Women’s History Month: 7 Non-Fiction Reads to Educate, Empower & Inspire
Women’s History Month: 7 Non-Fiction Reads to Educate, Empower & Inspire
March is Women’s History Month, and Saturday was International Women’s Day – which means it’s the perfect excuse to fill my shelves with books that remind me why women are absolute powerhouses and also why the world seems determined to make life just that little bit harder for us at every turn.
I still remember the first feminist non-fiction book I ever read: Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates. I picked it up thinking, “Oh, this’ll be interesting,” and put it down absolutely fizzing with rage. Like, had to go for a walk and angrily kick leaves levels of rage. Because suddenly, all those little moments – the being followed home at night, the “Have you asked your husband?”, the “Are you sure you want to wear that?” comments-weren’t just me being ‘too sensitive.’ They were patterns. And they were happening to all of us.
Since then, I have started to adore books about women’s lives, our history, our struggles, and our ridiculous ability to keep going even when everything is stacked against us. And let me tell you, once you start seeing the ways women have been ignored, erased, and underestimated, you cannot unsee it.
So, in honour of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, I’ve put together a list of seven non-fiction books that I really want to read, and looking at the reviews – EVERYONE should read. Whether you want to learn more about women’s health, feminism, or the systemic injustice we experience on a day to day basis, I have the list for you!
Let’s get stuck in, shall we?
It’s Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health – Karen Tang
Genre: Health, Science, Feminism
Topics: Reproductive Health, Medical Bias, Women’s Bodies
Ever been told your pain is just stress or that it’s all in your head? Yep, same. Dr. Karen Tang is here to call out the medical gaslighting women have put up with for centuries and replace it with actual facts. She covers everything- endometriosis, birth control, menopause– the lot. Basically, it’s the sex-ed class we should have had in school but absolutely didn’t. If you’ve got a uterus (or know someone who does, which, let’s be honest, is most people), this is essential reading. Fabulous, furious, and full of stuff we all need to know.
Want – Gillian Anderson
Genre: Sexuality, Feminism, Social Issues
Topics: Female Desire, Intimacy, Anonymous Confessions
What do you want, when no one is watching? What do you want, when the lights are off? What do you want, when you are anonymous?
The reviews are describing this as a bold and eye-opening book, where Gillian Anderson brings together anonymous letters from hundreds of women around the world – including one of her own. Want is apparently raw, honest, and completely unfiltered, giving women the space to say how they really feel about sex when no one’s judging. Desire, shame, pleasure, power, it’s all in here. Sometimes fascinating, sometimes uncomfortable, but always real. An interesting read for anyone who’s ever wondered what women actually think about sex – completely unfiltered.
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Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot – Mikki Kendall
Genre: Feminism, Social Issues, Race & Gender
Topics: Intersectionality, Activism, Inequality
This book is here to question – “If your feminism isn’t for all women, is it really feminism?” In this book, Mikki Kendall doesn’t sugarcoat it- she calls out how mainstream feminism has left behind women of colour, working-class women, and others who don’t fit the “traditional” feminist mould. Covering real-life issues like food poverty, healthcare, and gun violence, this book is bound to be a wake-up call. Honest, powerful, and absolutely worth a read.
Unwell Women: A Journey Through Medicine and Myth in a Man-Made World – Elinor Cleghorn
Genre: History, Science, Feminism
Topics: Women’s Health, Medical Myths, Misogyny in Medicine
Women’s bodies have been misunderstood (and mistreated) by the medical world for centuries, and Unwell Women takes a deep dive into that history. From the days when women were diagnosed with hysteria just for having an opinion to the modern-day gaslighting of female pain, Elinor Cleghorn shines a light on the shocking ways medicine has failed us. It’s frustrating, eye-opening, and will make you want to tell your inner people-pleaser to do one and start demanding the healthcare you actually deserve.
Strong Female Character – Fern Brady
Genre: Memoir, Neurodiversity, Feminism
Topics: Autism, Women’s Lives, Identity
Comedian Fern Brady brings pure wit to this raw and brilliant memoir about growing up autistic at a time when no one thought to diagnose girls with autism. It’s funny, it’s heartbreaking, and it’s real as Fern takes us through her experiences navigating relationships, school, work, and the minefield of being a neurodivergent woman in a world that’s just not set up for us. Whether you’re autistic yourself or just want to get your head around neurodiversity a bit more, this one’s an absolute must-read. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll be better for it.
The Authority Gap: Why Women Are Still Taken Less Seriously Than Men, and What We Can Do About It – Mary Ann Sieghart
Genre: Feminism, Politics, Workplace Culture
Topics: Gender Bias, Leadership, Power Dynamics
Ever said something at work, only for a bloke to repeat it two minutes later and get all the credit? That’s the authority gap in action. Mary Ann Sieghart dives into why women – no matter how qualified – are still seen as less authoritative than men, and more importantly, what we can do to fix it. Full of research, personal stories, and proper advice, this is a must read for anyone who’s ever been underestimated, talked over, or had their ideas stolen by a louder voice in the room.
Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men – Caroline Criado Perez
Genre: Politics, Feminism, Social Issues
Topics: Gender Data Gap, Inequality, Everyday Bias
Did you know crash test dummies are based on the average male body, meaning women are far more likely to get injured in car accidents? Or that voice recognition software struggles to understand women’s voices? Welcome to the data gap, where women are an afterthought – that’s if they’re even thought of at all. Caroline Criado Perez pulls back the curtain on how everything from public transport to medical research is designed with men in mind, often leaving women to suffer. It’s infuriating, but honestly, it’s high time we all woke up to this.
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These are seven books highlight the ways women’s voices have been ignored, overlooked, and silenced, but more importantly, they also show how we can change that. Whether you’re looking to get angry, get inspired, or just get informed, there’s something here for you, and for me.
Which of these books have you read? What’s on your Women’s History Month TBR? Let’s chat in the comments!
Until next time,
Your Chaotic Bookworm,
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