So you wanna learn more about feminism, or maybe you already have a solid knowledge of feminist ideology and find it interesting. I have always considered myself a feminist, but that word has so much meaning and so much stigma, and it's hard to truly understand what feminism represents. Here are 5 books that changed how I view the world and my life.

1. My Body by Emily Ratajowski

This is one of my FAVORITE books of all time, and I could probably rant about it for hours if you let me. I really adore activist books that let the story spell out the message, instead of trying to preach their version of the truth to people, and that's why a lot of famous feminist books didn't resonate with me the way this one did.

Image Credit: Kira Auf Der Heide from Unsplash

This book explores the lines between consent and abuse, power dynamics in the film industry. It is a memoir-style book about her life as a model, her experiences, and what it means to always be the prettiest girl in the room. Hint: it isn't always good.

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2. Life of The Party by Olivia Gatwood

TW: Murder, violence

This was the kind of book that just leaves you speechless, another one of those that is too busy spelling out the information to tell you what to think. But I promise you, you will leave a different person than you once were.

Filled with anger, rage, and confusion, Gatwood spins us a list of vignettes about her childhood that will make you question everything. Written in verse, the simplicity somehow makes it more emotionally rich- and even if you aren’t usually a poetry fan, I promise you that this story is anything but boring, and is generalized enough that it isn't overly autobiographical or falsely deep.

Written in verse, it combines the experiences of herself, her friends, and girls she barely knows to spin a tale about what it's like to be a woman in a violent and dangerous world.

3. Girls With Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young

A sci-fi, dystopian book that is oddly metaphorical in a horrifying kind of way. At first, this seems like a normal society. The girls attend a boarding school that is tended to by teachers, doctors.. and the Guardian. Slowly, we start to learn more and more about her lifestyle, her so-called caretakers.. and that she is absolutely, 100% not safe.

Everything, from the way she is dressed to her speech and memory is controlled by doctors, and she has always been told this is for her own good. But.. is it? A stunning metaphor for the patriarchy, this book is a must read.

4. Don't Think, Dear by Alice Robb

A nonfiction research project examining the gender stereotypes and misogynistic culture of ballet, this book tells us a lot about our world, regardless of whether you’re a pro dancer or can barely stand on one foot. I left with a completely new perspective, and loved it, but be aware that this is pretty information dense, and may be boring if you aren’t into nonfiction. It employs statistics and case studies to show how in the ballet industry (and the rest of society), the power lies in the hands of men, and what happens to women as a result often gets ignored.

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5. Little Girls in Pretty Boxes by Joan Ryan

Well... that was... disturbing. No, I’m not kidding, I’ll never look at sports the same way again.

By exposing the deadly pressure put on young figure skaters and gymnastics, more to do with body appeal and child exploitation than the actual sports, and the devastating, yet concealed consequences of it, Joan introduces us to a world that most of us can’t begin to imagine, yet it is the norm for so many young girls today.

The culture of silence, as well as the terribly strong desire to succeed in a world and a body that wasn’t built for what you want, create a place in which safety is an illusion and the adults in power are not held responsible for the inevitable consequences. This leads to countless deaths, mental health issues, and severe injuries.

This is just a small list of MY favorite feminist books- there are tons more to explore! Everyone's relationship to books are different, and I'm really interested to know what books changed your life and why? I hope you enjoyed this list, and thanks for reading!