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Women Who Win: Celebrating courage, conviction and change
Journalist and human rights advocate Antoinette Lattouf takes us on a gripping journey through women who defied expectations and shattered cultural and legal barriers — often while being told to calm down.
From Australia’s first female law graduate to Indigenous leaders resisting colonisation, pioneers in sport and science, and the women behind the Jobs for Women and #MeToo movements — some you’ll recognise, others you’ll wish you’d known sooner.
Threaded through is Lattouf’s own story — a searingly honest account of challenging powerful systems and entrenched beliefs. Together, these stories reveal the triumphs and precedents — but also the stumbles and cost of disrupting the status quo.
Women Who Win is a fierce, unflinching celebration of grit, guts, and glorious defiance. These women didn’t just show up — they came to rewrite the rules and never asked for permission.
Less history lesson, more history’s mic drop — and now, the stage is yours.
Armed with the lessons of those who came before us — what fight will you take on? What victories are within your reach today?
From Australia’s first female law graduate to Indigenous leaders resisting colonisation, pioneers in sport and science, and the women behind the Jobs for Women and #MeToo movements — some you’ll recognise, others you’ll wish you’d known sooner.
Threaded through is Lattouf’s own story — a searingly honest account of challenging powerful systems and entrenched beliefs. Together, these stories reveal the triumphs and precedents — but also the stumbles and cost of disrupting the status quo.
Women Who Win is a fierce, unflinching celebration of grit, guts, and glorious defiance. These women didn’t just show up — they came to rewrite the rules and never asked for permission.
Less history lesson, more history’s mic drop — and now, the stage is yours.
Armed with the lessons of those who came before us — what fight will you take on? What victories are within your reach today?
- GenresNonfictionFeminism
373 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 28, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 19, 2026
!! We hold this truth to be self-evident, that the persistent vilification of a woman by the Murdoch media means we have a lot to learn from what she has to say !!
Antoinette Lattouf tells of Vida Jane Goldstein, an Australian suffragist and social reformer, who was subject to the vitriol of the media in the first half of the 20th century, including for her opposition to World War 1. As now, the media wasn’t “debating her on policy [rather] being punished and painted as obscene for having the audacity to speak against the war as a woman … calling her ‘angry’ and ‘shrill’ and dissecting her clothing, her voice and her mannerisms, piling on to her in print”. Though like many women Lattouf discusses, the state and society may come to recognise their contribution to our public conversations, and in this case in 1984, the Division of Goldstein, a federal electorate in Melbourne was named after her.
One step forward, two steps back.
How do I review this superbly written and powerful book. Easy. I defer to Adriano D. who, like me, read the book as a “white” man (he middle-aged, me age 74), a “position that matters to name, because it shaped how this book moved through [us] — anger, grief, awe, and an uneasy reckoning with how much [we] have been allowed to take for granted.” (see link to the review at end).
And at age 74:
◾I am still learning, forever emerging from the bubble I was brought up in, helped by books like this one.
◾I am in awe of the young women mentioned by Lattouf, beacons for our future. Given the context of Lattouf’s court case that she so skilfully weaves through the stories she tells, I will mention one, Amal Naser, a third-generation Palestinian refugee and an organiser with the Palestine Action Group, responsible for the August 3, 2025 ‘March for Humanity’ across Sydney Harbour Bridge, estimated to include 300,000 people. As a former lawyer, I am gobsmacked how, in Lattouf’s words, Naser “turns grief into legal briefs and rallies into court rulings.”
◾I have been able to follow the career of Ita Buttrose, the ABC Chair at the time of Lattouf’s unlawful termination and a key witness in the court case. I remember Buttrose as a trailblazing feminist, though perhaps properly described by the critique that in her era, feminism was advocated by white, university-educated, middle-class women for white, university educated, middle-class women. And similarly for allies such as me. This understanding goes to how challenging it is to break down the power structures that Lattouf describes in her book, a book that people like me need to read with an ‘open mindset’, with a thirst for learning.
