HerStories

Through a collection of expertly curated articles, HerStories: Women's Lives in Their Own Words and Research emphasises the unique and vital contributions of women from the beginning of this nation through the 20th and 21st centuries. It celebrates what it means to be a woman, highlighting talents and achievement, triumphs and losses, joy and pain. The book is organised into six distinct parts. Part I looks at women's stories from both ends of the life spectrum--as young girls and adolescents trying to figure out what it means to be female and older women dealing with the ongoing inevitable life changes as they age. In Part II, students read articles that examine motherhood and the impacts of physical health issues on women and their life trajectories. Part III explores how women's lives are negatively affected by the lack of full and equal access to public and professional spaces, including the impact of the glass ceiling and pay inequity. Parts IV and V address love, intimacy, gender orientation, gender identity, partner violence, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. The final part examines what it means to be a feminist in the 21st century, as well as strategies for advocating for women's rights. Throughout the book, quotations from women's rights icons, advocates, and authors are included to bring the work to life. A deeply personal and essential text, HerStories is an exemplary resource for courses and programs in women's studies, women's history, the psychology of women, and sociology.