Thematic Sunday: Feminist Reading For Beginners

So I've been listening to We Were Feminists Once by Andi Zeisler on audio. It's going into the fact that there are a lot of misconceptions out there about feminism and it becoming a buzzword these past few years in the media has frankly not helped matters.
So, if you've recently decided you might actually be open to this feminist thing the chances are that you've probably learned it's actually more complicated then the general public would have you believe. Here are some good books to look into if you want to be more knowledgeable about feminism, it's history, many different pockets of thought, and some of the issues facing us today. Oh, and definitely look into the book I mentioned, it's a great intro for what's going on with feminism now.

A Vindication Of The Rights of Women by Mary Wollenstonecraft

If you want to go back to some of the early feminists, Wollenstonecraft is a great place to start.

The Essential Feminist Reader by various authors, edited by Estelle B. Freedman

Good crash course through feminist historical writings.

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This tiny book should be read by all feminists and given to anyone who is still going around fighting for equal rights but claiming they're not feminist.

The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan

Personally, I find this book a tad dated (it was written in the sixties, and it mostly is concerned with middle-class straight white women). But, it is a good way to understand where baby boomer feminists are coming from. Chances are they read this book and it influenced a lot of their thinking.

Women, Race, and Class by Angela Y. Davis

Unfortunately, even feminists can be racist. One of the big problems in feminist circles is how they tend to leave all non-white women behind (as well as LGBT women). Please, if you're going to declare yourself feminist, make sure your feminism is inclusive.

Feminism is For Everybody by bell hooks

For those who need to understand why your feminism should be inclusive.

Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women

For those who may not be totally convinced that there's still sexism around.

Gender Trouble by Judith Butler

A good intro to LGBT/trans issues.

My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem

If you're a feminist, you're going to hear about Gloria Steinem. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. If you want to know who she is and what's she's done, her memoir is probably a good place to start.

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

If you're a geek/consumer of any sort of media you're going to start noticing some less then savory aspects of the thing you consume when you start researching/reading up on feminism. These essays are about reconciling the media we enjoy with our feminism and how you can like problematic things and still be a feminist.