There is so much more I could write. Yet really all I need say is thank you Antoinette Lattouf for your courage and your contribution to our public conversations mindful, in the words of Francesca Albanese, “how culture sustains power, and how resistance begins by questioning the stories power tells”.
***
Here is a link to Adriano D."s review https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adrian...
Antoinette Lattouf tells of Vida Jane Goldstein, an Australian suffragist and social reformer, who was subject to the vitriol of the media in the first half of the 20th century, including for her opposition to World War 1. As now, the media wasn’t “debating her on policy [rather] being punished and painted as obscene for having the audacity to speak against the war as a woman … calling her ‘angry’ and ‘shrill’ and dissecting her clothing, her voice and her mannerisms, piling on to her in print”. Though like many women Lattouf discusses, the state and society may come to recognise their contribution to our public conversations, and in this case in 1984, the Division of Goldstein, a federal electorate in Melbourne was named after her.
One step forward, two steps back.
How do I review this superbly written and powerful book. Easy. I defer to Adriano D. who, like me, read the book as a “white” man (he middle-aged, me age 74), a “position that matters to name, because it shaped how this book moved through [us] — anger, grief, awe, and an uneasy reckoning with how much [we] have been allowed to take for granted.” (see link to the review at end).
And at age 74:
◾I am still learning, forever emerging from the bubble I was brought up in, helped by books like this one.
◾I am in awe of the young women mentioned by Lattouf, beacons for our future. Given the context of Lattouf’s court case that she so skilfully weaves through the stories she tells, I will mention one, Amal Naser, a third-generation Palestinian refugee and an organiser with the Palestine Action Group, responsible for the August 3, 2025 ‘March for Humanity’ across Sydney Harbour Bridge, estimated to include 300,000 people. As a former lawyer, I am gobsmacked how, in Lattouf’s words, Naser “turns grief into legal briefs and rallies into court rulings.”
◾I have been able to follow the career of Ita Buttrose, the ABC Chair at the time of Lattouf’s unlawful termination and a key witness in the court case. I remember Buttrose as a trailblazing feminist, though perhaps properly described by the critique that in her era, feminism was advocated by white, university-educated, middle-class women for white, university educated, middle-class women. And similarly for allies such as me. This understanding goes to how challenging it is to break down the power structures that Lattouf describes in her book, a book that people like me need to read with an ‘open mindset’, with a thirst for learning.
There is so much more I could write. Yet really all I need say is thank you Antoinette Lattouf for your courage and your contribution to our public conversations mindful, in the words of Francesca Albanese, “how culture sustains power, and how resistance begins by questioning the stories power tells”.
***
Here is a link to Adriano D."s review https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adrian...
June 10, 2026
3.5 stars. A fun and inspiring read.
June 1, 2026
Adored this - such an inspiring and generous way of telling one’s story by uplifting the under recognised stories of other winning women
June 17, 2026
In Women Who Win, Antoinette Lattouf masterfully weaves the historical profiles of trailblazing Australian women who shattered legal, political, and cultural barriers with her own modern, high-stakes legal battle against the ABC. By examining the lives of activists, First Nations leaders, and pioneers through a deeply personal lens, Lattouf moves beyond traditional feminist triumphs to confront the steep, often isolating costs of speaking out against systemic injustice. The most significant takeaway of the book is that true progress is never passive or comfortable; rather, collective change relies on a continuous, cross-generational pipeline of individual defiance, where historical resistance serves as an essential blueprint—and a vital source of courage—for modern battles against institutional power.
May 3, 2026
Ahead of a long weekend on Friday afternoon, I was reading my emails and saw this book mentioned in the Penguin Australia newsletter. Lo and behold, it was available at my local library the next day and now here I am on Sunday having just finished this amazing book.
How funny that appears right when my 11 year old is doing a presentation on women’s rights for his assessment item (he chose women’s rights out of many options 😊. Now I’m going to have to buy this book or maybe ask for it for Mother’s Day next weekend 🤣
“Progress often walks while patriarchy sprints.”
