Kill the Body, the Head Will Fall: A Closer Look at Women, Violence, and Aggression

I love books that make me think in new directions--this is one of them! The author takes us simultaneously into the world of amateur boxing, and the social issues surrounding violence committed by women, whether in the ring or on the battlefield. A competitive amateur boxer herself, and one of the few women in the sport, Denfield has the vantage point for both of these topics of discussion, and weaves them together very well in a combination of social analysis and personal anecdotes. The basis thesis statement of the book is that, contrary to popular opinion, women can be (and often are) just as aggressive as men, though social restrictions may affect how that aggression is given room to manifest. Denfield supports this idea with statistics and discussions on women as criminals, as soldiers, and as athletes--as well as domestic and child abusers. She argues that because women continue to be seen as less dangerous, weaker, that their anger is often seen as "cute" or "bitchy" rather than aggression. This also contributes to the lower number of women arrested for violent crimes (Denfield cites a case where a woman decked a man with no provocation, and was then driven home by a concerned cop after the *man* was heavily questioned). She also details the negative effects this can have on men, particularly victims of domestic abuse by women (as well as female victims of female abusers). She even shows how media attention and public opinion (such as in the Susan Smith murder case) can be swayed due to the sex of the defendant. Within all this Denfield describes the microcosmic effects of being a female boxer. She tells us about the reactions of men who have sparred with her, of her trainer, Jess, a septuagenarian who trains her not to be a woman boxer, but a *fighter* as with the rest of the guys. She uses this arena to demonstrate the theories about female aggression and the reactions to it that she presents. I highly recommend this to anyone, whether you were raised as a woman with traditional attitudes toward female aggression, or just someone of any sex interested in how these attitudes affect women on a practical basis. What I found valuable in particular is that this has given me some food for thought in regards to my own socialization as a biological female, and my own aversion to violence and aggression (as well as the passive-aggressive behaviors I've been working on deprogramming).

I'd LOVE to go out with this woman! Although there are a few holes in her attempts to find statistical corroboration of her claims, the book is generally a mesmerizing page-turner. Denfeld has a writing style which is as clean and crisp as any good boxer's punches---a pleasure to read and then to ponder. This book takes a position which is truly seldom heard on either side of the ideological fence...absolutely refreshing! Should be required reading for all 12 year old girls, before the adolescent cultural programming kicks in.