10 feminist books to read this Women's Month

As we celebrate Women’s Month and honor women’s achievements all over the years, we also look back at the struggles and battles they have fought and won that helped shape the women of today.

Here are some ten feminist books written by amazing women that contributed to the ongoing dialogue between women and society.

Bata, Bata... Pa'no Ka Ginawa?

“Bata, Bata... Pa'no Ka Ginawa? ” is a novel written by renowned Filipina novelist Lualhati Bautista.

It tells the story of Lea, a working mother and women's rights advocate with two young children—a boy and a girl—from two different partners. The book showed how society views women, what it means to be a mother, and how a mother performs her role through modern concepts of motherhood.

A movie version of the book featuring Star of All Seasons Vilma Santos as Lea and Carlo Aquino as Lea's son was released in 1998.

A Vindication of the Rights of a Woman

Renowned feminist icon Mary Wollstonecraft authored "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman," a 1792 feminist classic that is considered the earliest and most important treatise advocating equality for women.

In her book, she argues that women are not naturally inferior to men but simply appear to be because they lack education. She proposes that men and women be treated as rational beings and imagines a society founded on reason.

Wollstonecraft and her feminist work have been significant in the development of feminism. It also inspired the winning answer of Miss Universe Nicaragua, Sheynnis Palacios, at the Miss Universe 2023 pageant.

Little Women

“Little Women" is a novel written by Louisa May Alcott, first published in 1868. It follows the lives of four sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March—during their transition from childhood to womanhood in Concord, Massachusetts, during the Civil War era.

The story explores themes of family, friendship, love, and the pursuit of individual dreams and ambitions.

In 2019, it was adapted into a movie starring Emma Watson and Saoirse Ronan as the two March sisters.

The Color Purple

"The Color Purple" by Alice Walker is a novel set in the Southern United States in the early to mid-20th century.

It centers on Celie, an African American woman who experiences discrimination and abuse. Celie shares her experiences of abuse, her quest for self-awareness, and the value of female ties in letters to God and her sister Nettie.

The book also explored issues like racism, misogyny, and the strength of love and resilience. It was well received by critics and went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It was also successfully adapted as a Broadway musical and film.

America is Not the Heart

Elaine Castillo's book "America Is Not the Heart" follows the story of Geronima “Hero” De Vera, a Filipino immigrant who comes to the United States in order to flee political unrest.

The story, which takes place in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1990s, addresses issues of immigrant experience, family, identity, and love. While establishing relationships with her extended family and the Filipino community, Hero struggles with assimilation, cultural differences, and her history as a member of a communist insurgency.

The Joy Luck Club

Written by American-born Chinese Amy Tan, “The Joy Luck Club” is a story about four Chinese immigrant families in San Francisco, California, who started a club known as The Joy Luck Club, playing the Chinese game of mahjong for money while feasting on a variety of foods.

The novel explores the relationship between mothers and daughters from different generations and the tensions that come from the high expectations set in pursuit of the American Dream.

It was later adapted into a film that was released in 1992.

A Room of One’s Own

“A Room of One's Own” is an essay written by English writer Virginia Woolf. In the essay, Woolf addresses the issue of women and fiction, stating that for women to be able to write creatively, they must be financially independent and have a place of their own.

In addition, the essay explores more general issues of gender, power, and social expectations. Woolf advocates giving women the freedom and means to follow their creative goals on an equal basis with men. She contends that women can only reach their full potential as artists and members of society when they are given the same chances and liberties as men.

In her essay, Woolf said: “There is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind,” which explains that nothing can restrain the freedom of one’s mind it thinking and voicing out its thoughts.

Kim Ji Young, Born 1982

The novel "Kim Ji-young, Born 1982" was written by South Korean novelist Cho Nam-joo.

The book follows the story of Kim Ji-young, a woman in her 30s who lives in South Korea. It explores the different obstacles and prejudice faced by Korean women, such as workplace sexism, pressure to adhere to traditional gender norms, and the challenges of juggling work and family obligations, through Ji-young's experiences.

Upon its publication in 2016, it sparked widespread discussions about feminism and gender issues in South Korea and beyond. In 2019, it was adapted into a film starring Jung Yu Mi as Kim Ji Young and Gong Yoo.

The Second Sex

Simone de Beauvoir's seminal feminist work, "The Second Sex," explores the historical subjugation of women. Beauvoir contends that women's identities and status have been shaped by their relationships with men, and she urges women to claim their independence and self-determination.

The book offers a thorough examination of women's oppression by addressing subjects including biology, psychology, and sociology. It continues to be a key work in feminist theory, motivating activists and academics to confront gender inequity for future generations.

The novel actually became banned in some places, with the Vatican condemning the book and including it in its list of prohibited books until the policy of prohibition itself was abolished in 1966.

We Should All Be Feminists

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie contends in her book "We Should All Be Feminists" that feminism is about promoting gender equality rather than detesting men or aiming for dominance. She used observations and personal anecdotes to show how gender stereotypes and sexism harm both men and women.

In her book, Adichie challenged readers to question cultural traditions that support injustice to create a society that is more inclusive and equal.

Perhaps one of the most notable lines in the book is: “The problem with gender is that it prescribes how we should be rather than recognizing how we are,” which suggests that individuals would be much happier and freer to express themselves if they don’t have to conform to certain gender roles and expectations of the society. —JCB, GMA Integrated News