Feminists Don’t Wear Pink and Other Lies

While reading the book Feminists Don’t Wear Pink and Other Lies, I attempted to pull up all the arguments I have encountered from my skeptical peers who don’t quite understand feminism. [Read: feminists hate men, don’t shave, refuse to wear makeup, and, of course, never wear pink.] This book was literally written for those skeptics. With quirky essays from 52 brilliant woman and funny antidotes documenting the experiences that woman collectively go through on the daily, I regularly found myself smiling and laughing while reading.

Feminism is so often lost to abstract arguments and intangible debates that the idea of equality and individual choice (which are the true pillars of feminism) tend to get lost.

Through the diverse voices of the contributors who all come from different backgrounds, countries, and upbringings, the pages of Feminists Don’t Wear Pink search for the answers of what it really means to be a feminist. The collection of short and relatable stories expresses multiple ideas and approaches to feminism which is what truly makes this book a must-read for active feminists, as well as those whom aren’t quite so sure. Every antidote recounts a personal, yet simultaneously collective experience -- from childbirth, to frustration at inequality, to actually making the steps to take action. During my read I was moved to call each of the influential women in my life in order to learn their individual experiences of being a woman and to ask when they first identified themselves as feminists. This was the book’s curator, 23-year-old Scarlett Curtis’ ultimate goal. By providing blank pages, left with the intention for the reader to fill them with his or her own personal stories, she aims to create a path to conversation -- which is the first step towards creating productive change. (Plus, it serves as a great place to jot down talking points for an IRL book club with your fellow fems!) What this collection of stories shares is that every woman has had her own feminist experiences -- some trivial and some terrifying -- and all are stories that can be empathized with and understood. It’s an inspiring call-to-action to surround yourself with positive people who work together to lift up humanity and fight injustices both big and small. Feminists Don’t Wear Pink debunks the myth of the crazy feminist, and instead replaces it with stories from friends, mothers, and sisters, weaving a new understanding of feminism in 2018.