It raises awareness while celebrating women’s achievements. And, since women boosting other women is our very favourite thing, we round up some of our own favourite feminist resources, from books to podcasts to Instagram accounts.
Encyclopedia Womanica
If you have ever wondered where all the women were in your history text books at school, then you’re on the same page as the brilliant folk behind Womanica. Overlooked ‘troublemakers, taste makers, travellers, and musicians’: these are just a few of the women from the past that this excellent podcast shines a light on, thus beginning the long road to redressing the imbalance of history which had been, until 20th-century, almost exclusively written by men. Each month there is a theme, and each day, there are five glorious minutes on the story of a notable woman who you may or may not know of. February’s theme was food. Ever heard of Georgia Gilmore (1920 – 1990)? She sustained a movement through her kitchen in Montgomery, Alabama. What about Abby Fisher (1831 – 1913)? She was one of the first Black American women to publish a cookbook. Nope? Well you can learn all about them by tuning in here.
The Story Of Art Without Men
By Katy Hessel
Did you know that only one per cent of the 2,300-odd artworks in the National Gallery was created by women? Whether as a casual or more committed student of the history of art, it would be easy to wonder whether women actually made art before the 20th-century. They did, of course. And Katy Hessel’s vital book shines a light on centuries of work that has been overlooked or dismissed. Tracey Emin predicts that it will ‘change the history of art . . . thank God,’ while Elizabeth Day says, ‘Katy Hessel is a brilliant chronicler of the overlooked. I am so thrilled this book exists as an empowering, enlightening guide to the unforgettable vision of these brilliant artists. Essential reading.’ Buy it.
Woman’s Hour
Whatever would we do without Woman’s Hour? For where else would be able to listen to such a range of women’s voices, or hear about such a diversity of lives? Presented by Emma Barnett and Anita Rani, recent episodes have looked at what the impact of the Turkish/ Syrian earthquakes will be on women in particular, what it’s like to be a disabled parent, and Hilary Mantel’s writings on endometriosis. It is, in short, essential listening. Tune in here.
In Defence of Witches: Why Women Are Still On Trial
By Mona Chollet
The misogynistic image of the witch as a broom-flying, cauldron-stirring, embittered hag – promoted by fearful men as a tool of repression and censorship across centuries – has been responsible for waves of mass murder. In In Defence of Witches: Why Women Are Still On Trial, Mona Chollet reclaims the word as a symbol of power. And yet, as she argues, the archetypes of those ‘witches’ who were once drowned or burnt at the stake are alive and well, and continue to have negative labels attached to them. The New York Times called the book ‘a thought-provoking, discursive survey by Mona Chollet, a bright light of Francophone feminism'. Buy it.
Mslexia
The online place for women who write, if you have a story to tell, then Mslexia is the most wonderful of resources to help you first tell it and then get it published. As well as existing as magazine, the pages of which are filled with the work of well-known writers and readers of the magazine alike, there is also an online salon which hosts regular ‘write ins’, pitching and agent extravaganza events. Most importantly, it is a place in which women support and connect with other women in their writerly aspirations and endeavours. Visit the website here.
Women Rule
This empowering and inspiring podcast is presented by Anna Palmer who, each week, talks to women bosses about how they made it. Can-do brilliant stuff. Tune in here.
Nikita Gill
Poet Nikita Gill celebrates women from all backgrounds and walks of life through the thought-provoking poetry she posts on her Instagram account. Follow her here for daily lyrical beauty and inspiration.
Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson is a stellar force for good in all aspects of her life, not least as a champion of other women. As she says, ‘I’ve been a card-carrying, radical feminist since I was 19... Any woman who says they’re not a feminist is basically saying that they don’t believe in equal rights for women.’ We were especially taken recently with her recent interview with Stephen Colbert, in which she has some powerful words on body image for women everywhere. She said, ‘Don't waste your time, don't waste your life's purpose worrying about your body. This is your vessel, it's your house, it's where you live, there's no point in judging it, absolutely no point, but it's very hard to do.’ Watch it here.
Women In Technology
The STEM industries are famously underpopulated with women. This excellent podcast shines a light on those women who are making changes and waves in a male dominated world, inspiring the stars of the future with tales of success and innovation. As they put it, ‘The Women in Technology Podcast inspires its listeners with stories from leaders within the organisation, influential women in the STEM industry, the men who help support women rise, and other captivating stories to empower and reinforce WIT's motto of advancing girls and women from the classroom to the boardroom.’ Tune in here.
Caitlin Moran
Caitlin Moran has done more than perhaps anyone for the second-wave feminism movement. Her books More Than A Women, How To Be A Woman and How To Build A Girl – all available here – took feminism, dusted off the cobwebs that had grown over it since the first wave and made a whole new generation see afresh that to reject feminism is to reject gender equality; ergo, it’s not really an option. Plus, her Twitter feed is an invigoratingly funny, sometimes angry, no nonsense and always just place to be. Follow her here.
By Nancy Alsop
Updated March 2024
