The Readhead’s Female Voices: Why I Read Women Writers
About a year ago I noticed something – the last 5 books I’d read had all been by women. Come to think of it, I couldn’t remember the last male author I’d read – it had been months. This was completely accidental, done unintentionally and unconsciously, but it soon became a personal challenge to keep exploring female voices.
I can’t say why, exactly, this started. Perhaps, after completing a BA and MA, I was tired of reading male authors, tired of male characters, especially tired of female characters written by men. Maybe I was just ready to listen, or more aware of what I wanted in a piece of fiction. Maybe it was just a happy coincidence. Whatever the reason, it was a game changer. Although I’d read plenty of female authors before, suddenly I got to revel in it and truly indulge myself in female tales, and I won’t lie to you, it felt so damn good.
Before I get a barrage of hate, just for the record, I’m not in any way claiming male authors aren’t also to be admired. There are just as many fantastic male authors as there are female, but the difference is I’ve been reading male authors all my life – they were the default go to when it came to literature and fiction. Reading a female author on my course was almost a novelty, maybe one in every 3 texts were by women. I’m only just realising how essential female authors are because now, as a woman in her mid 20s, it’s finally clicking into place for me what it is to experience life as a woman, and a woman who writes. So wrapping myself up in a beautiful blanket of other female writers, voices and experiences has been more liberating and empowering than I could have ever anticipated.
In the past 5 or so years, surrounding myself with strong, honest women and their literary voices has helped me disentangle myself from my teenage prejudices; away from the myths of “the cool girl”, that low-maintenance creature with no insecurities, emotional messiness or traits too feminine or distasteful. Away from the “you’re not like other girls” creed, away from my endless competitiveness with other women – to be the best looking, the most wanted, best in class, best in show. It’s brought me instead into a supportive and encouraging community of women; a sisterhood which I’ve been slipping into since the end of my oh so toxic teens, and now feel a full member of, as a woman grown (but still growing), with close, wonderful and inspiring female friends, family and coworkers. I’ve been lucky enough to have surrounded myself with other strong female voices which I can appreciate and encourage, and be uplifted by in return. Female voices which no longer have to yell to be heard, because the world’s finally starting to listen. Never again will I play the cool girl, nor the pixie dream girl – an idea too petite and indie for me to have ever fitted comfortably. It’s helped me love my body, own my imperfect body, miraculous that it is. It’s made me secure in my womanhood – an insecurity I didn’t realise I’d had which joined my many, many other hang ups.
All this is what has made this experience so significant for me; reading other female voices, as well as being surrounded by female idols, mentors and friends, has helped me see the world as it is, fully understand and process my all too common and many all too toxic thoughts and experiences, as well as discovering experiences which are unfamiliar but important to hear, and many others which are beautiful, natural and to be celebrated. And that’s how I feel – strangely and wonderfully euphoric to be part of this ancient sisterhood; not just human, but a woman.
It’s been a long time coming, and female authors have always been an inherent part of me, I just didn’t notice before (and how didn’t I notice?) My favourite books were always by
women, I see now: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter, anything and everything by Sylvia Plath. Now in the past year I’ve added several books and female authors to my all time favourites list – a pleasure which all readers know is a rare and sacred thing. Of course, not all have been perfect, not everything has been a new favourite, but it’s been a fantastic experience to explore, and a personal challenge which I feel has been so easy because there’s so much to explore and devour. It’s been over a year now, and I’m still greedy for more.
So for a while at least, this blog will be a female author only zone, coincidentally aligning with the 100 year anniversary of women getting the vote. I hope this doesn’t make my male friends and followers shy away – women’s writing isn’t just for women, its for all experiences and tastes. Again, this all started off without me even noticing until I noticed the precarious pile of books by my bed of exclusively female names. It got under my skin and has helped me discover a part of myself, as well as discovering just a great range of stories and voices. I hope you enjoy all the fantastic writers, texts, films and TV I’m going to cover – I’ve absolutely loved every minute of it.