Review: Abolition. Feminism. Now

Dense at times, but truly liberating

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

Abolition. Feminism. Now is the fruit of the collective work of Angela Y. Davis, Gina Dent, Erica R. Meiners, and Beth E. Richie. I just finished reading it, and honestly, I have a lot to sit with. This book took some real mental work to get through — not because it’s dry (it’s not), but because it’s dense with ideas that challenge the way many of us are taught to think about justice, safety, and systems of power.

I got a little past the halfway mark before I realized: I was going to need to take my time. And I’m glad I did.

The authors explore the intersection of abolition and feminism in a way that’s deeply historical and rooted in grassroots organizing. They show how feminist and abolitionist movements have long been connected, particularly in the fight against violence. What struck me most is how they highlight work that’s often overlooked or erased from mainstream conversations about justice and safety.

Even though I’m familiar with gender and race rhetoric — and genuinely enjoy engaging with these topics — this book still taught me a lot. I wasn’t aware of the extent to which abolitionists and feminists have contributed to anti-violence movements. The authors make a strong case that we can’t just respond to violence with more policing or carceral solutions. Instead, we need to ask: Where does this violence come from? What systems uphold it? And who do those systems actually protect? We also have to pose challenging questions in regards of solutions based on the community and not the justice system.

They argue that to truly protect people, especially those most at risk, we have to address the roots of violence itself: racism, heteropatriarchy, and the legal systems built on those foundations. That idea really stuck with me.

This is not a light read, and it’s definitely not for people looking for surface-level discussions. But if you’re open to a radical and liberating perspective — one that asks hard questions and doesn’t offer simple answers — Abolition. Feminism. Now is worth your time.