It’s Time for a Level Playing Field: Six Books to Read on Women’s Equality Day

Women’s Equality Day is an American holiday which marks the day when the Nineteenth Amendment, which prohibited the federal government and states from denying people the right to vote on the basis of their gender. was adopted. It is celebrated on August 26 every year, since its inception in 1971. The day symbolizes the culmination of 72 years of agitation by a massive women’s civil rights movement.

Women have proven existing stereotypes false time and again and the right to vote is a precursor to women’s new roles in society.

What Can You Read On Women’s Equality Day?

We’ve identified a couple of books that talk about Women’s Equality Day in particular and other books where women chart out their journeys toward a better world where their work is appreciated and rewarded.

The Women’s Hour: The great fight to win the vote by Elaine Weiss

The Woman’s Hour is the gripping story of how America’s women won their own freedom and the opening campaign in the great twentieth-century battles for civil rights. The book features the opposition suffragists faced in the state of Tennessee and their subsequent victory.

 

Let’s Celebrate Women’s Equality Day (Holidays and Heroes) by Barbara deRubertis

Read this tiny book from The Holiday & Heroes series to understand the history of women’s suffrage in the United States, the stalled Equal Rights Amendment, and the gender gap among elected officials.

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Who better to tell us about the political struggle in America than the former First Lady herself?  Michelle Obama capitalized on her African American roots to create the most welcoming White House in history. In her memoir, she describes her precarious balancing act between mudslinging politics that she despises and advocacy for women and girls she roots for.

More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say) by Elaine Welteroth

Welteroth talks about her ascent as a black woman in a white-dominated landscape- she strives for equality. She uses her own experiences to highlight the points she makes about trusting yourself, knowing your worth, and making big decisions in life. The book teaches women how to stand up for each other, especially for those who doubt themselves from time to time. That’s the only path to equality -“We went through what we went through so that you could live, baby girl. So you got to live. Run after it. And know that we are all with you.”

The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda Gates

When you raise a woman, you raise your family, your community, your country and so on. In her book, Melinda tells the story of the interesting people she meets through her work around the world. The book is anecdotal and throws light on the strong grit and determination of women across the world even in the face of injustice.

Seeing Like a Feminist by Nivedita Menon

Nivedita Menon gives a 360-degree approach to the idea of feminism and gender equality, specifically in the Indian context. This book is a favorite at the company and one that has been discussed multiple times at our Bring Your Own Book (BYOB) Parties.

 

So How Can You Make Women’s Equality Day Special?

Even though this event supports American suffragists, August 26 is a good day to celebrate the women in your lives, not just achievers but anyone who has made a difference in some small way. You can talk about them on your social media handles and organize charity drives for any cause spearheaded by women. You can pick up the books we mentioned and go deeper into the issues that plague womankind. It’s a day to recognize how far women have come and how far they have to go.