The Wrong Kind of Women

Inside Our Revolution to Dismantle the Gods of Hollywood

By: Naomi McDougall Jones

Narrated by: Naomi McDougall Jones

A brutally honest look at the systemic exclusion of women in film—an industry with massive cultural influence—and how, in response, women are making space in cinema for their voices to be heard.

Generation after generation, women have faced the devastating reality that Hollywood is a system built to keep them out. The films created by that system influence everything from our worldviews to our brain chemistry. When women’s voices are excluded from the medium, the impact on society is immense. Actor, screenwriter, and award-winning independent filmmaker Naomi McDougall Jones takes us inside the cutthroat, scandal-laden film industry, where only 5% of top studio films are directed by women and less than 20% of leading characters in mainstream films are female. Jones calls on all of us to act radically to build a different kind of future for cinema—not only for the women being actively hurt inside the industry but for those outside it, whose lives, purchasing decisions, and sense of selves are shaped by the stories told.

Informed by the journey of her own career; by interviews with others throughout the film industry; and by cold, hard data, Jones deconstructs the casual, commonplace sexism rampant in Hollywood that has kept women out of key roles for decades. Next, she shows us the growing women-driven revolution in filmmaking—sparked by streaming services, crumbling distribution models, direct-to-audience access via innovative online platforms, and outside advocacy groups—which has enabled women to build careers outside the traditional studio system. Finally, she makes a business case for financing and producing films by female filmmakers.

I, a sixteen year old girl, kindly asks you to listen to this book

I was worried after listening that I would feel even more hopeless and isolated, but I feel liberated. I’m going to share this book with everyone I can and even with my limitations of not graduating high school yet, I will do everything I can to spread this message. I will dismantle the patriarchy and will no longer allow it to control me.

Phenomenal Read!

Naomi McDougal Jones' strong, honest, and passionate voice just draws you in and holds onto you throughout this entire book. Everyone who watches movies--and television--should read this. The content is riveting--I had no idea this was going on! A fast-paced eye opener.

Amazing and inspiring

If you are in, graduated from, or considering going to film school, please listen to this book - all the way through (valuable advice and contacts at the end). This is a classic and should be mandatory reading for absolutely everyone in the industry. Thank you!!!!!

I won’t see cinema in the same way

Although I knew that Hollywood was fucked up and I personally was in my own de-contrition process about the movies I watch, now I’m convinced to achieve that more than the 50% of cinema I consume, is made by women. Thanks Naomi for collecting this data and teaching me so much.

Compelling and Convincing

A compelling and convincing analysis of how and why women are still shut out of the large majority of Hollywood jobs and the impact it is having on American culture. Naomi uses data as well as her personal experiences and those of others she interviewed to make her argument--and it makes sense. More importantly, she explains what is being done to address this gross under representation and suggests additional steps as well.

Most interesting and encouraging, evidently Netflix is enjoying it huge success while employing a far more diverse set of talent than its lagging competitors...and it is paying off. They have the data to know exactly what kind of stories viewers are interested in and evidently stories by and about women sell..Note to film consumers: vote with your viewing and seek out films made by and about women!

(It made me think....could you imagine going into a bookstore or onto Audible and finding that only 8% of the titles were written by women.....?)