More Than A Magazine, A Movement
Prior to the pandemic, we were barely hanging on as we struggled with the strain of a too-busy, too-individualistic lifestyle, as we tried to prove we could take care of ourselves by suffering in our nuclear families alone.
Imagine a world where collective care was a daily practice rather than a reaction to cancer, global pandemics and structural oppression. By engaging in collective care, we may begin to believe that we belong to one another.
Sunniva Sorby of Canada and Hilde Fålun Strøm of Norway, two citizen scientists, became the first women to overwinter alone—or spend the winter—in the Arctic, without men.
These two have returned to overwinter in the high Arctic for the second time, bringing groundbreaking scientific research to prestigious institutions while raising awareness about climate change.
I hope that sharing the jarring experience of my travel during COVID-19 will open eyes to the scale of the current situation, the contrast in attitudes between Americans and Canadians—and remind everyone the important power of kindness in these trying times.
As we all gather in our households, ever more isolated from one another, the invisibility of the immigrant families my students and I represent weighs on me.
I offer here three glimpses into what immigrant families are living through right now, in neighborhoods and households all around us.
Shoppers scrambling for last minute gift purchases might notice a disturbing pattern: Items targeting female consumers are often more expensive than similar products and services marketed towards men—a phenomenon often referred to as the “pink tax.”
These songs span a variety of decades, genres, and tempos, so no matter what your music preferences are, one of these feminist musicians has a holiday song for you.
Pressure and guilt, in all their forms, converge around this time every year, when the invisible work women typically do at home gets ratcheted up a few notches for the holidays. Add to that the pandemic, which has claimed more than 300,000 U.S. lives and, at its worst point, 20.8 million jobs. People are burnt out. Women most of all.
And yet, the household work—who keeps track of what groceries to buy, what appointments to make, the outfits needed for the holiday photos—continues to fall on women, as it historically has.
This reading list includes some old favorites that you didn’t know were feminist, stories that display leadership and independence, and compilations of women leaders throughout history.
Overall, 2020 can suck it. But we’ve almost made it through and if nothing else, there were some amazing books released this year. I’ve reviewed my Reads for the Rest of Us monthly lists and chosen the 35 best feminist books below as my very favorite reads of the year (in alphabetical order). It was almost impossible to choose but I think there’s something here for everyone.
*And also: We heard you! Thanks to readers who suggested we link out to indie booksellers instead of, ahem, the other guys. Thanks for supporting us and your local booksellers this holiday season!
“My parents, understandably, do not want me to come home for the holidays—the risk for everyone is too high. … I will imagine my path home now, so I may travel it tomorrow.”
