What do you think?
Rate this book
If Women Ruled the World: How to Create the World We Want to Live In
Women are simply not represented in leadership positions in government or corporate America. Nor are we adequately represented on the airwaves or the Op-Ed pages of our top newspapers. If Women Ruled the World aspires to right the imbalance by giving women a platform to voice their opinions, priorities, hopes, and ideas for change.
The book includes over 200 short experiences, stories, thoughts or meditations written and shared by women around the world. Some will be first person accounts, others in interview or story form. Contributors are women of all ages, racial, economic and social backgrounds. Authors, celebrities, experts and politicians are included as well, creating a book that is a humorous, moving, questioning, take-action, opinionated, warm and informative as it examines the many ideas, solutions and directions women would choose if they had a chance to rule the world.
A portion of proceeds will be donated to The Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) and The White House Project. FMF is a cutting edge organization dedicated to women's equality, reproductive health, and non-violence. The White House Project is an influential organization dedicated to advancing women's leadership by fostering the entry of women into positions of leadership, including the U.S. presidency.
The book includes over 200 short experiences, stories, thoughts or meditations written and shared by women around the world. Some will be first person accounts, others in interview or story form. Contributors are women of all ages, racial, economic and social backgrounds. Authors, celebrities, experts and politicians are included as well, creating a book that is a humorous, moving, questioning, take-action, opinionated, warm and informative as it examines the many ideas, solutions and directions women would choose if they had a chance to rule the world.
A portion of proceeds will be donated to The Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) and The White House Project. FMF is a cutting edge organization dedicated to women's equality, reproductive health, and non-violence. The White House Project is an influential organization dedicated to advancing women's leadership by fostering the entry of women into positions of leadership, including the U.S. presidency.
- GenresNonfictionWomens
240 pages, Paperback
First published September 13, 2004
4 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 8, 2008
Well, I must say that if you read this take it with a pinch of salt.
Although I agree with many of the ideas in the book in theory, I can't say I believe everything said. I feel that women are not better merely because we are women; and thus if we ruled the world and men were oppressed as some women are now not everything would just suddenly be perfect. We may be more cooperative by nature than men but that doesn't mean that we would be any less violent or argumentative than men in power. If you need an example, I refer you to middle school females.
Also-- it should be mentioned that sexism goes both ways. If women are equal to men then men are equal to women. If we deserve a right then so do they. I have an issue with the title itself: If Women Ruled the World. The goal of feminism should not be to rule over men and oppress them the way we were oppressed for hundreds of years. The goal should be to live in equality with men and oppress no one.
Women have been oppressed for hundreds, thousands, of years, but to now oppress men would not be justice for women, it would be revenge against men. You may want revenge but justice is what you should get. Women should look back at the past and learn from the experience. We know how it feels to be oppressed-- that in and of itself should ensure that we never oppress another being again.
It was a good compilation of essays; there was a wide range in topics but a general theme. I recommend reading this over a period of time, no more than three or four essays a day to allow yourself time to really consider what they discuss.
Although I agree with many of the ideas in the book in theory, I can't say I believe everything said. I feel that women are not better merely because we are women; and thus if we ruled the world and men were oppressed as some women are now not everything would just suddenly be perfect. We may be more cooperative by nature than men but that doesn't mean that we would be any less violent or argumentative than men in power. If you need an example, I refer you to middle school females.
Also-- it should be mentioned that sexism goes both ways. If women are equal to men then men are equal to women. If we deserve a right then so do they. I have an issue with the title itself: If Women Ruled the World. The goal of feminism should not be to rule over men and oppress them the way we were oppressed for hundreds of years. The goal should be to live in equality with men and oppress no one.
Women have been oppressed for hundreds, thousands, of years, but to now oppress men would not be justice for women, it would be revenge against men. You may want revenge but justice is what you should get. Women should look back at the past and learn from the experience. We know how it feels to be oppressed-- that in and of itself should ensure that we never oppress another being again.
It was a good compilation of essays; there was a wide range in topics but a general theme. I recommend reading this over a period of time, no more than three or four essays a day to allow yourself time to really consider what they discuss.
February 22, 2016
I read this book years ago, but I loved the little pieces of wisdom by women all around the world. I really enjoyed hearing their ideas and different world views which inspired me to think differently about the world around me.
March 26, 2008
A very dear friend gave this book to me and I love it. There are short stories and each one shares a message about life. Good inspiration!!
August 17, 2022
I had this book on my shelf for a while and was searching for inspiration and motivation. Based on the premise of the book, I anticipated sending it to my friend Nanette who is an inspirational woman in her own right. But I was left more than a little flat at the end of it. There were many good ideas in the book, but not many that were new or galvanizing. Quite a few were more condemnations of the status quo and wistful if only speculation. I have all of that in my normal daily life.
Some of my issues with this book are probably related
to it being written nearly 20 years ago. Some of them are based in anger/frustration that the world this book was challenging actually might have been better than it is today (the 77/100 pay disparity still holds, but Roe v Wade was overturned).
I was a lot disappointed by the anti-vax/ vaccines cause autism essay that was included. But I did agree with the final essay by Barbara Eirenreich, wherein she argued that just giving power to women as a whole is not necessarily the answer, because a uterus does not equate to a conscience. All you have to do is look at Marjorie Taylor Green, Lauren Bobert, Susan Collins, Marine LePen, or Priti Patel to see that. However, if the playing field between men and women were equal it would likely dilute the influence of women like them.
Some of my issues with this book are probably related
to it being written nearly 20 years ago. Some of them are based in anger/frustration that the world this book was challenging actually might have been better than it is today (the 77/100 pay disparity still holds, but Roe v Wade was overturned).
I was a lot disappointed by the anti-vax/ vaccines cause autism essay that was included. But I did agree with the final essay by Barbara Eirenreich, wherein she argued that just giving power to women as a whole is not necessarily the answer, because a uterus does not equate to a conscience. All you have to do is look at Marjorie Taylor Green, Lauren Bobert, Susan Collins, Marine LePen, or Priti Patel to see that. However, if the playing field between men and women were equal it would likely dilute the influence of women like them.
July 4, 2021
Summary: The subtitle “Stories, Ideas, and Inspiration for Change” says it all. These thoughtful women are movers and shakers! They challenge the sexism that our society has come to accept as the norm.
Takeaways: I enjoyed the change of voice each chapter, yet all-encompassing collective voice of women. Sections I loved:
- We’d Learn to Disappoint Others.
- Women’s Work Would Not Be Defined as Housework.
- Equal Parenting Would Be the Norm Instead of the Exception.
- Businesses Would Focus on Employee Needs.
Takeaways: I enjoyed the change of voice each chapter, yet all-encompassing collective voice of women. Sections I loved:
- We’d Learn to Disappoint Others.
- Women’s Work Would Not Be Defined as Housework.
- Equal Parenting Would Be the Norm Instead of the Exception.
- Businesses Would Focus on Employee Needs.
September 16, 2024
A series of essays, published in 2004, heartbreakingly familiar today, 20 years later.
July 15, 2013
paperback, clean.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews