Your body is yours and your time, too. Like every year, the March 8 You have at your disposal a lot of demonstrations and varied meetings to join and in which to express your feelings about the demands of the International Women’s Day. However, not everyone can (or wants) to participate in these mass events, and that does not mean they stop demanding equality.

That is why, for these cases, we are going to propose an equally enriching alternative: immerse yourself in the reading works that feed the spirit and awaken consciousness. Art has always been an ally of feminism, in all its forms. From music—who doesn’t know, love or have ever heard one of the many feminist songs that play on our radios every day?—to literature. Also poetry, with a multitude of poems that have gone from reclaiming the feminine to vindicate the feminist.

What is International Women’s Day

Let’s start at the beginning: do you know What is International Women’s Day commemorated?, formerly known as Working Women’s Day? It is one of the most significant dates in the calendar of feminist struggle in the West because it highlights women’s fight for labor and social equality. On March 8, the importance of continuing to work towards gender equality is remembered and the achievements made in various fields are celebrated.

The date is officially recognized by the United Nations in 1975, coinciding with International Women’s Year. It is celebrated globally, highlighting the progress made and the challenges remaining in the pursuit of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. It has been considered a ‘festive’ date, but for years, the demand has been brand that gives meaning to 8M. It makes sense, considering the origin of march 8: the terrible and unjust killing of more than a hundred women who demanded improvements in their conditions and, above all, equality, nearly 150 years ago in the United States.

A selection of books for Women’s Day

If you are going to stay home on March 8, you can take advantage of the free time to delve into some enriching readings. We are not going to recommend you feminist theory booksper se, we leave that for another place. We share a selection of readings that will connect you with the essence of contemporary feminism, stories of resistance and essays that challenge the status quo. Here are our recommendations:

  • 1.We should all be feminists, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Based on her TEDx talk of the same name that went viral, this essay makes an eloquent call for reflection on what it means to be a feminist in the 21st century. Through a mix of personal narrative, political analysis and social reflection, Adichie offers a modern definition of feminism, advocating for gender equality and dismantling gender stereotypes.
  • 2.Women who run with the wolves, by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, one of the recommended readings in Now What I Read by Sandra Barneda. It is an in-depth analysis of feminine archetypes in myths, tales and cultures from around the world, offering a powerful insight into the instinctive essence of women.
  • 3.The color purple, by Alice Walker. It is a heartbreaking, Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that chronicles the lives of African-American women in the American South in the 1930s, addressing themes of racism, sexism, and redemption.
  • 4.King Kong theory, by Virginie Despentes. This is a provocative essay that challenges gender norms and explores sexuality, violence, and women’s identity in modern society.
  • 5.All about love: New perspectives‘ of bell hooks. In this insightful analysis, renowned writer and activist bell hooks explores the concept of love in contemporary society, challenging conventional ideas and proposing a transformative vision based on the ethic of care, commitment, and community.

These works are not only a reflection of the diversity of women’s voices and experiences throughout history and today, but they are also a reminder of the power of the written word to inspire change.