Complicit - by Reah Bravo (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Part cultural study, part call to action, this thoroughly researched and deeply personal examination of white-collar work in America's hyper-individualistic, patriarchal society will change the way you think about sexual misconduct and workplace abuse.

When Reah Bravo began working at the Charlie Rose show, she wasn't deterred by the open secret of Rose's misbehavior toward his female staff. Believing herself capable of handling anything unprofessional that might come her way, she soon learned a devastating truth: we don't always react to abusive situations as we imagine we would. In fact, today she considers herself both a victim and an enabler of Rose.

Weaving her own experience with that of other women and insights from experts, Bravo reveals the psychological and social forces that make us all enablers of a dangerous, sexist status quo--regardless of our good intentions or feminist ideals.

Complicit shows that the path to a better, more equitable society begins with cultivating the self-awareness and mindfulness necessary to act against our cultural conditioning.

Review Quotes

"This research-laced memoir delves into the messiness of unwanted yet tolerated behavior. Bravo is candid about the limits of personal agency and reminds us of the power of systemic inequities. Above all, Complicit demonstrates that we need to be kind to ourselves, and to others--while at the same time ensuring that every perpetrator is held accountable." -- Leora Tanenbaum, author of Sexy Selfie Nation

"[In] former PBS news producer Bravo's thoughtful book... she is not trying to establish blame or assign labels like victim, predator, or participant--she is instead looking for insights, acknowledging that everyone, men and women alike, suffers from the effects of toxic social conditioning. She digs deep...offer[ing] scenarios that will resonate with readers.... Her balanced and nuanced observations give readers much to think about."
--Booklist (starred review)

"Bravo weaves stories of women's interactions with predatory men with social psychology studies about unconscious acceptance of power biases... Bravo's points are distinct and often spot-on."
--Kirkus

"Fiercely vulnerable and impressively researched, Complicit is at once a salient self-examination and an unflinching interrogation of the societal permissions we both knowingly and unknowingly grant to powerful (mostly white) men behaving badly. At a critical time in the ongoing fight for gender and racial justice, Bravo has written an empathic and concise book that will inspire the next generation of voices courageous enough to rage against the machine."
--Rebecca Carroll, author of the critically acclaimed memoir Surviving the White Gaze

"Reading Complicit was a surprisingly emotional experience for me. I saw myself throughout the pages and in the stories told. Having survived my own toxic work environment and sexual assault, I was transported back to how I found myself in those situations. I related to all Reah Bravo explained about how the ecosystem I have grown up in led to these moments. This book made me feel less alone, less like things I had experienced were my fault. It also left me with hope, that by puling back the curtain and seeing the responsibility we can all take, that change can truly happen."
--Kara Goucher, New York Times bestselling author of The Longest Race

"Reah Bravo has written a brave book. It is brave not merely because it is honest, but because it declines to make its case via tired political rhetoric. Instead, Bravo employs blunt self-awareness and rigorous scholarly research when interrogating her experiences (and our moment). The result is a text that imbues #MeToo-era discourse with a fresh voice."
--Kate Bolick, author of the New York Times bestselling Spinster: Making a Life of One's Own

About the Author

Reah Bravo is an American speechwriter currently living in Brussels. Earlier in her career, she worked in broadcast journalism producing political and other news segments for the PBS program Charlie Rose a stint that ended in 2008, when she joined the nearly half of all sexually harassed women in America who leave their jobs. She holds a master's degree in international affairs from Columbia University and was a Fulbright Fellow in Bahrain.