Written by Lauren Schenker
As women, we are born into this world with a purpose that has been pre-written for us. We are confined to fit a certain mold, built by years of oppression and unfair gender norms. The true feminist powerhouses of our generation are those who are actively trying to break free from this narrative. These women are rewriting history. They are teaching young women to question societal norms and forge their own paths.
In honor of Women’s History Month, I wanted to highlight the narratives of strong women around the world. Over the past few weeks, I have had the pleasure of absorbing some of the most empowering stories that I have ever read. I only wish that I would have had a chance to read them earlier.
!!! Trigger warning: many of these books discuss rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, addiction, eating disorders and suicide.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
A story of a woman who decided to put her health and happiness first. After years of discomfort, Glennon Doyle ditched societal expectations of womanhood and paved her path to happiness. If you are feeling stuck, this is the story for you. Doyle shows us how to be brave.
“The braver we are, the luckier we get”
“When Women lose themselves, the world loses its way. We do not need more selfless women. What we need right now are more women who have detoxed themselves so completely from the world’s expectations that they are full of nothing but themselves. What we need are women who are full of themselves. A woman who is full of herself knows and trusts herself enough to say and who what must be done. She lets the rest burn” (Doyle).
Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall
Kendall does an incredible job highlighting the failings of the modern feminist movement. Many of its flaws stem from feminist’s ignorance regarding patriarchal influences on marginalized communities. From the fetishization of fierceness to parenting while marginalized, Kendall gives us the necessary expertise of women the movement forgot, Black women.
“For those who will definitely be negatively impacted by white supremacy, they can’t afford to coddle the feelings of white women who are invested in not being held accountable. There’s work to do, the patriarchy won’t break itself. So, white feminism is going to have to get comfortable with the idea that until they challenge their racist aunts, parents, cousins and so on, it is definitely all white women who are responsible” (Kendall 172)
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Chanel Miller is a survivor. In her memoir, Miller reclaims her voice and tells the story of how her rapist, the judicial system, and the media took her name away from her. Sharing her story as a victim or Emily-Doe in the case against Brock Turner, Miller reintroduces herself as daughter, sister, and survivor. You will feel her pain through the pages but you will also feel her spirit and strength.
“Do not become the ones who hurt you. Stay tender with your power. Never fight to injure, fight to uplift. Fight because you know that in this life, you deserve safety, joy, and freedom. Fight because it is your life. Not anyone else's” (Miller 328).
Bad Feminist, essays by Roxane Gay
In a collection of entertaining and insightful essays, Roxane Gay takes the reader along on her journey to womanhood. Gay’s humor and strong voice shine throughout each essay. She proves that we are direct products of what culture we consume and educates the reader on how we can do better together.
“I embrace the label of bad feminist because I am human. I am messy. I’m not trying to be an example. I am not trying to be perfect. I am not trying to say I have all the answers. I am not trying to say I’m right. I am just trying- trying to support what I believe in, trying to do some good in this world, trying to make some noise with my writing while also being myself” (Gay).
Educated by Tara Westover
17. Tara Westover was 17 when she first set foot into a classroom. Born into a family of survivalists, she was taught that doctors were the devil and teachers brainwashed their students. As she challenged this belief, she set out on a quest to educate herself. From Brigham Young University, Cambridge, and later Harvard, Westover’s love for learning transformed her into a new woman. Educated is a fierce story about breaking free from an unhealthy familial environment and the struggle of forging your path.
“To admit uncertainty is to admit to weakness, to powerlessness, and to believe in yourself despite both It is a frailty, but in this frailty there is strength: the conviction to live in your own mind, and not in someone else’s… My life was narrated for me by others. Their voices were forceful, emphatic, absolute. It had never occurred to me that my voice might be as strong as theirs” (Westover 197).
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
Through the narratives of 12 black women in the United Kingdom, Evaristo captures the raw triumphs and tribulations of what it means to be a woman in the modern world. Evaristo tackles the struggle and beautiful journey of finding one's identity. Shedding light on gender identity, sexuality, and many of the “isms”, I would be surprised if someone couldn’t relate to Girl, Woman, Other in one way or another.
“We should celebrate that many more women are reconfiguring feminism and that grassroots activism is spreading like wildfire and millions of women are waking up to the possibility of taking ownership of our world as fully-entitled human beings, how can we argue with that?” (Evaristo 438).
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafza
A memoir by the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. A remarkable story of a young woman who refused to be silenced and fought for her education in a society that prizes men. Malala is not only a survivor but a miracle. After surviving a point-blank gunshot to the head on her way to school, she proved resilience by miraculously making a full recovery. A story of how one person’s voice can inspire a world of change.
“We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced” (Yousafzai).
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