This article presents a feminist reading of a Swedish social work academic textbook as a case study. We use a discourse analytic approach and positioning theory, focusing on author positions through different story lines. The aim is to make visible how differences are created and positions of the author/reader normalised in terms of gender, race/ethnicity and class. The analysis illustrates how the organisation of the book privileges a particular story line by presenting gender research in a special section of the book and as a perspective. A neutral, unmarked author position is assumed, presented as a common "we" by identifying "women researchers" and "feminist" points of departure as different. If the unmarked author/reader "we" position appears desirable and morally superior, the clients' gender, ethnicity and class are often openly discussed in relation to social problems, positioning them as "the other". Finally there is also a story line of more critical and ambivalent knowledge positions.