international women's day

Including what to read and who to follow 2026 is our Year of the Woman and we're committed to sharing more female-led stories in an effort to push for change when it comes to gender equality. We've put together a directory of feminist books, organisations, people and media worth checking out and we'll be continually updating this guide so keep checking back and if you have any worth adding, feel free to share them with us. Books Feminism for the 99% | Cinzia Arruzza, Tithi Bhattacharya & Nancy Fraser Acknowledging intersectionality is crucial and that's what Feminism for the 99% is all about. In this book, Arruzza, Bhattacharya and Fraser argue that the feminist movement shouldn't centre around women at the very top of their professions, but work to tackle the biggest issues for the vast majority of women around the world - including unaffordable housing, poverty wages, inadequate healthcare, border policing and climate change. FIND OUT MORE Hood Feminism | Mikki Kendall White feminism (or ‘girlboss feminism’ as it’s even less affectionately known) refers to feminism with blinders, one that can only tackle the issues affecting the more fortunate. With Hood Feminism Mikki Kendall seeks to address the imbalance, calling for a women’s movement that’s driven by intersectionality and accounts for all races, classes, sexual orientations and disabilities. Kendall writes with hope, energy and real insight. FIND OUT MORE Bad Feminist | Roxane Gay Here’s Roxane Gay to ask what makes a ‘bad feminist’. Is it wanting to be independent, but still wanting someone to take care of you? Is it enjoying rap despite the often questionable lyrics? She assures us, and herself, that these things don’t cancel out a dedication to women’s issues. We’re more complex than that. FIND OUT MORE Burn it Down! | Breanne Fahs For the (rightfully) angry feminist and the not-angry-enough, Burn it Down! is a collection of rallying calls to action that span three centuries and four waves of feminism. The manifestos address the ways that inequalities affect the rights of queer and trans people, indigenous women and women of colour, among other groups, as well as pose anarchist and anticapitalist responses. FIND OUT MORE Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men | Caroline Criado-Perez Discover just how much gender bias plays a role in our everyday life with this range of case studies, stories and new research brought together by Criado-Perez. Covering everything from medicine to public policy, this book exposes how the world is designed for men and the profound ways this impacts the other half of the population. FIND OUT MORE The Second Sex | Simone De Beauvoir An undeniably classic piece of feminist literature, The Second Sex is a must-read. Both the movement and the world have changed a great deal since De Beauvoir was writing, but many of the same issues prevail. FIND OUT MORE Organisations Buy Women Built The UK's rate of female entrepreneurship is 30% lower than in other developed nations, but Buy Women Built is set on closing the gap. The organisation spotlights our nation's very best female-founded businesses and encourages consumers to buy from women-built brands. Because while not everyone can invest in women, we can all buy from them. FIND OUT MORE Fawcett Society The Fawcett Society, founded by suffragist Millicent Fawcett, is the UK’s leading membership charity campaigning for women’s rights and gender equality. The organisation conducts research and runs campaigns, like Equal Pay Day, to challenge the systems that drive inequality. FIND OUT MORE Gurls Talk Gurls Talk is a community-led organisation dedicated to promoting mental health and wellbeing for girls and young women. Adwoa Aboah founded the platform to provide girls with a safe space to access resources and support each other. As well as hosting events around the world, Gurls Talk has its own podcast and runs ambassador programs to empower young women to be agents of change. FIND OUT MORE Disco Sisters Founded by Sam Baker and Caz Howgego, Disco Sisters is the UK’s first women-only early club night. The pair set up the event series after finding that dancefloors weren't catering to them anymore. The nights offer a safe space for women of all ages to enjoy a night out with positive vibes, good music and early finishes so you can be in bed before midnight. FIND OUT MORE Suppher Suppher, founded by chef Anna Søgaard and sommelier Kim McBride, is an inclusive supper club and Community Interest Company powered by women. As well as creating a space for women in hospitality across the country to come together and showcase their talents, all Suppher events raise money for charities supporting women, including Women for Women International, Trafford Rape Crisis, and Refuge. FIND OUT MORE Sistah Space Since 2015, Sistah Space has been providing support that meets the specific needs of African and Caribbean-heritage women affected by domestic and sexual abuse. The charity was founded in response to the murder of Valerie Forde and her 22-month-old daughter by Forde’s ex-partner (and her daughter’s father), with ‘Valerie’s Law’ (which advocates for mandatory cultural competency training for the UK police force and its related bodies) at the centre of its mission. FIND OUT MORE Smart Works Smart Works is a UK-based charity that provides unemployed women with the clothing, coaching and confidence they need to secure a job that could change the trajectory of their lives. Since Smart Works was founded in 2013, they’ve helped 40,000 women in their search for a job, with statistics showing that 94% of the women they work with feel more confident about succeeding in their next interview and 67% go on to get a job within a month of their Smart Works appointment. FIND OUT MORE Luminary Bakery Luminary Bakery is a social enterprise designed to offer opportunities for women at economic and social disadvantages (including those suffering domestic abuse and sexual exploitation or experiencing homelessness and poverty) to build futures for themselves. Encouraging ambition and resilience, they use baking as a tool to take women on a journey to employability and entrepreneurship through a programme that encompasses baking techniques, food and hygiene certification, budgeting, and interview skills. FIND OUT MORE People Laura Bates Laura Bates is the founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, a growing collection of hundreds of thousands of testimonies of gender inequality, which raises