Books That Have Shaped Me Into The Woman I Am Today

Today is international woman’s day, and as much as I hate what I’m going to write next but if you are a man who questions when is international men’s day only on the 8th of March. One, you don’t really care about this day, and two it’s on the 19th of November.

Now, putting that to the side, today is international women’s day. Celebrating women all over the world, no matter their race, sexuality, religion, and more. 

Whenever this day arrives, I often wonder what has occurred throughout my life to make me become the woman I am today. I think about the women who throughout time have helped many of us be where we are now, and how we all are still fighting.

Today, as a writer and a reader, I want to think about all of the female characters who have shaped me into me.

Katniss Everdeen 

At the age of thirteen, I read The Hunger Games for the first time. The character of Katniss was seen as stubborn, but to me, I wanted to be her. She taught me the importance of standing up for myself and having my voice heard. Still to this day, I try my best to make sure my opinions and thoughts are heard.

Annabeth Chase

I fell in love with myths and legends as a teenager and it was the reason I read the Percy Jackson series. I wanted to be Annabeth so badly, mainly because I wanted to be the daughter of Athena.

Annabeth reminded me that there was nothing wrong with showing my clever side. Telling people what you have learnt without feeling ashamed or embarrassed about knowing something. She made me understand you could be more than one thing, clever and a fighter.

Evelyn Hugo

A recent one, and to some people, they believe she wasn’t the nicest, but everyone has to remember the times she lived in. But she truly helped me accept who I was as in the novel, even though she had to hide her sexuality, she was still proud of it. She taught me to remember love even when life becomes chaotic.

This a small list, and there are many many more who have led me to become who I am today. And I am thankful, because without these books, without these characters, who knows how I would view myself. Would I stand up for myself? Or would I have kept my voice hidden?

It’s clear how important books are, and how they shape us into adults. To everyone, keep reading and let these characters inspire you.

Happy International Women’s Day.

P.S if your feminism isn’t intersectional, then it’s not feminism.