Feminism, both as an academic topic and cultural movement, has become a major conversation over the last few decades. With each passing year, issues concerning gender, sexuality and women’s rights have thankfully escalated to the forefront of people’s minds, especially with intersectional feminist movements such as the women’s marches and #metoo giving a platform for women to discuss issues of gender inequality.
Due to this influx of interest, there are a multitude of new authors, articles, novels, and think pieces that discuss issues pertaining to feminism that add great insight and definition to the cause.
Here I present to you 10 works, from both past and present, that give an overview and crucial insight to the feminist movement, in its many forms.
#1 Feminists Don’t Wear Pink (and other lies): Amazing women on what the F-word means to them By Scarlett Curtis
This book is comprised of essays from female celebrities, bloggers and writers who either have a story to tell or want to give advice to other women. The writings encompass everything from dating to starting a business, so there truly is something for everyone in this one!
Buy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Feminists-Dont-Wear-Pink-other/dp/0241357187
#2 Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive
By Kristen J. Sollee
This is one of my absolutely favourite books as it opened my eyes to a new way of thinking within feminism. It connects the fear of witches, the exclamation of ‘Slut!’ and the attacks on modern-day feminists through the theme of sex positivity – it is truly worth the time to read this little gem of feminist writing.
Buy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Witches-Sluts-Feminists-Conjuring-Positive/dp/0…
#3 THE 7 MOST GOOGLED QUESTIONS ABOUT FEMINISM (AND HOW FEMINISTS ANSWER THEM)
https://www.amnesty.org.au/7-googled-questions-feminism-answered-feminists/
This is one of my favourite articles about feminism as a broad topic because it is not only from a reputable source but also shows how confused some genuinely care about the feminist movement. This would be a great article to send someone ignorant of feminist issues as it explains things in an easy to understand manner while also getting its feminist standpoints across well.
#4 Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism
By bell hooks
If you are into more academic readings, then there is nothing more fitting than a piece of writing or book from bell hooks. She writes extensively on the intersections of women (before the term intersectionality was even coined) and how previous feminists had seemed to ignore the important differences between women. ‘Ain’t I a Woman’ is perhaps one of hook’s most famous writings but any writing of hers will be extremely enlightening.
Buy Here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aint-Woman-Black-Women-Feminism/dp/0861043790/r…
#5 Timeline: #MeToo and how the Harvey Weinstein scandal unfolded
#metoo was one of, if not the most, influential feminist movement of 2018 so knowing how it happened, why it happened and how it snowballed to what it is today is incredibly important – especially as the effects of the movement have yet to be determined. This article outlines a timeline of the movement so you can get a clear understanding of its magnitude and importance in a wider cultural space.
#6 A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
By: Mary Wollstonecraft
As one of the first writings that focuses on the rights of women, Wollstonecraft’s work has stood the test of time, and is still used today. While she holds some problematic views on class, the rest of this work is a testament to the women of the late 18th and early 20th century who worked so hard for the simple legal right to vote, as well as those fighting beyond that.
Buy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vindication-Rights-Woman-Mary-Wollstonecraft/dp/144042862X
#7 The Guilty Feminist: From our noble goals to our worst hypocrisies
By: Deborah Frances-White
This book is brimming with tales of inspiring women, and ‘fun’ facts that will make you both laugh and educate you on the inequalities, no matter how trivial, that women face. Actress Emma Thompson noted that the book felt like an “everything you have always wanted to know about feminism but were afraid to ask” manual. If you don’t like dense, more academic texts – this one is for you.
#8 ‘Intersectional feminism’. What the hell is it? (And why you should care)
By Aval Vidal (The Telegraph)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/ava-vidal/
This article details the history and importance of the term ‘intersectionality’; how it came to be, what it means, and its future. Another great, stimulating article that leaves plenty of room for healthy discussion and debate.
#9 HISTORY AND THEORY OF FEMINISM
http://www.gender.cawater-info.net/knowledge_base/rubricator/feminism_e.htm
If you aren’t into funny anecdotes, or scholarly texts this basic article of the history and theory of the feminist movement is the one for you!
#10 Women’s Suffrage Movement (Available in March 2019)
By Sally Roesch Wagner
The name of this book gives its contents away, but rest assured you are going to want to buy this when it comes out – if the reviews and foreword by feminist icon Gloria Steinem are anything to go by! Perhaps you will see the suffrage movement in an entirely new light through the eyes of this writer and her comments on the history of the women’s movement.
Sources:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Guilty-Feminist-noble-goals-hypocrisies/dp/0349010145
All images from Google.