"Brideland" by Naomi Wolf
in To Be Real: Telling the Truth and Changing the Face of Feminism
edited by Rebecca Walker
From the back cover:
"Determined to extend the boundaries of feminism to embrace social, political, and economic equality for all humanity, these exciting young activists and thinkers recast the concepts of feminism to reflect their own experiences and beliefs. Inspired by activist and writer Rebecca Walker, 
they speak out, challenging many of their own assumptions about the women's movement and demanding that readers recognize the new relationship between the personal and the political. Black and white, male and female, gay and straight, they fearlessly describe their liberation from the feminist 'ideals' that conflict with the reality of who they are, expose 'shocking' secrets, and acknowledge long-hidden accommodations and anomalies."
Casey's review:
While I was disappointed that Naomi Wolf's "Brideland" essay was only a few pages long, it was a refreshingly open look at how feminists respond to the bridal industry and struggle with their own fantasies as they seek to plan their weddings. Does knowing the history of patriarchal traditions make it okay to use them? Is the wedding day truly the only day in a woman's life where her sexuality is honored? Wolf honestly discusses her innermost thoughts and acknowledges how easy it is for women to be caught up in the cultural tide of the modern wedding experience.
