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| Dear John, Every year, Equality Now’s Make Equality Reality Gala brings together visionary leaders, powerful performances, and global changemakers committed to advancing gender equality.
For the first time this year, we curated a library that consisted of hand-picked feminist books by incredible women like Laura Bates, Sheetal Sheth, and Mo Ogrodnik. The books – both fiction and non-fiction – remind us of the urgency of our work and fill us with hope that a better world is possible.
From us to you, enjoy the following recommendations straight from the Equality Now library. |
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Laura Bates is the bestselling author of books like Girl Up, Everyday Sexism, and Men Who Hate Women. Her most recent non-fiction novel, The New Age of Sexism, explores sexism in the digital world and a future marked by technological advancements. From the metaverse to artificial intelligence, Bates explores how these advancements are actively harming women and girls and reinforcing dangerous stereotypes. |
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| Watch the recording from our recent event with Laura Bates, during which Bates shared a powerful reading from her new book and explained how her experiences as a gender activist highlighted the need to call out and challenge misogyny in online spaces. |
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| Not My Type follows Caroll’s highly publicised and widely watched trials from her perspective. Full of humour and hope, this inspiring memoir is a must-read for anyone seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the US justice system and support survivors, who often take great risks to share their stories. Carroll received the Courage Award at last year’s Make Equality Reality Gala for her bravery throughout her pursuit of justice. We were also fortunate to have her in attendance at this year’s Gala, where she presented the 2025 Courage Award to The Pelicot Family and signed copies of her books. |
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| | Caroline Darian, daughter of Gisèle Pelicot, released a powerful memoir titled I’ll Never Call Him Dad Again this year about her personal experience living alongside her father, the revelation of his horrendous acts, and his consequential arrest. The root of the memoir, however, follows what happened next: how Darian refused to remain silent and pursued justice not just for herself but for other survivors of chemical submission. |
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This year, Equality Now was honoured to be part of Darian’s book launch through an event in New York City that explored access to justice for survivors, the role of online platforms in enabling abuse, issues of consent in the context of chemical submission, the necessity for systemic change, and ways we can collectively push for stronger protections and legal reforms.
Darian’s brother and nephew, David and Nathan Pelicot, joined us at this year’s Gala and accepted the 2025 Courage Award on behalf of the entire Pelicot Family. David’s acceptance speech inspired hope and moved many to tears – “This moment we are sharing here tonight reminds us that our voices can be powerful engines of change, and that courage can be shared.” |
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| The Freedom Seeker is a young adult novel about an Indian girl whose parents’ interfaith marriage becomes the target of violence. To remain safe, they decide to flee Northern India. Her father leaves first, seeking refuge in the United States, but when her and her mother’s petition is denied, they are left with no choice but to try to reunite their family on their own. We were fortunate to have Ruchira Gupta in attendance at this year’s Gala, where she signed books in the Equality Now library. |
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Is a non-fiction book that explores how everyday people can make a difference through community action and giving circles. Philanthropy is not exclusive to billionaires and does not require massive donations; it belongs to all of us. Hali Lee kindly joined us prior to the Gala to sign copies of her book for our library. |
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Mo Ogrodnik is an author, filmmaker, and long-time Equality Now supporter who contributed to films like Ripe, Uptown Girls, and Deep Powder. Her newly released novel, Gulf, follows five women from around the world as they convene in the Arabian Gulf. Infused with themes of hope and resilience, Gulf is a gripping look at women’s agency and survival. Ogrodnik joined us this year at the Make Equality Reality Gala and signed copies of her book. |
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| In Anjali Can!, the third book in the Anjali picture book series, Anjali works to prevent her local community center’s closure and shows the power one individual can have in enacting change. For more recommendations for young readers, peruse long-time Equality Now supporter Sheetal Sheth’s favourite children’s and young adult fiction. Like Caroll, Gupta, and Ogrodnik, Sheth also attended the 2025 Make Equality Reality Gala, where she introduced a performance piece by Katie Capiello and signed copies of her book. |
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