The Periodic Table of Feminism

A cleverly nerdy review of feminist history told through the wide range of women who have shaped it, from Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Oprah to Beyoncé and The Spice Girls.

A quirky, intelligent, and stylish review of the feminist movement, told through the stories of standout figures who have shaped it, The Periodic Table of Feminism charts the impact of female leaders from Betty Friedan and Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Michelle Obama and Oprah.

Using the periodic table as a categorical device, the featured women are divided into "chemical" groups to show how the women and the battles they fought speak to each other across time and geography:

Precious Metals: the face of the movements, like Simone De Beauvoir and Gloria Steinem

Catalysts: Pioneers and fire-starters, like Susan B. Anthony and Sheryl Sandberg

Conductors: The organizers, like Sojourner Truth and Rebecca Solnit

Diatomics: Women working together, like The Spice Girls and The Women's Equality Party

Stabilizers: Pacifists, like Margaret Atwood, Lindy West, and Eve Ensler

Explosives: Radicals, anarchists, and violent uprisers, like Adrienne Rich and Roxane Gay

Rejectors: "I am not a feminist" proclaimers, like Alice Walker and Sarah Jessica Parker

With clever "top 10" lists -- such as Feminists in Fiction, Feminists Before Feminism, Best Women's Marches, and Male Feminists -- plus 120 meme-ready illustrations and inspiring pull quotes, this essential guide to feminism offers courage and inspiration for a new generation.

Marisa Bate is a journalist covering issues that impact women including sexism in the media, domestic violence, politics, current affairs, and pop culture. She has written for the Guardian, Observer, Glamour, and Cosmopolitan, and she was the first full time staff member of the Pool.
She is now a freelance journalist, and has added radio commentary to her repertoire, appearing on BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight and BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland. She was a judge on the inaugural Words by Women awards and the End Violence Against Women media awards. She lives in London.