20 Books to Help Break the Bias for a More Gender Equal World
The 2022 International Women's Day theme urges us to take active steps to break the bias. The first step to break the bias is to assess our own unconscious bias. One assessment tool is the Harvard Implicit Bias Test which is free, online, and will take you about 20 minutes for each assessment.
If you have unconscious bias - and you will - then learn more about the types of biases you have so that you can begin to disrupt your bias. At the Parity Podcast, we continuously read books to better understand gender bias and discover new ways to break the bias. If we open up our minds to the possibility of unconscious bias and then look for bias in our own lives, we can start breaking the bias by changing our behavior.
We curated 20 books to help you better understand bias by reading about women’s experiences with explicit and implicit bias, the intersectionality between gender and race, mothers against the backdrop of the motherhood penalty, and how gender bias impacts men.
Read Books About Women’s Experiences with Bias to Break the Bias
Women face a number of biases in the workplace, and these biases are particularly fierce in male-dominated industries and professions. Reading nonfiction books about gender bias can help us understand the science of bias and why these biases are so difficult to eliminate. Reading fictional stories can help us better see the bias. If you don’t experience bias - or don’t realize that you have - then it may be more difficult for you to understand. Watching bias play out in stories as characters talk and interact can broaden your understanding.
Delusions of Gender by Cordelia Fine
In Delusions of Gender, Cordelia Fine explores society’s assumptions that women’s and men’s brains are different, and that these differences funnel us into stereotypical roles. She turns these assumptions on their head by using the latest research and shows us that cultural norms inform behavior and even how we view the research. Why is this important? Biological differences cannot change, but cultural norms are simply rules that we have made up over time, and we all know that rules are made to be broken.
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
A Room of One’s Own is an essay by early feminist Virginia Woolf. In this essay, Woolf writes about the female longing and need for a room of her own so that women can have financial independence and intellectual freedom to direct their own lives. The essay was first delivered as a lecture at Girton College, Cambridge. If you are interested in the history of feminism, this short essay is a good choice for you.
The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan
The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan is a classic book about feminism first published in 1963. This book is credited with sparking the second-wave of feminism. Outdated in some respects, it remains a compelling account that lays bare gender stereotypes. In breaking the bias, it's a good place to start. It became a bestseller in the 1960s, selling over a million copies.
Women & Power: A Manifesto by Mary Beard
Women & Power is a short nonfiction book about the double bind bias that women in leadership face. Due to gender stereotypes, women are expected to be nurturing and likable. When we're assertive and decisive, we're labeled "bossy" or worse. Mary Beard walks us through history and shows us the many women who have faced this unconscious bias making it difficult or impossible for women to achieve power. Starting with women during the time of Homer’s Odyssey and Philomela whose tongue was cut out so she could not report her rape, the book is both informative and a call to action. If you would like to better understand the double bind and how power is so difficult for women to attain, this is the book for you.
Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
Has there ever been a female Catholic pope? According to this fictional story Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross, a young girl named Joan defied her father by learning to read and studying the scriptures, and she then rose to power within the Catholic Church by hiding her gender. Set in the ninth century, Joan takes on gender stereotypes every step of her way to power. If you enjoy historical fiction with strong female characters, Pope Joan is an excellent choice for you.
Anonymous Is a Woman: A Global Chronicle of Gender Inequality by Nina Ansary
The winner of multiple book awards, Anonymous Is a Woman takes readers on a 4,000 year journey of how women have been erased from history. By chronically 50 forgotten women innovators, Iranian American Dr. Nina Ansary discusses the roots of gender inequality, how gender bias persists today, and the challenges of confronting gender stereotypes to achieve a more just and inclusive world. This nonfiction book is a quick read with beautiful illustrations by Petra Dufkova. For those who want a crash course on gender inequality and a better understanding of women who should have been included in our history books but were not, check out this book.
Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore
On the lighter side, Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore is a story about a fiercely independent vicar’s daughter who fights for the women’s right to vote and those who try to silence her. Set in England in 1879, this historical fiction is Book 1 of the author’s League of Extraordinary Women series.
The Education of an Idealist by Samantha Power
Samantha Power was President Obama’s Ambassador to the United Nations, and in Pulitzer Prize-winning Education of an Idealist, Power tells the story of how she became who she is. It’s a fascinating read from start to finish. The subtle and not so subtle biases she faced in politics, particularly in the presidential sphere, as a woman in a male-dominated atmosphere are well-described and explored. Her experiences will resonate with many women and serve as an excellent education for male allies who want to learn more about gender bias.
Read Books That Explore Intersectionality to Break the Bias
Break the bias by educating yourself on the intersectional experience of women who are Black or Brown, members of the LGBTQA+ community, among the youngest or oldest segments of their profession, or those women with disabilities. These women, and others who have facets of their make-up which are not in the majority, face biases not only due to their gender, but also as a result of their race and other factors.
The Girls in the Stilt House by Kelly Mustian
The Girls in the Stilt House is set in Mississippi in the 1920s and is the fictional story of two teenage girls - one Black and one White - as they strive for independence and a better way of life. Both girls face gender bias, but Matilda faces additional biases due to her race. The girls lean on each other but the additional biases experienced by Matilda because of her intersectional identity puts pressure on their friendship. If you enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing and would like to better understand intersectionality and bias, then The Girls in the Stilt House is a must read for you.
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
The Personal Librarian is the fictional story of Belle da Costa Greene who was hired by J.P. Morgan to be his personal librarian. Belle quickly becomes known for being a shrewd negotiator as she haggles with other librarians for the purchase of top literary works. At a time when books are in short supply, Belle always knows where to buy the next prized possession for J.P. Morgan’s world class library. But Belle has a secret. She is Black and she hides this fact by claiming to be of Portuguese descent. Watching Belle navigate two different worlds - work and family - while trying to keep her true identity hidden, brings home the intersectional experience of Black and Brown women.
