What Are Your Favorite Radical Feminist Books?

What are your favorite radical feminist books?

This is a great question - I read pretty broadly, so most of these aren't classic radical feminist books by self-identified radical feminists, but I do believe they're foundational in understanding radical feminist issues. They're U.S. centric for the most part, so if anyone with a more international focus has additional recs, please feel free to add on!

The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan is what got me hooked on feminism, because I saw so much of what she was writing about in my own family and my own mother, so this one holds a special place in my heart.

Right Wing Women by Andrea Dworkin is one of the most brilliant books I've ever read - her articulation of what bargain conservative non-feminist women are making with the patriarchy still holds so much accuracy with the current political situation in the United States.

Why Does He Do That? by Lundy Bancroft is absolutely critical for all women to read - it's been my guidebook in how to support women who are in abusive relationships, and understanding the stark reality of "men who are violent believe that their violence is acceptable, there is no accidental violence" has been key in informing my feminist advocacy.

Trans Kids by Tey Meadows is going to be an unusual recommendation, since the author is pro-gender ideology, but the book speaks for itself - it depicts the divide within the trans community on medical intervention for "trans youth", and even the author notices how reductionist the community is becoming on gender norms and stereotypes when it comes to these trans kids and their families. (I have complicated feelings on the trans community as a gender-critical feminist, but that's going to need to be a separate post)

Hags by Victoria Smith is great for understanding the way ageism intersects with feminism and the suppression of women's wisdom and community. I would recommend pairing this one with Naomi Wolf's The Beauty Myth, since they cover some parallel concepts from different points of view.