awareness of sexism and provides a space for people to be heard. Bates has also authored nine books and regularly gives talks, speeches and workshops on anti-sexism. FIND OUT MORE Anna Whitehouse Better known by her IG handle Mother Pukka, journalist Anna Whitehouse is a passionate campaigner for flexible working. With Flex Appeal, she calls for change to working policies in the UK so that women can have children and remain part of the workforce, and so that all parents can benefit from inclusive working arrangements. FIND OUT MORE Rachel Cargle Author and academic Rachel Cargle explores the intersection of race and feminism in her work and through her platform. Her latest book A Renaissance of Our Own, dives into the power of reimagining and how this can be used to create a truer identity. She's also the founder of The Loveland Foundation, which provides mental health resources for Black women & non-binary individuals. FIND OUT MORE Gina Martin As well as leading the charge to make upskirting an illegal offence (the Voyeurism Act was passed in 2019), Gina Martin is gender equality activist, speaker, facilitator and author who's written three books on change, social justice and gender relations; delivered a popular TEDx Talk; and run hundreds of workshops in schools around the impact of gender stereotypes. She also regularly shares stories of resistance on Instagram as way to inspire people to fight for change. FIND OUT MORE Munroe Bergdorf If you follow writer, activist and model Munroe Bergdorf, you’ll know how tirelessly she advocates for marginalised communities, using her platform to talk about and educate people on anti-racism, LGTBQ+ rights and feminism. Transitional, her manifesto on gender, race, identity, sexuality and how society can change for the better, was published in early 2023 and she's releasing her second book Talk to Me, tackling how young adults can use their voice, in 2026. FIND OUT MORE Anna Sebastian As well as having managed The Beaufort Bar at The Savoy and Artesian at The Langham, and worked as an F&B consultant, Anna Sebastian is also the founder of Celebrate Her, which started as a one-off guest shift at Artesian and has since grown into a platform that’s all about promoting gender equality in hospitality. As well as offering mentorship, education and financial support to women in the industry, the organisation also helps to showcase their talents by partnering with brands and bars on events around the world. FIND OUT MORE Jamie Klingler After building a career that spanned publishing and events, Jamie Klingler became an activist after co-founding Reclaim These Streets following the murder of Sarah Everard. She was part of the group that successfully sued the Met for breaching human rights after they banned a vigil for Sarah. As well as writing about activism and women's safety, Jamie is also a speaker and consultant on culture change and gender equity. FIND OUT MORE Livia Giuggioli Firth Italian activist Livia Giuggioli Firth has been a vocal advocate for sustainability in fashion - she founded Eco-Age, a consultancy firm providing sustainability solutions for brands and the Green Carpet Challenge, which encourages celebs to wear ethical designs at events. As co-founder of non-profit The Circle, she's passionate about creating a fairer world for women and girls, and she's vocal about calling out the genocide in Gaza. FIND OUT MORE Media Hilary Armstrong on Substack Journalist Hilary Armstrong set herself a simple challenge for 2026 - go to one women-run restaurant every week. She's documenting her experiences in a weekly Substack newsletter, which has so far seen her visit spots like Lori de Mori and Laura Jackson's Towpath and Jenny Phung's Ling Ling's. A proper celebration of the women shaping the city's food scene. FIND OUT MORE The Guilty Feminist Hosted by Deborah Francis-White, The Guilty Feminist is a comedy podcast and live show that encapsulates what it's like to be a feminist in the 21st century. Guests discuss important feminist topics and the hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine those principles, making it both funny and extremely relatable. FIND OUT MORE Polyester This self-published intersectional feminist arts and culture zine is one of the best mags out there, blending a kitsch aesthetic with witty takes on a whole range of topics, from Gemma Collins to political wives. Started by Ione Gamble as a uni project, Polyester has grown into a zine, podcast and community where you can get mentoring, exclusive content and event invites. FIND OUT MORE The Feminist Library This library, bookshop and community space in Peckham houses one of the most important collections of feminist material in the UK, comprising fiction and non-fiction books, poetry, drama, periodicals and zines and has been going since 1975. The space also hosts a range of events, including book launches, workshops, reading groups and screenings. FIND OUT MORE Grrrl Zine Fair Started by artist Lu Williams, Grrrl Zine Fair is a Community Interest Company that brings together feminist zines and their makers, platforming voices missing from mainstream media. There's a Grrrl Zine Library in Southend, featuring over 900 queer and feminist works, and Lu has hosted multiple pop-up fairs in London. FIND OUT MORE

international women's day

A Working List for Women | Resources for Now

AllBright Step Forward Summit 2024

International Women’s Day Takeover at Silverleaf

WHAT’S NEXT? FIGHTING FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN AFGHANISTAN

THE STANDARD X EAST LONDON STRIPPERS COLLECTIVE LIFE DRAWING

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY AT SEED LIBRARY

THE PRINCE’S TRUST INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY MARKETPLACE

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY AT KITCHEN W8

PLATES SHARED SUPPER CLUB

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international women's day

A Working List for Women | Resources for Now

AllBright Step Forward Summit 2024

International Women’s Day Takeover at Silverleaf

WHAT’S NEXT? FIGHTING FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN AFGHANISTAN

THE STANDARD X EAST LONDON STRIPPERS COLLECTIVE LIFE DRAWING

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY AT SEED LIBRARY

THE PRINCE’S TRUST INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY MARKETPLACE

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY AT KITCHEN W8

PLATES SHARED SUPPER CLUB

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