Books That Matter has always been the brand which places intersectional feminism in the spotlight. Through unique reading experiences, they have always focused on innovation, but what happens when that aim is taken to a new level? You get the #PutHerOnTheMap campaign.
Books That Matter uses its award-winning monthly subscription boxes as the main vehicle for their message. Each month thousands of subscribers receive a box containing at least one piece of female-led fiction and three gifts from independent female creatives, all brought together under the umbrella of enlightening, empowering and educational themes. Previous months have included focuses revolving around Black Women’s History Month, Liberté Egalité Sororité and the first exclusive collaboration with The Women’s Prize For Fiction.
Creativity, innovation and diversity are at the heart of everything they do, and no month epitomises that ethos more so than August, for Women in Translation Month.
With only 28% of translations worldwide being completed by women, Women in Translation Month looks to address and rectify the fact that women translators are often pushed aside. In looking to take part in the action, Books That Matter dedicated their August box to Women of The World, a box to celebrate translated fiction, pioneering women worldwide and an honouring of the diverse stories women live and write about.
Featuring female artists and beautiful exclusive prints is something Books That Matter love to do. What could be more fitting for the box than an artistic map of the world which recognised, detailed and honoured the pioneering feminists of today? The decision was taken by the Books That Matter team to push the boundaries in creating a truly intersectional feminist map of the world.
The result of months of hard work culminated in a beautiful A3 map, every single country outlined or otherwise labelled with the names of women who are changing the world. With the unprecedented creativity of Emma Lemon (of typegalstudio), the vision became reality and from there the campaign to recognise and celebrate the achievements of women globally, began.
In looking to address the Eurocentric lens through which the world is often viewed, the traditional map layout was reformulated in order to provide a detailed breakdown of each country, and to show them all at the same size and focus. While larger countries do house more names, the project ensures that countries with smaller land masses or populations are not forgotten or disregarded. They’re all equally put on the map.
Inclusivity is always a priority in everything Books That Matter does. It is vital that within the industry the battle continues against systemic whitewashing and that the time is taken to recognise and champion women of colour, trans-women, indigenous women and others who are often discriminated and disregarded in narratives — activists and heroines belonging to these causes have all been put on the map.
The decision was made to predominantly highlight the leading women of today. While the sacrifices and causes from women of the past must not be undermined, the map encourages active engagement and action on behalf of the subscriber — particularly through the #PutHerOnTheMap campaigns.
Alongside the map, an explanatory magazine has also been created. Each country is broken down, and small, digestible biographies of each woman and their achievements are laid out clearly. Where possible, a social media handle is also provided in order to make it as easy as possible for subscribers to learn and engage with the women themselves, and the causes or work they engage in.
The icons of the map come from a multitude of backgrounds, cultures and organisations. In challenging the boundaries and overcoming limits, the women’s work cover topics such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), LGBTQ+ Rights, Violence Against Women, Body Shaming, Period Poverty, Climate Change, Anti-Racism, Reproductive Rights and so much more.
The women themselves span a range of races, religions, sexualities and identities — their lives span also across many fields, some are authors, poets, activists, academics, survivors, actresses, sportswomen and so many more. They dedicate their lives to bettering the world for women, and the map is dedicated to recognising that commitment.
Throughout the month of August, Books That Matter will largely dedicate their platforms to the celebration of the map and the women featured. Their subscribers and followers will be encouraged to share their global heroines under the banner of #PutHerOnTheMap, as a community that looks to thank the women who continue to lay down a foundation for a more intersectional and feminist future.
The work will not end here for Books That Matter, as they continue to innovate and look towards building a future for #PutHerOnTheMap, a perfect tribute to the need for the mass diversification of our minds, and the book world more generally.
The Put Her on the Map feminist map is available in the Books That Matter August subscription box, available on their website: www.booksthatmatter.co.uk
It will later become available as a ready to ship gift in A3 and wall hanging format, with other gifts linked to the campaign in development for the end of the year.