Decoded: 7 books on feminism you need to read

Numbers from the National Crime Records Bureau reveal that in  India a rape is recorded every 15 minutes. While the recorded cases reveal such a gruesome number, realistically there isn’t a way to say how many of such crimes are recorded on a daily basis. 

The lockdown for COVID-19 in India saw domestic violence complaints at a 10-year high. Women in India face a long list of other issues too, which are often not given a voice. While most people are hesitant to label themselves feminists because of the controversy that surrounds it, others have understood what it stands for.

India had its own feminists even before the movement began—Draupadi, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Sita, Gargi Vachaknavi, Bibi Dalair Kaur, Rani Velu Nachiyar, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidya Sagar, and so many more.

So, what is it really? While feminism is one of the most commonly misunderstood movements, it fundamentally stands for one thing – equality of the sexes. It is not merely, man-hating or bashing as it is often portrayed to be. 

Feminism also stands for empowering women across boundaries and eradication of gender stereotypes. Here are a few books that can help you understand the movement better.

The Vagina Monologues, Eve Ensler

Considered to be a classic example of contemporary feminism, this 1996 episodic play which premiered at the Off-Off-Broadway in New York, is based on real-life stories of women. It addresses women’s sexuality and creates conversation around the social stigma that comes with rape and abuse, body image, sex work, menstruation, and more. 

We Should All Be Feminists, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This Nigerian-born writer argues that gender should not be a factor while raising young kids. Adichie explores sexual violence, inclusivity, and awareness of feminism. Her TED Talk by the same name focused on topics like equality of the sexes and the importance of inclusion in modern-day feminism. She also recently released a short story ‘Zikora’ that follows a volatile mother-daughter relationship.

The Color Purple, Alice Walker

A 1982 epistolary novel, it was published in the aftermath of the Civil Right Movement in the USA. It brings to light Womanism - a term coined by Walker to prioritise women of colour.

This is the tale of a young woman who suffers unimaginable hardships because of her place in society and how she overcomes them. It is set in 1930s Georgia and explores the life of African-American women in the Southern United States. It was also adapted into a Steven Speilberg movie that won Oprah an Oscar nomination.

The Sun And Her Flowers, Rupi Kaur

The follow-up to her first collection of poems Milk and Honey, this book delves into different sections that explore healing, growth, and identifying with your roots. Feminism has always been a big part of Kaur’s verse, and this one is no exception. She manages to capture subjects like rape culture, colourism, heartbreak, female foeticide, and self-love. Though criticised for her ‘Insta-friendly’ verse form, her raw emotions depict the strength that comes with being a woman of colour.

Seeing Like a Feminist, Nivedita Menon

Menon’s book tells the story of a 1984 judgement that said fundamental rights were not applicable to the family because clearly, the lack of a gender and age hierarchy will lead to a collapse of a family’s function as we know it. The book explores the issues faced by women iincluding discussions on queer politics, marriage, reproductive choice, and more. If you don’t know where to start, look no further.

A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf

If you haven’t read it already, this essay highlights the need for literature to give women a space of their own - both literally and figuratively. It examines the disadvantages women have faced through history- especially access to education, which has led women to become marginalised. She refutes that women are inferior creators and imagines the kind of life Shakespeare’s sister might have lived. 

The Liberation Of Sita, Volga

In this retelling of the Ramayana, we see a different Sita, embarking on a journey to self realisation after being abandoned by Rama. Along the way, she meets all the minor female characters whose stories have been untold - Supanakha, Renuka, Urmila, and Ahalya. It makes her question the injustice that was bestowed upon them all and reinforces the spirit of sisterhood. One can draw easy parallels with her questions even today.