20 books on feminism - from historical treatises to comics

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Scientists, movie stars, and activists write about the rise of feminism, women's issues and stereotypes that are long overdue to eradicate.

1. "The Second Sex", Simone de Beauvoir

The book by the philosopher, political activist and writer de Beauvoir was first published in 1949 in his native France. Since then, it has been translated into over 40 languages.

De Beauvoir challenges patriarchal canons, such as the distribution of roles in the family. She believes that a woman should not only sit at home and raise children without participating in political and social life.

It was in the Second Field that de Beauvoir wrote her famous words: "Women are not born, women become women." After that, an active discussion arose about the difference between the concepts of "gender" and "gender" and the second stage of development of the feminist movement from the 1960s to the early 1990s, a wave of feminism, began.

2. "The Riddle of Femininity" by Betty Friedan

Betty Friedan is one of the key figures in the second wave of feminism. In 1966, she founded the National Women's Organization, which fights for the integration of women into political, economic and social life.

In this book, Friedan addresses the concept of femininity. According to the author, it was invented to justify the patriarchal way of society: a woman does not need to work and strive for independence, it is enough to marry successfully due to her natural qualities and gentle character. Despite the fact that the media, sociologists and psychologists at that time argued about female destiny, Fridan was one of the first to talk about the fact that women are capable of any job and can get any profession, if they have the right and opportunity to do so.

3. “Freedom, equality, sisterhood. 150 years of women's struggle for their rights”, Martha Breen and Jenny Yurdal

This is the third collaboration between writer Martha Breen and artist Jenni Yurdal. Together they create fascinating books about women and feminism.

"Freedom, Equality, Sisterhood" talks about how different the lives of men and women were until recently. For the girls, the father decided everything, after the wedding - the husband and even in old age - the son. But things began to change thanks to courageous individuals who were not afraid to go against custom.

Small stories in comics describe the lives of women who influenced the course of history. The authors covered the whole world and covered many topics, such as the role of women in the fight against slavery. Readers note that this is an ideal format for the first acquaintance with the history of feminism and its outstanding women.

4. "Suffrageism in the history and culture of Great Britain", Olga Shnyrova

Olga Shnyrova, PhD in History, specializes in gender studies and the study of women's movements in Europe and Russia. "Suffrageism in British History and Culture" is one of the most recent books about activists, whose struggle marked the beginning of positive change not only in Foggy Albion, but around the world.

It was the suffragists who managed to achieve the right to vote and influence the country's politics, despite the resistance of society and the government. But the movement's problems arose not only from the outside - among its followers, unanimity also did not always reign. Shnyrova honestly and impartially tells about those women who changed the course of history.

5. "Desert Flower" by Waris Diri

Waris Diri was born in Somalia in 1956. As a child, she underwent female genital mutilation, a mutilation that has no medical prerequisites and is often performed in unsanitary conditions. As a teenager, Waris wanted to forcibly marry, but she fled and went to the UK. The girl became a model and used her fame to draw attention to cruel traditions, as well as to help those who suffered from them.

"Desert Flower" is Diri's autobiography, in which she shows by her example the cruelty girls around the world are subjected to and that one cannot stop until these traumatic practices disappear. If you think that this happens only in distant underdeveloped countries, then know that female circumcision is encountered in our time Practices of FGM in the republics of the North Caucasus: coping strategies and on the territory of the Russian Federation.

6. “Gender Brain. Modern neuroscience debunks the myth of the female brain ", Gina Rippon

The stereotype that the female brain, due to its biological characteristics, is only able to cope with household chores and caring for children, has been used for centuries to clearly define the place and role of women in the world. With her book, cognitive neuroscience professor Gina Rippon calls for a boycott of such anti-scientific arguments.

In The Gender Brain, Ph. D. argues that the impact of biological differences is overestimated. A much larger role is played by the social impact that weighs on girls from birth. A pink envelope in a maternity hospital, dolls, fluffy dresses and appeals not to get angry because good girls don't do that - according to the author, all this affects the perception of norms of behavior much more biology.

It is worth noting that in the scientific community, the book has both defenders and ardent critics of The Gendered Brain by Gina Rippon review - do men and women have different brains? …

7. "What do women want?", Alexandra Kollontai and Klara Zetkin

Clara Zetkin is known to many for her involvement in the emergence of International Women's Day. This holiday was not started at all in the form that it has taken now - with obligatory bouquets of tulips and wishes to remain as delicate and fragile. Zetkin wanted this to be the day when the world's attention is focused on the difficulties that accompany women in their pursuit of equality.

