THE SHOCKING TRUTH BEHIND WHAT MEN REALLY THINK ABOUT WOMEN

An unusual, intriguing analysis of men’s opinions about women.

This genre-bending book expounds on two uncited surveys about gender roles featuring predominantly white, college-educated, and religious people. Biblical and historical examinations of gender roles, plus fictional dialogues among three 40-something male friends, supplement the survey responses. The opening chapter explores the profound influence mothers have on men. Camillo shares stories of powerful women throughout history and documents how gender equality has shifted from hunter-gatherer times to the modern day. The Old Testament’s Song of Solomon and the love story of Rachel and Jacob serve as aspirational models of romance. Camillo offers a retrospective of how standards of female sexiness have changed, from Marilyn Monroe to Twiggy to Cindy Crawford. A majority of male survey respondents reported that smart women turned them on and that they would be comfortable with a woman financially supporting or outearning them. They also resoundingly agreed that platonic friendships with women were possible and that they would feel comfortable with female health care providers. Despite ample evidence that women do the lion’s share of housework and childrearing, 60% of men surveyed said it was not primarily women’s responsibility to attend to those duties. The last chapter considers societal interpretations of sexual harassment and assault throughout history, including the #MeToo movement, which most male survey respondents said had not changed men’s behavior. In this refreshing, conversation-starting book, Camillo effectively incorporates diverse perspectives on gender socialization. Many survey responses are progressive (84% of men are comfortable with female physicians, for example). However, the book’s foundational data is flimsy and, at times, erroneously interpreted. Though women were asked to guess men’s responses, Camillo occasionally states the results as if the women were speaking for themselves. Ultimately, the book notes but doesn’t interrogate toxic gender stereotypes in summaries like “Our survey indicates that a woman can have a lousy personality, no sense of humor, and not give a damn about the man she’s trying to attract, yet she can still be sexy in a man’s eyes.” Still, while the surveys are imperfect, the results point to the acceptance of gender equality among respondents.

A provocative book that asks important questions but relies on dubious data analysis.