, SEXED is a radical retelling of the story of British feminism. Rustin’s goal was to show how successive generations have fiercely contested what it means to be a woman, and why this matters. This book argues that the differences between male and female bodies have always been feminist issues. While gender is a useful concept, women cannot be supported by a politics that forgets that they, like men, are sexed.

In the build-up to publication, SEXED received fantastic reviews concurring that Rustin has, indeed, achieved this goal. Chosen as The New Statesman Book of the Day, Hannah Barnes wrote that ‘Rustin certainly achieves her goal of creating a book which is “useful”’, covering ‘enormous and important ground’, mirroring Karen Ingala Smith’s comment that SEXED is a ‘vital account’.

The Guardian described SEXED as ‘an even-handed account of the failures and faultlines within the feminist movement’, commenting on how ‘it feels valuable to have such a comprehensive account of British feminist achievement, with the quietly diligent figures given equal billing to their more famous counterparts’. Professor Alice Sullivan expressed that ‘there is much inspiration to be found in this history’.

Samira Ahmed noted SEXED to be ‘fascinating, illuminating and essential history’, while Sonia Sodha for The Observer described it as ‘brilliant and unmissable’.

On the day of publication, Unherd expressed SEXED to be a ‘symbolically important book’ which is ‘impressive in its scope and erudition’.

We are delighted to see the book resonate with so many people, and to see these incredible reviews. Nearly two weeks after its publication, SEXED is currently a #1 Best Seller in Violence against Women on Amazon. SEXED can ordered here.