This book goes through the author’s own trial with the ABC which I wasn’t aware of and weaves it through other Australia women’s stories throughout history. There are so many interesting and inspiring chapters. It will definitely need a re-read.
Did you know breaststroke was best choice for women when they started swimming publicly because it was modest?
Or that defamation cases are the biggest in Australia out of any county in the world by a huge percentage.
“Power isn’t gifted it’s constructed brick by brick.”
“Agency isn’t handed down by royal decree. It’s seized.”
Or that most abuse starts online and then spreads elsewhere. There was an example of a public figure being harassed online and the man said he knew where her primary aged daughter went to school and was going to rape her. Turns out it was a police officer and the investigating officers tried to convince her to drop charges.
“We’re not just Criminalising protests were suppressing dissent.” I have seen this more and more in the news lately that Australia has become a pretty harsh police state when it comes to to protestors and Australia leads the world in arresting protestors (climate and environmental mainly.
Those Quaker grannies sound amazing and I will need to read more about them.
But did you know that the military doesn’t count emissions in reporting for environmental concerns??! That’s insane. Look at all the training, drills and WAR worldwide and it doesn’t count??
How funny that appears right when my 11 year old is doing a presentation on women’s rights for his assessment item (he chose women’s rights out of many options 😊. Now I’m going to have to buy this book or maybe ask for it for Mother’s Day next weekend 🤣
“Progress often walks while patriarchy sprints.”
This book goes through the author’s own trial with the ABC which I wasn’t aware of and weaves it through other Australia women’s stories throughout history. There are so many interesting and inspiring chapters. It will definitely need a re-read.
Did you know breaststroke was best choice for women when they started swimming publicly because it was modest?
Or that defamation cases are the biggest in Australia out of any county in the world by a huge percentage.
“Power isn’t gifted it’s constructed brick by brick.”
“Agency isn’t handed down by royal decree. It’s seized.”
Or that most abuse starts online and then spreads elsewhere. There was an example of a public figure being harassed online and the man said he knew where her primary aged daughter went to school and was going to rape her. Turns out it was a police officer and the investigating officers tried to convince her to drop charges.
“We’re not just Criminalising protests were suppressing dissent.” I have seen this more and more in the news lately that Australia has become a pretty harsh police state when it comes to to protestors and Australia leads the world in arresting protestors (climate and environmental mainly.
Those Quaker grannies sound amazing and I will need to read more about them.
But did you know that the military doesn’t count emissions in reporting for environmental concerns??! That’s insane. Look at all the training, drills and WAR worldwide and it doesn’t count??
June 27, 2026
I don’t say this lightly, but I’m fairly sure this was written by AI and I’m actually shocked this got past the editors. Like there was excessive use of triads, overuse of colons and em dash, ‘slow and deliberate’, lame forced sass, and e.g some of the phrasing picked at random: ‘the grenade comes not in the form of a profanity but as a perfectly polite observation - one that lands even more powerfully’, or ‘No medals, no drama - just a squirt for anyone with skin and a far less controversial definition of success’, or ‘this was a quiet reclaiming of joy,’ or ‘Buttrose laughs. Not a chuckle - but a full bright note, sharp enough to cut glass. Off key but confident.’ It was actually painful to read at some points.
It’s a shame because I am impressed with Lattouf and was looking forward to this book and reading about the women in it, but unfortunately it was a real let down!
It’s a shame because I am impressed with Lattouf and was looking forward to this book and reading about the women in it, but unfortunately it was a real let down!
July 11, 2026
I absolutely loved reading this book. It is informative, engaging, and filled with inspiring stories of resilience, determination, and triumph from women who have challenged barriers and succeeded despite the obstacles placed in their way.
As someone who proudly describes themselves as a feminist, I thought I already had a solid understanding of many of the challenges women face. However, this book opened my eyes to nuances and experiences that I hadn't fully appreciated before. It highlights the often subtle, and sometimes not-so-subtle, ways society and corporations continue to treat women differently, while also celebrating the remarkable achievements of those who have refused to let those barriers define them.
