The Feminist Public Square Is Back — And Bolder Than Ever
We’re thrilled to announce the return of NOW’s Feminist Public Square — your go-to gathering space for big ideas, bold conversations, and brilliant books that shape our feminist future.
This year, we’re diving into powerful new reads that challenge, inspire, and connect us — each one linked to NOW’s core issues: reproductive rights and justice, economic justice, ending violence against women, racial justice, LGBTQIA+ rights, and constitutional equality.
Our mission is simple: to grow together. We’ll read the works of feminists and visionary thinkers of every age, race, gender identity, and background. Your voice, your perspective, and your lived experience are not just welcome here — they’re essential.
Expect passionate dialogue, meaningful connection, and maybe even a few goosebump moments as we unpack the stories, theories, and truths that push our movement forward.
Together, we’ll become stronger feminists, sharper thinkers, and better allies to marginalized communities. These page-turners will ignite the kind of conversations that make real change — the kind that embolden us to keep fighting for a truly intersectional feminist world.
Welcome to the Feminist Public Square — welcome to the movement.
February Book: The Cost of Being a Girl
Yasemin Besen-Cassino
Yasemin Besen-Cassino’s “The Cost of Being a Girl” explores the gender wage gap by examining the experiences of teen workers in the United States.
Utilizing interviews, survey data, and an experimental survey via Mechanical Turk, the research reveals that despite similar education and work values, girls earn less than boys from the age of 14-15, attributing this discrepancy not to human capital but to the prevalence of freelance work among girls compared to higher-paying, employee jobs taken by boys.
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Books for 2026
Our book choices are directly paired with our 60th Anniversary campaign. Check out the page to learn how you can get involved.
Capsule 1: Cost of Being a Woman
-JANUARY: Mutual Aid by Dean Spade
-FEBRUARY: The Cost of Being a Girl by Yasemin Besen-Cassino (YF)
-MARCH: Financial Feminist by Tori Dunlap
Capsule 2: Protecting Care, Protecting Choice
-APRIL: An American Sickness by Elisabeth Rosenthal
-MAY: Liberating Abortion by Renee Bracy Sherman and Regina Mahone
-JUNE: Fighting Mad: Resisting the End of Roe v. Wade by Krystale Littlejohn (YF)
Capsule 3: Securing Rights, Shaping the Future
-JULY: Democracy in Retrograde by Sami Sage & Emily Amick
-AUGUST: The Women’s Revolution by Muriel Fox
-SEPTEMBER: When We’re In Charge by Amanda Litman (YF)
Capsule 4: Ending Gender Violence
-OCTOBER: Man Up by Cynthia Miller-Idris
-NOVEMBER: Bright Red Fruit by Safia Elhillo (YF)
-DECEMBER: Nobody’s Girl by Virginia Guiffre
Book Reviews
Check out these feminist book reviews that we recommend.