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
In the highly acclaimed fictional story, The Other Black Girl, Nella is the only Black employee at Wagner Publishing and she faces daily microaggressions and feelings of exclusion. She is beyond thrilled when Hazel, who is also Black, is hired. Nella expects to instantly bond with Hazel but there are unexpected challenges. According to the Washington Post, The Other Black Girl is “a thrilling, edgier Devil Wears Prada that explores privilege and racism.”
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is the true story of Henrietta Lacks, who was diagnosed with cancer as a young woman and received medical treatment from Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s. Her cells were taken without her consent or compensation, as was the practice at the time, and they have been used to make modern medical advances to the financial benefit of drug companies and others. Her cells are “immortal” and are still being used today, yet her children do not have the resources to visit a doctor. This highly acclaimed account of a real American family portrays the human cost and ethical dilemmas of scientific discovery, and the interplay of race and intersectional identity.
Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen by Sarah Bird
In the Daughter of a Daughter of A Queen, Cathy Williams is a former slave who was taught that she was the descendant of African nobility by her mother and this knowledge gives Cathy strength and pride. Following the Civil War, Black women had few opportunities to work, so Cathy joins the Buffalo Soldiers of the U.S. Army by disguising her gender. The audio version of this book is read by acclaimed Bahni Turpin and is excellent.
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
In Clap When You Land, sisters Camino Rios and Yahairo Rios don’t know of each other’s existence until their father dies in a plane crash. Camino lives in the Dominican Republic and Yahairo lives in New York City. This book is a novel-in-verse about how these two sisters discover each other and begin to rebuild their lives following their father’s death. The girls have to overcome vast differences in culture and socio-economics as they seek to understand each other and why their father kept them apart. This book is a Young Adult novel but an exceptional read for all ages.
Well-Read Black Girl curated by Glory Edim
In Well-Read Black Girl, Glory Edim curates a collection of essays by Black women including Jacqueline Woodson (Another Brooklyn), Gabourey Sidibe (This is just My Face), Tayari Jones (An American Marriage) and many others. These stories will help you better understand the intersectional challenges of Black women in America.
Read Books About Mothers to Break the Bias
Women face additional biases after becoming mothers, often called the “motherhood penalty.” According to research by Bright Horizons, over 40% believe that women are less committed to work after having children. If you question whether a woman is committed or up to the task because of her parenting responsibilities, challenge yourself and consider whether your unconscious bias is playing a role.
Secrets of the Sprakkar by Eliza Reid
We should all move to Iceland! Iceland is ranked number one on the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report for gender equality. In Secrets of the Sprakkar, Iceland’s First Lady Eliza Reid explains how a country with a population not quite the size of Cleveland has made such progress. As a mother of four children plus one step-child, Reid shares her personal experiences about how Iceland's paid parental leave, affordable childcare, and broad support for gender equality has made Iceland the model for gender parity.
I Don’t Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson
In I Don’t Know How She Does It, we enter the household of a hedge-fund manager, wife and mother of two as she juggles work, homework, school fundraisers, doctors’ appointments, lice outbreaks, and more with humor, angst, and ultimately, exhaustion. While meant to be a funny tale about motherhood, it brings home the nigh impossible task of balancing work and home.
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Before she became the First Lady, Michelle Obama was a mother. In Becoming, we learn about many aspects of Michelle Obama’s life, but one of the central focuses is on motherhood and Mrs. Obama’s challenges of raising two daughters while in the public spotlight. The book is a deeply personal account of Michelle Obama’s life, and also shines a light on her intersectional experience as the First Lady.
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah is as much a book about his mother, Patricia Nombuyiselo Noah, as it is about him. As a Black woman in South Africa, Patricia Noah’s interracial relationship with a White man was punishable by 5 years in prison under South African laws. Patricia not only defied the law, but she also defied gender stereotypes and social norms. Without a doubt, Noah’s astonishingly fearless and rebellious mother propelled him to where he is today.
Read Books About How Gender Bias Impacts Men to Break the Bias
Gender bias impacts all people, not just women. One of the greatest advocates for eliminating all gender biases was Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who took on all forms of gender bias including those that harmed men. Reading how gender bias impacts men will help round out your understanding of bias.
Men and Masculinity: The Basics by Nigel Edley
In Men and Masculinity, Nigel Edley explores the male body, men and work, men and fatherhood, male sexuality, and male violence. As much as gender stereotypes hurt women and prevent them from fulfilling their dreams, so too are men negatively affected by gender stereotypes. This book shows the damage that is done to both genders when stereotypes are allowed to predominate.
Breaking Bias Requires Us to Change Our Behavior
To have a world with greater gender equality, we need to change the predominant behavior in society. Reading books is one way for us to educate ourselves about what bias is and how we can stop ourselves from repeating gender stereotypes and other social norms that operate to continue the bias from one generation to the next. While we have made significant progress, experts project that we will not achieve gender parity for another 135 years. Let’s accelerate this change by breaking the bias.
If you have a suggested book for our list of books to read to break the bias, please reach out to us at CathyAndDeborah@par-ity.com.
Join Us
The Parity Podcast was founded by Cathy Nestrick and Deborah Pollack-Milgate. Cathy is a former law partner and General Counsel of a Fortune 500 company. Deborah is a partner at Barnes and Thornburg, practicing IP and commercial litigation. Both are committed to accelerating gender parity through the Parity Prescription. We are happy to talk to you and your organization about how we can work together to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace. You can learn more about our work at www.par-ity.com and you can reach us at CathyandDeborah@par-ity.com.