Rather than leaving me feeling discouraged, the book left me with an even greater respect and admiration for women and the countless contributions they make every day. It also reinforced the importance of continuing to advocate for equality, fairness, and opportunity for everyone.
Antoinette has done a fantastic job of combining evidence, personal stories, and thoughtful insights into a book that is both educational and enjoyable to read. I found it difficult to put down, and I came away having learned a great deal.
An outstanding read—10/10. I would highly recommend it to anyone, regardless of their gender, who wants to better understand the experiences of women and why gender equality remains such an important issue.
As someone who proudly describes themselves as a feminist, I thought I already had a solid understanding of many of the challenges women face. However, this book opened my eyes to nuances and experiences that I hadn't fully appreciated before. It highlights the often subtle, and sometimes not-so-subtle, ways society and corporations continue to treat women differently, while also celebrating the remarkable achievements of those who have refused to let those barriers define them.
Rather than leaving me feeling discouraged, the book left me with an even greater respect and admiration for women and the countless contributions they make every day. It also reinforced the importance of continuing to advocate for equality, fairness, and opportunity for everyone.
Antoinette has done a fantastic job of combining evidence, personal stories, and thoughtful insights into a book that is both educational and enjoyable to read. I found it difficult to put down, and I came away having learned a great deal.
An outstanding read—10/10. I would highly recommend it to anyone, regardless of their gender, who wants to better understand the experiences of women and why gender equality remains such an important issue.
June 4, 2026
Excellent read, not what I expected. The vignettes about women who had achieved significant victories against the odds was amazing. Many of them I had never heard or read about. Many of them fought for and achieved small gains while I as a male strutted through what could be called a successful career without having to combat the odds that those women faced. I loved the interspacing of the stories with Antoinette’s experiences and struggles. It lent a humanity to what could just have been a retell of something that happened to others. I did think the number of stories could have been cut down and dealt with in more depth. But then again, this was being written at a time when the author perhaps needed some reassurance from others who had taken on the ‘masters’ at great personal cost and had won. I think the book is inspirational.
May 22, 2026
This book doesn’t just tell stories it challenges what we think we know about them. It speaks directly to Antoinette’s character and her deliberate choice to centre fierce women throughout history: those who resisted, those who survived and those whose legacies continue to shape the present.
I knew this book was going to be EPIC when I read the reference to Tony Abbott serving as Minister for Women (😂) while recounting the story of Walyer, a formidable Tommeginne freedom fighter (verbatim from the book). Of all the incredible stories, Walyer stands out as my personal favourite. There are too many reasons to fully unpack here. READ THE BOOK!
I knew this book was going to be EPIC when I read the reference to Tony Abbott serving as Minister for Women (😂) while recounting the story of Walyer, a formidable Tommeginne freedom fighter (verbatim from the book). Of all the incredible stories, Walyer stands out as my personal favourite. There are too many reasons to fully unpack here. READ THE BOOK!
May 31, 2026
I just finished Women Who Win and I loved it. This book is a testament to women who show so much courage and have given so much of themselves for justice and our rights. Thank you Antoinette for what you did for all of us and thank you for highlighting all the other women’s stories, inspiring and harrowing all at once. There were parts where I had to stop and just sit and absorb the pain and hurt but ultimately I feel hopeful. Share this book with women in your life and your daughters because it will be up to them to carry on the fight. Much love and respect to you Antoinette, may you heal and your scars be a testament to your battle. Never forget your win, it means so much to so many x
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2026
Antoinette Lattouf’s Women Who Win feels like a war cry, as much as something so anti-war could ever be. More than that, it is a rallying cry for all of us.
I avidly followed Lattouf v ABC last year, tuning in online every day to watch the case unfold and sent Antoinette messages of solidarity.
The case became a real anchor for me during a very difficult period in my life. It reminded me of my time reporting on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories while living in the region for four years.
The pro-Israel lobby was relentless before, during and for some time after my reporting there.
The strength and courage Antoinette showed in taking on both the lobby and her former employer, the ABC, felt significant not just for her, but for all of us who had experienced something similar. What struck me most was that it was an enormous burden for one woman to carry.
