Sex and Dissent: Stories of Feminist Resistance in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Spain

“Meaghan Beatley has written a career-kindling firecracker of a book. . . . Invigorating and optimistic . . . . Beatley has proven herself both an artist and an activist, and I’d be hard pressed to find a reader that would be able to come away from this book without an entirely different view on collective action and the power of the human spirit.”
—Lit Hub, "Most Anticipated Books of 2026, Part Two"

“Journalist Beatley’s remarkable debut surveys four feminist protest movements that raged across Latin America and Spain in the 21st century.”
—The Millions, "Great Summer 2026 Book Preview"

“In one exceptional volume, journalist Meaghan Beatley has accomplished a rare feat. Not only does she provide robust histories of feminist resistance movements in Argentina, Chile, Spain and Mexico, but also expertly personalizes these histories with the words of the women directly involved. Their invaluable and increasingly urgent lessons are shared, in accessible language, with others involved in feminist activism throughout the world today. . . . Beatley's captivating narratives [are] invaluable in our present moment.”
—MS. Magazine

"Sex and Dissent, by Meaghan Beatley, is an eye-opening, compulsively readable primer about contemporary feminist resistance movements in Argentina, Chile, Spain and Mexico, where brave women activists have fought to bring change in societies with long-embedded traditions of gendered violence. At a time when political leaders like Donald Trump and Javier Milei are using their positions to reinforce many of the old misogynies, the stories told by Beatley offer inspiring examples of redemptive action taken by women who have faced some of the worst cruelties that men are capable of. Sex and Dissent is an important book for our time — please read it."
—Jon Lee Anderson, author of Che: A Revolutionary Life

“Meaghan Beatley's Sex and Dissent is a revelatory account of recent feminist protest and activism in four Spanish-speaking countries, where the courage and actions of the women who spoke up, spoke out, and changed laws shines through in incisive investigative reporting and prose that gets to the beating heart of the matter. At a time of great backlash and regression, North American women should indeed look to Latin America for a new way forward — one that recognizes the sickness of systems in creating and extending gendered violence.”
—Sarah Weinman, author of Without Consent

"Sex and Dissent is a clear-eyed, rigorous, and consistently fascinating exploration of feminist movements, spanning both intimate portraits of activists and sweeping accounts of transformative social movements. This book gave me heart in this exceedingly difficult political moment — there’s so much to learn from, and be inspired by, here."
—Rachel Monroe, author of Savage Appetites

"What an extraordinary book this is! Meaghan Beatley has the rare ability to combine deep and rigorous reporting with elegant storytelling and profound analytical smarts. Sex and Dissent is a sobering and inspiring work, grounded in history, bursting with heart."
—Ben Ehrenreich, author of The Way to the Spring

"Meaghan Beatley takes us on an ambitious tour of Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Spain to first devastate with stories of brutal violence against women and then inspire with stories of feminist organizing and solidarity. Essential reading while women's rights are under attack in the U.S. and elsewhere, for those who wish to learn from the Latin American feminists notching legal, cultural, and political wins under seemingly impossible circumstances."
—Rachel Nolan, author of Pulitzer Prize finalist Until I Find You

“Written in elegant, celebratory prose and grounded in meticulous reporting, this book vividly brings Latin American feminist movements to life. It is high time for these stories of struggles and breakthroughs to travel North and inspire US audiences or anyone who cares about democracy.”
—Mariane Pearl, author of A Mighty Heart

"Remarkable . . . . It’s a galvanizing compendium of furious feminist activism.”
—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

“In Sex and Dissent, Meaghan Beatley takes us to Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Spain and shows the advances feminism has made over the course of the last decade. While other countries in the world have seen women’s rights rolled back, Beatley gives us some hope with these wins across Latin America and Spain.”
—BookRiot

"Such dynamic grassroots movements, conceived of and justified both intellectually and emotionally, 'are among the most vital democratic forces at work today,' [Beatley] argues. Citizens, especially women, in countries across the globe would do well to embrace them as a model for future activism. Timely and heartening, packed with inspiration and lessons for institutions and the individuals trying to change them.”
—Kirkus Reviews

"Beatley combines deep research with a passion for her subject, making for a gripping, inspiring, and sometimes disturbing read. . . . An eloquent, eye-opening account of feminist social movements in Latin America and Spain, this is both timely and essential."
—Library Journal