This work investigates the paradox of postfeminist discourse, specifically questioning how contemporary cultural criticism often marginalizes or erases the female subject while claiming to advance feminist goals. Tania Modleski, a prominent scholar in cultural studies and film theory, utilizes a rigorous analytical framework to examine how male-authored texts and popular media narratives co-opt feminist rhetoric. She argues that this shift represents a significant regression in critical theory, effectively silencing the very voices that feminism originally sought to empower.

Scholars and critics frequently cite this book as a foundational text for understanding the tensions within late 20th-century gender theory. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which requires a strong background in critical theory to fully grasp the author's nuanced arguments.