Reading her book is a timely reminder that the women she profiles faced ridicule, public attacks, exclusion, financial barriers and self-doubt long before anyone called them extraordinary.
They are First Nations women, working-class women and union women who decided things were not good enough and chose to act — to do something about it.
They challenged legal, cultural and institutional barriers, often while being told to calm down, be quiet or make themselves smaller.
This book reminded me that courage is a multifaceted thing. Sometimes meaningful work comes in the form of helping others, telling their stories and amplifying voices that might otherwise go unheard.
I avidly followed Lattouf v ABC last year, tuning in online every day to watch the case unfold and sent Antoinette messages of solidarity.
The case became a real anchor for me during a very difficult period in my life. It reminded me of my time reporting on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories while living in the region for four years.
The pro-Israel lobby was relentless before, during and for some time after my reporting there.
The strength and courage Antoinette showed in taking on both the lobby and her former employer, the ABC, felt significant not just for her, but for all of us who had experienced something similar. What struck me most was that it was an enormous burden for one woman to carry.
Reading her book is a timely reminder that the women she profiles faced ridicule, public attacks, exclusion, financial barriers and self-doubt long before anyone called them extraordinary.
They are First Nations women, working-class women and union women who decided things were not good enough and chose to act — to do something about it.
They challenged legal, cultural and institutional barriers, often while being told to calm down, be quiet or make themselves smaller.
This book reminded me that courage is a multifaceted thing. Sometimes meaningful work comes in the form of helping others, telling their stories and amplifying voices that might otherwise go unheard.
June 4, 2026
Lattouf writing on Australia’s colonisation: ‘New phone - who dis? Australia, 1788.’
After I read that I knew it would be painful to finish because I LOVE her as a person but this was poorly written. The analogies and language used was very Millennial but also Gen Z and I was just a bit icked by that.
Watching her end of trial speech and Federal Court statement was much more empowering. This book is very humble and I liked how it wasn’t just her story but a very intersectional Australian one. She’s awesome, this book isn’t.
After I read that I knew it would be painful to finish because I LOVE her as a person but this was poorly written. The analogies and language used was very Millennial but also Gen Z and I was just a bit icked by that.
Watching her end of trial speech and Federal Court statement was much more empowering. This book is very humble and I liked how it wasn’t just her story but a very intersectional Australian one. She’s awesome, this book isn’t.
June 24, 2026
My 6-year-old came in and saw me reading. She turned to me and read aloud its title, then asked, "What's it all about? Why are you reading about woman (sic)?"
I said, "I'm reading it to find out how to better help you as you're growing up. Remember, I asked you to tell someone when you get bullied at school? And also, I'm learning how to help you to be strong, do the right thing, and never give up when you've grown up."
She left unintetested. But she will one day be helped by what I will tell her from the stories in the book.
I said, "I'm reading it to find out how to better help you as you're growing up. Remember, I asked you to tell someone when you get bullied at school? And also, I'm learning how to help you to be strong, do the right thing, and never give up when you've grown up."
She left unintetested. But she will one day be helped by what I will tell her from the stories in the book.
July 2, 2026
This book is such an inspiring read! It helped give me the courage to speak up at work when I saw something that wasn’t quite right and was uncomfortable for me to do so, but after reading multiple women’s stories about tirelessly advocating for change in this book felt I had a responsibility to make a positive change in my little corner of the world and in the areas I do have some influence.
An incredibly powerful book and so well written!
An incredibly powerful book and so well written!
May 17, 2026
A beautifully written collection of little known or unknown stories of women who fought back for dignity and respect, while also lacing through her own tale of taking on the ABC. Left me feeling uplifted and connected to all these incredible stories. Strongly recommended for those feeling isolated and beaten down.
