This Anthology Gives Female Innovators the Credit They Deserve

Throughout history, women and their achievements and contributions to society have often been overlooked and underappreciated. History books used in schools often narrow down female accomplishments to short chapters on women’s suffrage or one-sentence recognitions in place of proper acknowledgment. Oftentimes, when women’s achievements are celebrated and documented, they tend to focus on white women, excluding the accomplishments and historical contributions provided by women of color.

Recently, there has been more of an effort to emphasize the importance and significance of female creators, innovators, and changemakers. From books documenting these women’s various achievements to movies and shows giving women their moment in the spotlight, there is an ever-increasing catalog of women-first narratives being produced for consumption. One of these said projects is an anthology written by award-winning author and women’s rights activist Nina Ansary.

Published on March 8, 2020, the collection of biographical essays titled Anonymous Is a Woman covers a vast 4,000-year history of gender inequality and includes 50 profiles on female innovators from across the globe, including the Jewish-Portuguese Doña Gracía Mendes, one of the wealthiest people in Renaissance Europe who was a significant political figure in the Ottoman Empire, and Indian educationalist, social reformer, and poet Savitribai Phule.

Honoring these women’s groundbreaking contributions to humankind, Ansary is seemingly rescuing many of these women from obscurity, giving their stories the documentation they deserve — all the while exposing the egregious repercussions of sexism and inequality. The book, which is named in honor of the famed quote in A Room of One’s Own by British writer Virginia Woolf: “Indeed, I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman.”

With an effort to bring these women’s stories to life, helping them escape society’s long-held restriction on celebrating female accomplishments, Ansary delves into the complexities of being a female innovator during times in which society so often overlooked, neglected, and silenced such people.

Keeping with the anthology’s efforts to expose and dismantle institutionalized gender discrimination and historical bias, Ansary is donating 100% of the proceeds from the sale of Anonymous Is a Woman to several nonprofit, nonpartisan organizations, in addition to organizations dedicated to uplifting and aiding female scholars and activists.

Below, Teen Vogue spoke with Ansary more about her upcoming book and why a collection of stories about powerful women throughout history is so important, especially now.

Editor’s Note: This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Teen Vogue: Can you tell me more about your decision to donate all the proceeds from your book — and about the nonprofits you chose and what they mean to you?

Nina Ansary: The primary recipients of the book’s proceeds are the Center for Human Rights in Iran, a New York-based organization where I am a board member and the London School of Economics Centre for Women, Peace, and Security where I am a Visiting Fellow. My decision to donate stems from my passion and dedication to women and human rights, and as someone who is directly involved with both, I have seen the impact of their work when it comes to the promotion and protection of human rights and addressing issues related to women in conflict-affected situations. Philanthropy has always been an essential component of my work as raising awareness and creating and sustaining a solid infrastructure that can enact meaningful change requires long term core funding.

TV: As a champion for women’s equality, why was this so important for you to write? What inspired you to write this book?

N.A.: Women’s full and equal participation in all sectors of society is not only a fundamental human right but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable future. Yet worldwide women and girls are largely underrepresented in practically every sector, facing multiple forms of discrimination.

What inspired this book was my advocacy work as a UN Women Global Champion for Innovation, my academic work as a scholar, and the countless women and girls who have corresponded with me via email, social media, and in-person at numerous women’s conferences both nationally and internationally throughout the years - all of whom have relayed the countless obstacles and barriers preventing them from succeeding at a level commensurate with their aptitude and skills. The fact is we cannot reach our collective potential if we continue a destructive cycle of holding back half the population. Unfortunately, while this is an issue of critical importance, it doesn’t seem to be a priority for policy-makers. Therefore my hope is that increased awareness combined with collective action will eventually lead to transformation.

TV: How is gender discrimination still affecting women today? What can be done about this?

N.A.: Gender discrimination is not a new problem and has been an issue for thousands of years. A few facts: Over 2.7 billion women are still legally barred from having the same job choices as men. Around the world, women are given only three-quarters of the legal rights that men enjoy, constraining their ability to get jobs, start businesses and make economic decisions that are best for them and their families. Discriminatory policies, laws, and practices will not end without targeted action and this requires solidarity and building bridges with the international community, including the collective action of women and human rights defenders, political will, and tools such as gender budgeting and quotas.

TV: What can women today learn from the women in your book? Is there a particular lesson you hope people take away from your book?

N.A.: While global statistics continue to reflect the repercussions of discriminatory laws, policies, and practices, the biographical profiles of the women counter centuries of bias and refute gender-based stereotypical assumptions that continue to limit opportunities for women and girls in the 21st century. The extraordinary accomplishments of these women in diverse fields reflect not only their courage and resilience but also their determination to overcome formidable challenges despite the odds. Illuminating their stories not only points to the historical eclipsing of women’s accomplishments but also provides young girls with role models to inspire their pursuit of goals and aspirations. A recent study by Stanford University found if young girls received as much exposure to female innovators as boys do to male innovators, the rate of female innovation would rise by as much as 164%. The most important lesson to take away from the book is that gender equality is not a “woman” problem but a human problem and to understand the magnitude of economic, cultural and social benefits we squander in perpetuating the ongoing myth of women’s inferior status.

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Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue