Birds and Women in Music, Art, and Politics

Book excerpt: This volume depicts the struggle of birds for freedom, an endeavour similarly experienced by women in the United States and other regions of the globe. It is a prolific study of how creatures interact psychosocially. Sometimes, birds inspire humanity, and, at other times, humans desecrate birds. They may interweave seamlessly or may experience indirect and direct conflicts. Their needs overlap and may be satisfied and explored compassionately through analytical lenses, including those of feminism, anthropomorphism, and animal rights. They share platforms, including art, the male gaze, and discussions about capture and oppression. In this work, both are presented as equally adept to survival on Earth. In this capacity, the book is novel and fresh. In spite of contradictions, such as preserving some birds at zoos, while causing others to fight for sport, birds, overall, will continue to cause humans to thrive, develop, and take-off; and by experiencing their lives through this book, humans who share the birds’ spiritual and spatial realms will develop a keener sense of environmental care and how to make cruelty-free choices. This book’s range is profound, and includes original research on diverse areas depicting Martin Luther King, Big Bird, the presidents, celebrities, and other notable sources of leadership. It also considers influential zoos and several preservation sites. In all, it is a well-founded work that demonstrates care in research and argument.