In recognition of Women’s Herstory Month, the University Libraries is sharing media recommendations from libraries staff and other members of the campus community. The term “herstory” emphasizes the roles and points of view of womxn and femmes in history. Read, watch and listen to titles highlighting their unique experience and perspectives.
For further recommendations, visit our Women’s Herstory Month resources guide.
Read
Detransition, Baby
Literature and Humanities Librarian Amanda Rybin Koob recommends the book Destransition, Baby by Torrey Peters. “This book centers trans and queer women while exploring the complications and interpersonal nuances of love, parenthood and sex,” Koob explained. “It made me laugh out loud more than once.” Peters was the first trans author nominated for the Women's Prize for Fiction in the UK in 2021.
See You in the Morning
Amanda Rybin Koob also recommends the book See in You the Morning by local author and CU Boulder instructor Mairead Case. “It's a poetic coming-of-age-in-a-small-town story that centers an unnamed protagonist whose gender is never named,” Koob said. “It has heartache and love without gender binaries.”
Invisible Women : Data Bias in a World Designed for Men
Photographic Archivist Jennifer Sanchez recommends Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez. “As a woman, I never knew how to explain the way I felt about the little comments and attitudes I got over the years about my gender,” Sanchez said. “This book puts it all into perspective and gave me a broader understanding of what it is like to be a woman everywhere across the globe.”
Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot
Science & Engineering Librarian Emily Dommermuth enjoyed Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall. “This book will teach you a lot about the feminist issues that mainstream feminism forgets,” Dommermuth explained. “The powerful writing thoroughly covers important feminist issues including food insecurity, access to quality education, safe neighborhoods, a living wage and medical care.”
Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story
Emily Dommermuth also recommends Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story by Jacob Tobia. Dommermuth notes, “this book is a beautifully written, honest, emotional, sometimes funny, memoir of the author’s thinking and experiences with gender.”
Know My Name
Center for Humanities and the Arts director Jennifer Ho recommends the memoir Know My Name by Chanel Miller. “It is a poignant, raw, and beautiful book about a woman sharing her experience being sexually assaulted on a college campus and pressing charges against a well-known and wealthy white athlete,” Ho said. “Miller is a mixed race Chinese-white American woman who was the Emily Doe that everyone assumed was white. It addresses misconceptions about sexual assault victims and women who go through the criminal-justice system to try to hold their assailant accountable. It should be required reading for every administrator, faculty member and student on college campuses.”
A Wrinkle in Time
Learning Coordinator Cynthia Keller suggests A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'engle. After reading the book in elementary school, Keller said that Meg Murry, the protagonist, has stuck with her. “She was herself: good at math, awkward, curious and stubborn. But the part that sticks is Meg's anger,” explained Keller. “In the novel, she is able to resist her rage through the love she has for her brother. Reading this as a young girl, I loved that Meg's faults were her strength and that strong, unwieldy emotions were celebrated in someone with whom I could identify.”
Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante
Kate Wright, communications coordinator, enjoyed the Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante, a 4-part series about a life long female friendship set in 1950s Naples, Italy. “I identified deeply with the dynamics between the protagonist and her best friend,” Wright said. “Their relationship is loving, protective, competitive and oftentimes toxic. This series helped me come to an understanding about my relationships with my best women friends.
Watch
Pose
Assistant Professor of Women & Gender Studies Kristie Soares recommends the FX television show Pose created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Steven Canals. “It is one of the first representations of trans people of color on television,” Soares said.
Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority
Jennifer Ho suggests watching the documentary “Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority”. “This film is about the Japanese American legislator Patsy Mink who fought to pass Title IX legislation and create an equal playing field (literally and figuratively) for girls and women.”
Listen
Mothers of Invention
Emily Dommermuth recommends the podcast Mothers of Invention hosted by Mary Robinson, Maeve Higgins and Thimali Kodikara. “This podcast introduces you to the black, brown and indigenous women and girls who have been innovating and leading from the front lines of climate change,” Dommermuth said. It told stories I've never heard elsewhere, about inspiring women and climate change solutions.”
Science Vs: The Science of Being Transgender
Mark Locy, Libraries Communications Account Manager, recommends Science Vs., a podcast that looks at what scientific experts and the scientific literature tells us about current issues. In this episode, they ask, what makes us the gender that we are and what should you do if your kid doesn’t fit the mold?