1. Ain’t I A Woman: Black Women and Feminism by bell hooks
This is perhaps the most important book to read about the intersection of femaleness and blackness. An academic but easy-to-read work, Ain’t I a Woman discusses the complex history of racism and sexism that black women have experienced in America from slavery to second-wave feminism. A powerful writer, bell hooks examines both black male sexism and white feminist racism from the perspective of black women who were largely left out of both the feminist movement and the civil rights movement.
2. I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb
Malala Yousafzai made waves in 2014 by becoming the youngest-ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize when she was just seventeen years old. In 2012, she was shot in the head by the Taliban and made a nearly miraculous recovery, going on to fearlessly continue her fight for girls’ education. I Am Malala reveals details about her home life and childhood that tell the story of how and why she became such an outspoken advocate of peace and education.
3. The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler
This witty, clever, and thoughtful book brings to light the realities of something that has been restricted to the imagination for too long: vaginas. Eve Ensler hilariously uses interviews with women about their vaginas in order to challenge the ways in which women and their body parts have been excluded from the cultural mainstream for so long. The Vagina Monologues also inspired the V-Day movement to end violence against women in 1998.
4. Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates
Laura Bates is the creator of The Everyday Sexism Project and everydaysexism.com. People of all genders from all over the world submit personal stories of the sexism they experience every day to her online project, and in 2014 she decided to publish some of them in her book Everyday Sexism. Bates uses personal submissions from her project in order to bolster her own commentary about modern sexism. Everyday Sexism is truly revolutionary in how it uses wildly diverse anecdotes to tell the story of sexism in the 21st century.
5. By Any Means Necessary by Malcolm X
Malcolm X is the civil rights hero often left out of classroom discussions in favor of his more peaceful counterpart Martin Luther King Jr. This collection of speeches and interviews introduces readers to Malcolm X and his philosophy of obtaining freedom, justice, and equality “by any means necessary.” Besides his views on racial justice, this book reveals some of Malcolm X’s thoughts on women’s rights, capitalism, socialism, intermarriage, and more.
6. Sex At Dawn by Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jethá
While not a strictly feminist work, Sex At Dawn examines sex and sexuality from an anthropological perspective, which is relevant to the feminist study of sexuality. The book also discusses historical gender roles, psychosexual conflict, sexual biology and anatomy, evolution, and primatology. Sex At Dawn is, at its core, a challenge to monogamy and traditional notions of human sexuality.
7. The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf
The Beauty Myth is a feminist classic that initiated third-wave feminism in the 1990’s. Naomi Wolf shows how images of beauty have replaced the ideal of the 1950’s housewife in order to control women. Her fascinating commentary on work, culture, sex, religion, and more reveals how women have been manipulated despite their newly acquired financial independence.
8. Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions by Gloria Steinem
This collection of some of Steinem’s best articles and essays is a must-read for every young feminist. Gloria Steinem is often considered among the most important feminist figures of the 20th century, and for good reason. Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions reveals some of her thoughts on sisterhood, pornography, women’s work, and other important feminist topics. This collection includes her famous essay “If Men Could Menstruate” (1978) and her lengthy narration of her time as an undercover playboy bunny (“I Was a Playboy Bunny,” 1963).
9. Female Chauvinist Pigs by Ariel Levy
This fascinating work challenges the controversial concept of female empowerment through “raunch culture” or sexual recklessness. It is an important take on the infamous “feminist sex wars” that seeks to help determine the line between sexual freedom and sexual commodification.
Sophia Cunningham is a vegan feminist from Orange County. She is interested in studying politics and sociology, and she spends her free time reading, writing, and singing. She hopes to educate others about social issues and the importance of activism in everyday life.
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