I was incredibly lucky growing up to have a half-sister I just thought was a rock star--she was a hippie, she traveled around the world by working on cattle boats and other random odd jobs, she had dreadlocks despite her whiteness (just kidding, that last part is gross). She gave me her tee shirts that said things like "Arms Are For Hugging!", her Ani DiFranco tapes, a book by Gloria Steinem when I was in sixth grade, and I was never the same.
Feminism made it easier for me to navigate the world, which is a shitty place when you're an awkward and incredibly overdeveloped girl. I always like to expose other people to it who can benefit from it. But where to start? So much of feminist literature is deeply academic and hard to sift through and frankly really damn boring if that's not already your established scene. But here are some of my recommendations for someone you want to turn on to the right path, but without being pedantic.
He's a Stud, She's a Slut, and 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know (Jessica Valenti).
This is a short, easy read and it tackles a variety of issues where men and women are treated differently/women are made to feel ashamed for having vaginas or existing. It also does so with very short and readable amounts of information and decent stats to back it all up. I think it's a great starter book to turn someone onto feminism without freaking them out or overwhelming them.
Full Frontal Feminism (Jessica Valenti).
I know that's two Valenti books in a row, but I sweat she's not paying me to write this. FFF is a more in-depth look into the topics that Valenti brings up in the book above, and with more of a focus on why feminism is still relevant today, even if women have come a very long way. It's very much aimed at young women, and is engaging in that way without trying to sound hip or trying to hard.
The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls (Joan Jacobs Brumberg)
THIS BOOK, YOU GUYS. This book is amazing. It was one of the first feminist books I read as a tween, and it definitely opened my eyes to the ways that body image and pressures are used to oppress women. It's written by a historian, and has lots of photos of old advertisements or fashions from back in the day that showcase how women have worked against our natural bodies for centuries.
Do you guys have any suggestions for content you'd recommend to a possible feminist?
Much love,
The Sheriff
I loove "Of Woman Born" by Adrienne Rich- she looks at the history of male-female relationships and ideas of the feminine through time. Interesting theories about where patriarchy comes from (in regard to the male-dominant-of-female mindset). I'll have to check out those other titles!
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