To celebrate the World YWCA Day 2019, I collected a list of books from women* for women*, who are great, powerful and bold. These books talk about how women are often limited due to the current power structures and how feminist activists transform them. Whether you are a enthusiastic YWCA feminist or just about to learn about feminism and feminist theories- you may find a book that will inspire you in your leadership:
1.The sun and her flowers- Rupi Kaur
The feminist poems and drawings from the Indian- Canadian artist touch your body, mind and soul. Rupi Kaur is a poet, artist and performer. While studying at the University of Waterloo, Rupi wrote, illustrated, and self-published her first collection “milk and honey”. In “the sun and her flowers” she writes about love and how to bloom again after falling.
2. The little book of feminist Saints- Julia Pierpont
This little book of feminist Saints is about women who challenge gender stereotypes. The book brings together great women with diverse religious, economic, ethnical and personal backgrounds, and shows how multifaceted feminist activism can be. From gay-rights activists like Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, to Konno Sugako, a feminist activist from Japan, to Phillis Wheately, who was enslaved and was the first Afro-American women who published her work. This book shows how feminist leaders are transforming the world!
3. We should all be feminists- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
“I would like to ask that we begin to dream about and plan for a different world. A fairer world. A world of happier men and happier women who are truer to themselves. And this is how to start: we must raise our daughters differently. We must also raise our sons differently….” states the Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie from Nigeria. Her book is the published version of a TEDx Talk that has gone around the world. She speaks about the social stigma feminist women face and about how cultures that support gender inequality should be transformed.
4. Dear Ijeawele: A feminist manifesto in fifteen suggestions- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This book of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a absolute must read! In fifteen compelling, direct and perceptive suggestions, she explains how to empower a daughter to become a strong and independent women. What does it really mean to be a women today? And how can I as a feminist parent or friend empower young people the most? The author mentions current power structures and how we have to teach our next generations to resist them.
5. New Erotica for Feminists: Satirical Fantasies of Love, Lust, and Equal Pay- Caitlin Kunkel, Brooke Preston, Carrie Wittmer and Fiona Taylor
This satiric books by four funny and intelligent women, showcase the fantasies of feminists and how the world could be if erotica was written by feminists: “He calls me into his office and closes the door… to promote me. He promotes me again and again. I am wild with ecstasy.” The authors imagine a world where the female body isn’t longer over sexualized, where women can feel safe, receive respect and realize their human rights.
If you have more examples of empowering books that show how power structures can be transformed, please share your knowledge in the comments!