May 28, 2026
What an amazing read! This books is an absolute roller coaster I felt so many emotions when reading this, from being amazed to being enraged to learning. It really was so wonderful to read and to read about women who don’t get the spotlight when they should was just amazing. Lattouf case was also really interesting and insightful to read, glad to have read this book and highly recommend it
June 7, 2026
"No voice survives alone, and silence has never yet won"
I absolutely devoured this book by Antoinette Lattouf
It gives a voice to some amazing women many whose stories were historically suppressed or forgotten. It serves as a call to action for us all to find our voice, and shout louder, together. If you are looking for something to add to your reading list this is without a doubt it! Highly, highly recommend 👏👏👏
I absolutely devoured this book by Antoinette Lattouf
It gives a voice to some amazing women many whose stories were historically suppressed or forgotten. It serves as a call to action for us all to find our voice, and shout louder, together. If you are looking for something to add to your reading list this is without a doubt it! Highly, highly recommend 👏👏👏
May 7, 2026
Could not put this down!
I cried, sighed and laughed reading this.
So many incredible, uplifting and powerful stories.
Understanding how resilient and forceful women can be is such a good reminder.
Such an inspiring read! Could not recommend more highly.
I cried, sighed and laughed reading this.
So many incredible, uplifting and powerful stories.
Understanding how resilient and forceful women can be is such a good reminder.
Such an inspiring read! Could not recommend more highly.
June 2, 2026
Honest, captivating and revealing. So beautifully written. I loved learning the stories of the courageous and passionate women making change. Antoinette is a true testament to the strength that comes from speaking your truth.
June 2, 2026
Honest, captivating and revealing. I loved learning the stories of the courageous and passionate women making change. Antoinette is a true testament to the strength that comes from speaking your truth. So beautifully written.
June 5, 2026
This book by Antoinette is very well put together It’s a great way of showcasing how women have changed history by fighting for their right. The way the book is written grabs your attention from the first chapter. It’s very highly recommended read for everyone
July 10, 2026
4.5 ✨
Every woman featured was so inspiring!! I found myself feeling such a mix of emotions while reading - anger, sadness, hope and admiration.
It’s hard not to be shocked by how much women have had to put up with and how many battles they had to fight just to create the opportunities and rights we have today. At the same time, it was incredibly uplifting to read about their strength, courage and determination.
A powerful reminder of how far we’ve come and how much further there is still to go. I think every woman should read this book.
Every woman featured was so inspiring!! I found myself feeling such a mix of emotions while reading - anger, sadness, hope and admiration.
It’s hard not to be shocked by how much women have had to put up with and how many battles they had to fight just to create the opportunities and rights we have today. At the same time, it was incredibly uplifting to read about their strength, courage and determination.
A powerful reminder of how far we’ve come and how much further there is still to go. I think every woman should read this book.
July 10, 2026
A beautiful collection of varied stories from women who have fought for what they believe in, often at great cost to themselves. Seamlessly interwoven with Antoinette's own battle against censorship, racism and discrimination.
May 1, 2026
Devoured this in two sittings. I haven't felt hope in a long time, but this book changed that.
May 14, 2026
Amazing book :) would like this book to be on public and high school curriculums across Australia.
Immense courage from Antoinette Lattouf.
Thought provoking and encouraging read for all women.
Immense courage from Antoinette Lattouf.
Thought provoking and encouraging read for all women.
June 6, 2026
One of those special, special books you just can’t put down. A must read for all women!
June 12, 2026
Fact.
When women win, we all win.
Essential reading from Antoinette Lattouf.
When women win, we all win.
Essential reading from Antoinette Lattouf.
June 16, 2026
Beautifully written, fascinating and deeply inspiring.
June 25, 2026
I imagine this was a cathartic project during a really stressful time in Antoinette's life. The interviews and stories were good, though I enjoyed hearing her own experience more.
July 4, 2026
4.5 stars
I need the t shirt
F@&% ABC 🇵🇸 🍉
Essential reading for young girls and old chooks like me. Naming, elevating, honouring women past and present.
Good onya Antoinette.
I need the t shirt
F@&% ABC 🇵🇸 🍉
Essential reading for young girls and old chooks like me. Naming, elevating, honouring women past and present.
Good onya Antoinette.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews