Inspiring Reading As We Approach Women's Equality Day

As we get ready to commemorate and celebrate this year’s Women’s Equality Day on August 26, one might wonder, how can I become more enlightened about women’s equality on this important day? How about reading eight amazing books?

According to Melanie Gustafson, a professor at the University of Vermont, who writes about the women's suffrage movement and women in politics, “The date of August 26th was chosen to commemorate the day in 1920 when Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby signed the proclamation granting American women the constitutional right to vote.”

While the first two are meant for young readers, they tell timeless stories about two American heroes, or in this case, SHEroes:

I DISSENT - RUTH BADER GINSBURG MAKES HER MARK
Written by Debbie Levy and illustrated by ELizabeth Baddeley, this book chronicles the life of RBG in a memorable way. Its illustrations capture the imagination and bring RBG to life for young minds. It's a must-read for young girls.

HER NAME WAS MARY KATHARINE - THE ONLY WOMAN WHOSE NAME IS ON THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Did you know that there was a woman's name on this important document? After reading this book written by Ella Schwartz and illustrated by Dow Phumiruk, you'll know all about this inspiring woman who ran a printing press, printed and ran newspapers, and served as the postmaster of Baltimore. At the bottom of the Declaration of Independence, it reads: Baltimore in Maryland: Printed by Mary Katharine Goddard. According to the book, "She knew the risk. By adding her name, she was putting her life in danger. But that didn't matter. Mary Katharine wanted the world to know that being a patriot was a sacrifice worth dying for."

GLASS WALLS - SHATTERING THE SIX GENDER BIAS BARRIERS STILL HOLDING WOMEN BACK AT WORK
To quote co-author Amy Diehl from a previous Q&A post here on my blog: "Co-Author Dr. Leanne Dzubinski and I are so excited to bring this book to readers. It will help leaders, allies, and individual women learn how to break down gender bias in two ways. First, we break down gender bias by explaining the six barriers and their subcomponents. These barriers are male privilege, disproportionate constraints, insufficient support, devaluation, and hostility which lead to women’s acquiescence. In the book we tell stories of women who have experienced these barriers. Second, we provide strategies that leaders, allies, and women themselves can use to break down and eliminate each aspect of gender bias."

INVISIBLE WOMEN - DATA BIAS IN A WORLD DESIGNED FOR MEN
Author Caroline Criado Perez sets the tone for this book with her dedication, "For the women who persist: keep on being bloody difficult."

FEARLESS WOMEN - FEMINIST PATRIOTS FROM ABIGAIL ADAMS TO BEYONCE
Author Elizabeth Cobbs' spirit was seen with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's quote that accompanied the prologue: "The fundamental purpose of feminism is that women should have equal opportunity and equal rights with every other citizen."

And here are three books from last year's post:

RBG’S BRAVE AND BRILLIANT WOMEN – 33 JEWISH WOMEN TO INSPIRE EVERYONE
While written by journalist Nadine Epstein, the list of women included in this book were chosen by former Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg during the final year of her amazing life. The women featured include Deborah, the first woman judge in the bible; Emma Lazarus, a poet whose words adorn the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty; Golda Meir, the first and only female prime minister of Israel; Anne Frank, whose diary during World War II became famous; and many more.

SISTERS IN LAW – HOW SANDRA DAY O’CONNOR AND RUTH BADER GINSBURG WENT TO THE SUPREME COURT AND CHANGED THE WORLD
Written by lawyer and cultural historian Linda Hirshman, this book is a story of law, women, and most of all, friendship. Here’s the description in a nutshell, “The relationship between Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg – Republican and Democrat, Christian and Jew, western rancher’s daughter and Brooklyn girl – transcends political party, religion, region, and culture. Strengthened by each other’s presence, these groundbreaking judges, the first and second women to serve on the highest court in the land, have transformed the Constitution and America itself, making it a more equal place for all women.”

READ MY PINS, STORIES FROM A DIPLOMAT’S JEWELRY BOX
Written by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, this book is a combination of storytelling, history lessons, and images of wearable art from all over the world.

Albright explained, “A foreign dignitary standing alongside me at a press conference would be happier to see a bright, shining sun attached to my jacket than a menacing wasp. I felt it worthwhile, moreover, to inject an element of humor and spice to the diplomatic routine. The world has had its share of power ties; the time seemed right for the mute elegance of pins with attitude.”

“As my pins became more expressive and drew more comments, I had cause to reflect on the relationship between appearance and identity. To what extent, to adopt the old saying, do pins make the woman or, for that matter, the man? After all, the display of pins has never been confined to one gender. Medieval knights wore elaborate jeweled badges that defined their status and conferred a group identity…George Washington sometimes wore a spectacular diamond eagle that included no fewer than 198 stones…Finally, our armed forces also use pins – in the form of ribbons and medals – to convey messages about accomplishments, stature, and rank.”

So, what will you read to celebrate Women’s Equality Day? While you consider your choices, get ready for the Q&A on my blog this Saturday. Amy Diehl will appear here for the third time and share her thoughts about women's equality, the advances made, and the work yet to do. Tune in!

Image Credit: Debbie Laskey's Library.