So somehow during finals, hiring, a summer seminar, getting in my visa stuff and a short week in California, I managed to finish the book Half the Sky (and mind you this was around June).
I honestly don't think I've ever read such a powerful/gut wrenching/inspiring/graphic book in my life. It addresses some the biggest, global, gender related issues like honor killings, sex trafficking, mass rape, maternal mortality and forced prostitution. But what really kept me going (and trust me there are some chapters that you'll literally have to put the book down for a minute to recover from) was how these women and girls were portrayed and shown in such an empowering and influential light. There are so many examples of literature that paint abused women as victims, unable and incapable to do anything within their given circumstance. However, this book's pages are filled with stories of women who've not only been dealt a horrible hand of cards, but went on to persevere and serve as wonderful examples for individuals of all identities/walks of life (i hate that phrase but bear with me..).
I'm not going to go into too much detail, but please please please give it a try. Book club it, peruse it, or borrow it from your library, but definitely put it at the top of your list.
http://www.halftheskymovement.org/
Current musik: "Long Story" by Skim - maybe a touch cliche, but completely fitting.
