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5 Books to Read During Women’s History Month
by
Basmah Qazi
John Murray / Penguin
Not only is International Women’s Day right around the corner, but the beginning of March marks the start of Women’s History Month. A time to celebrate all the progress we have made but to also look towards the future, and reflect on what more needs to be done.
Women’s History Month allows us to celebrate the achievements of incredible women, and to acknowledge just how hard they’ve worked to help society progress forward.
Of course, there are so many ways to do that, but today, we want to focus on female authors who make us think, reflect and appreciate our fellow women. These stories help encapsulate the unique challenges women face every day, while educating us on the historic moments women before us have fought hard for.
Keep reading to find out our five favourite books to read during Women’s History Month.
Penguin
Fixed It by Jane Gilmore
On average, at least one woman in Australia is murdered every week by their current or former partner. These stats are horrifying and only rarely do these stories make it in mainstream media.
While the discussion around violence against women is gaining traction, many times it’s accompanied by victim-blaming and over-identification with abusers.
In Fixed It, Jane Gilmore discusses the myths that we’re unconsciously sold about domestic violence and undercuts them in a clear and compelling way.
Purchase Fixed It here.
John Murray
The Barbizon: The Hotel That Set Women Free by Paulina Bren
The Barbizon: The Hotel That Set Women Free is a captivating true story of the women-only New York hotel and its famous guests, which include Joan Crawford, Grace Kelly and Sylvia Plath.
Built in 1927 as a home for the “modern woman”, the Barbizon became the place to stay for ambitious, independent women who were attracted to the idea of fame and good fortune.
The Barbizon is a colourful tale of the young women who came to New York looking for something more.
Purchase The Barbizon: The Hotel That Set Women Free here.
Allen & Unwin
Pain and Prejudice: A Call to Arms for Women and Their Bodies by Gabrielle Jackson
14 years after receiving her endometriosis diagnosis, Gabrielle Jackson couldn’t believe how little progress had been made in regard to treating the disease.
In 2015, her personal story kicked off an investigation into the illness by The Guardian, with thousands of women reaching out to share their own stories.
Pain and Prejudice highlights how medical ignorance keeps women sick and searching for answers. And the truth is, women are not taken as seriously as men when it comes to chronic pain.
Purchase Pain and Prejudice: A Call to Arms for Women and Their Bodies here.
Random House UK
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Pérez
Collecting data is fundamental in the modern world. From healthcare to education, countries rely on numbers to make important decisions. But so much of this data fails to recognise women because it treats men as the default.
Feminist advocate Caroline Criado Perez dives deep into the root cause of gender inequality and research in Invisible Women, and the cost women have to pay because of this discrimination.
Purchase Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Pérez here.
Scribner UK
Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman by Anne Helen Petersen
In this novel, gossip expert and BuzzFeed culture writer Anne Helen Petersen provides an analytical look at how female celebrities are pushing the boundaries of what it means to be an “acceptable” woman.
In Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud, Peterson explores the rise of 11 powerhouse women and looks at them from the lens of “unruliness”.
These women are Serena Williams, Melissa McCarthy, Abbi Jacobson, Ilana Glazer, Nicki Minaj, Kim Kardashian, Hillary Clinton, Caitlyn Jenner, Jennifer Weiner, and Lena Dunham.
Purchase Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman here.
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