In many ways, society at large can be characterized by its embrace of contradictions and the illusion of free will. We have grown to imbue each and every choice we make with the potential to be empowering, autonomous, and demonstrative of our inherent agency, despite the inescapable impact of larger societal frameworks. We simultaneously applaud body positivity in the age of Ozempic and practice mindfulness techniques that we found during our “doomscroll” on social media.
And while two things can certainly be true at once, the reality of it all can feel quite absurd.
Doortje Smithuijsen gets at the heart of these dichotomies by examining how sexism functions within capitalism—exploiting women—and highlighting how the messages that we are inundated with affect our every decision. She suggests that capitalism has merely been rebranded in this more progressive time in history—they’re selling us the same things, only this time we think we chose it for ourselves, that the desire came from within.
A fascinating look into Dutch culture from a prominent journalist and cultural critic, Capitalism Is Sexism is a striking manifesto that succinctly examines the contradictory messages that are being sold to individuals today, with a focus on women, that only fuels them to participate in the oppressive capitalistic system further.
Reminiscent of autotheoretical works like Maggie Nelson’s The Argonauts and Julietta Singh’s No Archive Will Restore You, Capitalism Is Sexism offers a blend of philosophical musings, personal vignettes, and a close analysis of theory and its interaction with the world. Divided into eight sections, labelled with pillars of Smithuijsen’s discussion—such as “Motherhood is Easy” and “The Self-Care Cycle”—the book traverses a variety of topics central to traditional notions of womanhood, with a particular focus on motherhood. She uses these chapters as cultural and social touchpoints, providing the reader with familiar, relatable material with which to understand larger theoretical concepts.
While the idea that capitalism has sexist leanings may not be a groundbreaking idea for some, Smithuijsen approaches this rich topic with intimacy and care that grounds this statement in tangible examples and accessible language. Complete with a “Reading List,” Smithuijsen has built her manifesto to be a strong foundation for further reading and reflection—a sounding board for cultivating change and striving towards a more equal world.
Citing Dutch salary and employment statistics from 1977 and comparing them with today, Smithuijsen begins Capitalism Is Sexism by showing the important advancements that have been made in her homeland while also emphasizing that there is much more progress to be made. In fact, she points out how a list of the positions endorsed by the Labor Party in 1977 are eerily reminiscent of major issues of today—such as concerns about the growing wealth gap and the exploitation of the Earth. By noting how the average wage gap between men and women in the Netherlands dropped from $31,000 in 1977 to $21,000 today, she demonstrates how improvement has been made, but it is far from equal. In fact, she expresses how it actually is fruitless to try and curate equality within the oppressive framework of capitalism—which favors hierarchies of power. To begin dismantling these structures, she encourages us to reimagine how we think and what we think we know.
Importantly, she clarifies that her use of the term “capitalism” refers to much more than the economic system of free trade; she is discussing the larger ideological model that shapes our entire cultural and social world as well. Indeed, in her preface, she focuses on how capitalism benefits—profits, to be precise—from inequality and that the rise of a new “choice feminism” maintains women’s subjugation under capitalistic, sexist structures while offering the illusion of choice and branding it as empowering. Instead of being told they must stay home to care for a family, many women now choose to work less after having a child. And while women have always been held to impossible beauty standards, now many choose to follow fad diets and exercise practices because it is linked to a cause they support or a celebrity they admire. Smithuijsen’s point? We may think we understand why we do what we do, but in the end, the result is the same: an impossible task to uphold unrealistic expectations, only now, we are convinced that it is what we wanted all along.
To be clear, she is not suggesting that any of these lifestyle choices are bad or good, but rather that we must be aware that our decisions are not as autonomous as we would like to believe they are. Further, she stresses the importance of recognizing that our individual actions and choices do not exist in a vacuum; we undoubtedly affect those around us, and in this globalized world, our reach is extended. Smithuijsen admits that it is vital that we take accountability for the fact that our choices do influence the zeitgeist and our pursuit of freedom within it, but also to embrace this realization as a place of opportunity.
Ultimately, her introspective analysis brilliantly showcases how all of our decisions are influenced by larger structures, like capitalism and sexism, despite all of our dedicated efforts. Her book focuses on how real autonomy begins when we recognize the impact of these systems on our lives and accept that change will not come from inside of an inherently oppressive structure. Through her personal musings and blog-esque writing, Smithuijsen compels us to embrace that unknown and imagine new possibilities alongside her. By reworking our thinking and our understanding of ourselves within the zeitgeist, we begin to pave the way towards a more liberated future.
NONFICTION
Capitalism Is Sexism
By Doortje Smithuijsen
Simon & Schuster
Published August 11, 2026
