It seems as though everyday there is a new headline about how reproductive rights, voting rights and other essential rights are in danger. Given that these topics are politically and personally relevant, it’s important for everyone to stay sharp and aware of the feminist theory. It’s also a great time to support feminist authors, specifically queer women and women of color, in the wake of many political threats to their livelihood. There are a handful of some amazing feminist works to keep our minds sharp for the feminist revolution.
- What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About, Michele Filgate
This is an interesting novel to accompany the other feminist works in this list. It includes several topics of conversation that are not often things young women discuss with their mothers- from the ways in which their mothers fail them, to the ways in which they fail their mothers. Filgate’s work is an important read because in a time that we should all be working hard to understand and support women, the women who raised us are a good place to start.
- Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good, Adrienne Maree Brown
Pleasure Activism shows readers just how pleasurable social good can be. “Pleasure Activism” is defined by Adrienne Maree Brown as, “a politics of healing and happiness that explodes the dour myth that changing the world is just another form of work.” She draws from feminist theorists including but not limited to Audre Lorde, Cara Page and Sonya Renee Taylor.
- The Body is Not an Apology, Sonya Renee Taylor and Ijeoma Oluo
Sonya Renee Taylor takes readers through a reclamation of the body, in an attempt to free her audience from the political and social barriers that keep people in marginalized identities from achieving self-love. The journey to self-love is written as a social justice movement, and Taylor also sells a workbook to accompany her original work, in order for readers to genuinely commit to their own self-love journeys. In a world that is constantly picking women apart for their appearances and their bodies, this book is an excellent way to celebrate what has been belittled.
- Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman, Lindy West
Lindy West’s memoir, Shrill follows her experiences through womanhood, dealing with issues such as sexism and fatphobia, leaving readers with a witty sense of satisfaction. The memoir was adapted into a TV show, featuring Aidy Bryant, on Hulu. The show ran for three seasons, following a young woman Annie who navigates her professional and personal lives as a fat woman.
- New Handbook for a Post-Roe America: The Complete Guide to Abortion Legality, Access, and Practical Support, Robin Marty and Amanda Palmer
Robin Marty’s nonfiction guide was originally published in 2019, but was updated last year in order to be more current with policies, and with a foreword by Amanda Palmer. The new edition is a manual for those who might need abortions in a country that has overturned Roe v Wade, which is a very relevant and uncertain topic after the Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion to overturn the landmark case. The book contains information on abortion laws/policies, how to gain access to procedures and how to protest against the systemic erasure of this essential healthcare.
It’s an uncertain time for many, and while participating in protests and rallies is a great way to educate and raise awareness on these issues to the public, enlightening our own minds is a great way to prepare for whatever comes next with the Supreme Court’s future decisions on abortion, and many other freedoms.