Women’s voices haven’t always been given the space they deserve, and a few weeks ago, while preparing for a school visit to Sestri Levante’s archaeological museum, I spent some time in the public library. As I browsed the shelves, I noticed something that made me pause – a small but powerful symbol marking books with feminist themes. It was such a simple initiative, yet it felt significant. Seeing those books set apart as part of a broader conversation about gender, representation and storytelling reminded me of past experiences that have shaped my own journey with books, films and women’s voices.
Reel Equality: Women’s Voices on Screen and the Bechdel Test
Back when I lived in Nottingham, I volunteered for a charity called Equation, which focuses on gender equality and ending domestic abuse. For a little while I was involved in the Reel Equality Film Club, where – with a group of passionate volunteers – we screened films that passed the Bechdel Test – a simple yet revealing measure of how women are portrayed in films.
To pass the test, a film must:
- Have at least two named women,
- Who talk to each other,
- About something other than a man.
It sounds basic, yet it’s surprising how many films still fail. Through Reel Equality, we created space for conversations about representation in media and the impact it has on society. Watching films together, discussing their themes, and seeing new perspectives unfold was an experience I still cherish.
A Bookshop as a Forest: Women’s Voices Guarding Culture
More recently, while in Naples, I came across another project that really stayed with me. In a small alley, renamed “Vicolo della Cultura”, I came across the picture of Maddalena Cerasuolo – an Italian patriot and partisan – guarding a book-sharing box and a sign outside a bookshop that read:
“The bookshop is a place of resistance, like a forest threatened by the city. We all have a duty to defend it, even those who never enter, because the bookshop, like the forest, makes the air better”
The words resonated with me. Just as books hold ideas, history, and resistance within their pages, bookshops and libraries are spaces of refuge and renewal. They challenge, inspire, and give us air to breathe – especially for those whose voices have been historically overlooked.
These moments – a feminist label in a library, a film club championing women’s voices, and a bookshop fighting for its place in the city – are all part of a larger story. They remind me why it matters to seek out and amplify women’s stories, whether through books, films, or the spaces that house them.
I’d love to keep exploring these themes, sharing recommendations, and learning about similar projects – whether at work, with friends, on the trails or in schools. Let’s keep the conversation going!