Alexandra Kollontai became the first woman ambassador in history and proved by her activities that in addition to family and love issues, ladies may be interested in something else. Kollontai used her political position to spread education among women.

The book contains the works of both revolutionaries on the topic of gender equality and the new position of women in a changing world. Many points in the book now seem controversial, such as the connection between feminism and Marxism. Nevertheless, the works of these authors are important for understanding how the women's movement developed in our country.

8. “The myth of beauty. Stereotypes Against Women ", Naomi Wolf

Naomi Wolf is one of the most prominent representatives of the third wave of feminism, which began in the 1990s, and the author of the provocative book Vagina. A New History of Female Sexuality”. In his debut work, The Myth of Beauty, Wolfe attacks the standards of appearance that women have been imposed throughout history. For the writer, this is nothing more than patriarchal control over body and mind.

Wolfe seeks to end all patterns. Chasing beauty standards is an impossible game to win. Even in achieving the so-called ideal, a woman fails because she loses herself.

Despite the importance of the book, many of the data and statistics on which the author relied were not the most accurate and recent, as critics rushed to inform Critic's Notebook about; Feminine Beauty as a Masculine Plot. Controversy and reasoning around the "Myths of Beauty" do not subside to this day.

9. "Feminism in the Comics" by Judy Groves and Katya Genaynati

Literature teacher Katya Genaynati and artist Judy Groves have joined forces to talk about feminism in an accessible and simple way. They understand how this concept arose, what “patriarchy” means, and where the opposition of logic and emotion came from.

Genaynati scrolls back to the 16th century with the first political movements associated with women's struggles for social equality. Groves complements captivating stories with apt and daring illustrations.

10. "The political theory of feminism. Introduction ", Valerie Bryson

Valerie Bryson, a British professor of political science at the University of Huddersfield, has collected in her fundamental research the history of the feminist movement - from the Middle Ages to the present day. Through the prism of the collected knowledge, she analyzes contemporary trends and disputes arising around overcoming sexism and eliminating stereotypes.

The Political Theory of Feminism talks about different aspects of the movement and its types that have appeared throughout history: socialist, Marxist, liberal, radical and modern. The professor managed to write a treatise that can be used by both students for academic purposes and a wide range of readers to get acquainted with the history of feminism.

11. “Brave,” Rose McGowan

The actress, who gained popularity thanks to her leading role in the TV series Charmed, wrote an autobiography with a very accurate and succinct title. McGowan honestly talks about his difficult childhood in the "Children of God" sect, which was waiting for the second coming, and until it happened, promoted free love. Also in the book, the actress talks about the thorny path to fame and what prompted her to tell her story.

In October 2017, a large-scale campaign to draw attention to sexual harassment began, which resulted in the #MeToo movement. Rose became the mouthpiece of the movement and was one of the first to openly issue accusations of harassment by influential film producer Harvey Weinstein. With his story, McGowan does more than simply retell the passage of his life. “Brave” is a snapshot of the time and lifestyle of an entire generation.

12. "Good girls go to heaven, and bad girls go wherever they want …", Ute Erhardt

From a very early age, girls are taught a certain pattern of behavior. They should be humble, quiet, polite and compliant. German psychologist Ute Erhardt disagrees with such attitudes. A woman should not always be in a good mood. She shouldn't always give in and help. She doesn't have to compromise if none of the options suits her.

The writer gives examples from everyday life when a woman was cornered by social norms and traditions. In these stories, many easily recognize themselves. Erhardt suggests how not to fall into such a trap and how to get out of it if the vice has already been squeezed. Spoiler alert: Sometimes it's enough to just say no.

13. Woman, Race, Class by Angela Davis

Activist, philosophy professor and writer Angela Davis focuses on more than just women in her book. She writes about everyone who has to strive for equal rights and fair treatment. Written back in 1983, "Woman, Race, Class" is an excursion into the history of the movements for equality and freedom in the United States.

First, African-American women had to fight against slavery, then for basic rights - for example, to sit in the front seats on the bus. Davis also boldly criticizes feminist movements, which often excluded non-white women from their ranks, thereby weakening and discrediting themselves.

14. "Great Body" by Yves Enzler

Yves Enzler is the author of the famous play "Monologues of the Vagina", which for almost a quarter of a century has been staged on stages of various sizes: from modest university to huge theatrical. Taking advantage of her success, the playwright began to raise awareness of violence and discrimination against women through her V-Day campaign. Within its framework, world stars participate in charitable performances, and the proceeds go to help those who have suffered from violence.

"Excellent Body" - a book based on the play of the same name, published after the "Monologues". In it, Eve seeks to reassure women that their bodies are a gift that cannot be tortured for the sake of ever-changing beauty standards. She urges not to postpone life and happiness until the moment when the body becomes ideal. It is already like that, and those who are trying to convince a woman of the opposite are unlikely to love and appreciate her.

15. “A Brief History of Feminism in the Euro-American Context” by Antje Schrupp and Patu

This graphic novel is a fruitful union between writer and illustrator. Antje Schrupp talks about feminism from Antiquity to our time, and Patou complements the story with funny drawings.

The book simply and easily tells why only male discourses on philosophy and politics have come down to us, how communities with women at the head appeared in the Middle Ages, and how the waves of feminism differ from each other.

For the first-time reader, the book will be a simple and straightforward start. Those who are already immersed in the history of feminism will find little-known and fascinating facts.

16. “Women's liberation movement in Russia. Feminism, Nihilism and Bolshevism. 1860-1930 ", Richard Stites

The work, which was first published in Russian in 2004, was written by Stites back in the 70s of the last century. This work covers a difficult and critical historical period and is considered a research foundation for anyone who wants to know about the history of women in Russia.

The author talks about the connection between traditions and feminism, about the beginnings of the liberation movement and the political trends that influenced it. Most importantly, Stites answers the question that many people ask: Was feminism really born in Russia so long ago?

17. "Being a Woman: Revelations of a Notorious Feminist" by Caitlin Moran

The British journalist and TV presenter has written a candid book about what she thinks it is like to be a woman. She was not afraid to share the most intimate and not always pleasant secrets. With an inimitable sharp style and harsh humor, Moran expresses his position: if a woman does not renounce all rights and freedoms, then she is a feminist.

Moran urges not to think of feminists as violent haters of men. After all, women are not fighting against them, but defending their rights.

18. “As a woman wants. Sex Science Workshop ", Emily Nagoski

A sex education expert with many years of experience has written a book on female sexuality that has become a benchmark for many. Thousands of women ask Emily Nagoski questions about her personal life and try to find out if they are the problem if something goes wrong. And more often than not, her answer is: "You are normal."

The book reveals the secrets of physiology, mind and emotions. She tells how important for a woman the world around her, feelings, trust and culture in which she lives. Nagoski debunks myths about female sexuality and orgasm, and gives advice on how to feel comfortable in your body and recognize your uniqueness. This, according to the author, will have a positive effect not only on the intimate sphere, but also on life in general.

19. “We should all be feminists. Discussion on Gender Equality ", Adichi Ngozi Chimamanda

With her fictional prose, the Nigerian writer Chimamanda has drawn attention to African literature and the problems of the entire continent. Her novels "Half of the Yellow Sun", "Purple Hibiscus Flower" and "American" are popular in Russia. Having achieved fame, the writer decided to go further and focused on the problems of gender equality.

The collection includes essays in which Chimamanda discusses different aspects of feminism and reinforces his thoughts with examples from life. The main topic of the book is stereotypes and everyday questions that arise among those who do not immerse themselves in the world of modern women 's problems and believe that even without equality they already have everything they need for happiness.

Until now, in different parts of the world, girls are taught that they should only strive to marry successfully, and boys are ashamed for doing housework. Chimamanda urges to recognize that such a problem exists and to move towards its solution.

20. Bedtime Stories for Young Rebels, Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo

This children's book is an alternative to fairy tales in which princesses sit in castles and wait to be rescued by a handsome prince. Two Italian writers talk about famous women who have gone down in history thanks to their courage, hard work and inquisitive mind. Ballerinas, athletes, activists, sailors, queens and pirates - there are 100 amazing heroines in the book, who achieved everything themselves.

Even the history of the creation of this book confirms its main idea. To publish it, the writers launched crowdfunding. Their project not only came true thanks to those who believed in this idea, but also beat in the category "Children's literature".

Bedtime Stories for Young Rebels shows girls that they can be whoever they want. Writers refuse to put up with stereotypical parenting methods, so reading a book will also be very useful for adults.