12 books to help you fight the system

Photo Credit: Jenny Jimenez

2. Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman

Probably most of you know who Lindy West is. If for some reason, you’ve never heard of her, then you definitely need to read up on her many, many different pieces of work. West has been a staff writer or contributor for numerous publications, including Jezebel, GQ, Vulture, MSNBC, and The Guardian. In addition to writing extensively about feminism, West has also created work focusing on fat acceptance, film criticism, and political commentary.

Following the 2015 Planned Parenthood undercover video controversy, and the U.S. House of Representatives’ attempt to defund the health organization, West co-founded the “Shout Your Abortion” campaign. The Twitter-based effort encouraged participants to discuss their abortions without “sadness, shame, or regret” in order to de-stigmatize what has been coded as a shameful procedure.

It should come as no surprise, then, that her memoir, Shrill, is a proudly feminist work. It tells the story of some of the more formative and interesting events in her life, complete with commentary from the now-adult West. In one particularly moving section, she says that her teenage self thought that “chasing perfection was your duty and your birthright, as a woman, and I would never know what it was like — this thing, this most important thing for girls.” It’s a moving and funny book that you should find as quickly as possible.