She the People: A Graphic History of Uprisings, Breakdowns, Setbacks, Revolts, and Enduring Hope on the Unfinished Road to Women's Equality

by Jen Deaderick, Rita Sapunor (Illustrator)

A sweeping, smart, and smart-ass graphic history of women's quest for equality

In March 2017, Nevada surprised the rest of the country by suddenly ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment, thirty-five years after the deadline had passed. The ERA is now just two states short of total ratification.

Two states and a legacy of shame are standing between American women and full equality.
She the People takes on the campaign for change by offering a sweeping, highly illustrated, sometimes sarcastic look at women's rights and citizenship. Journalist, historian, and activist Jen Deaderick takes readers on a walk down the ERA's rocky road to become part of our Constitution. Divided into 12 historical periods between 1776 and today, each era highlights specific changes in the legal status of women along with the significant cultural and social influences of the time, so women's history is understood as an integral part of U.S. history, rather than a tangential sideline.


Clever and dynamic, She the People is informative, entertaining, and a vital reminder that women still aren't fully accepted as equal citizens in America.

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, History, Graphic Novels, Politics, Graphic Novels Comics, Contemporary

208 pages, Paperback

First published March 5, 2019

About the author

History has always been a passion of mine. I stop to read plaques.

My mother was deeply involved with the League of Women Voters during the push for the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s, and she made sure I knew about my foremothers. It's because of her that I ended up writing She The People.

Ten years ago, I founded an Equal Rights Amendment page on Facebook in the hopes of renewing interest. My interactions on and around the page made me realize how little people actually knew about not only the ERA, but also how citizenship and democratic process works. That made me want to tell the story.

My Mom grew up in veterans housing in Winthrop, Massachusetts on Boston Harbor. My Dad grew up in the Bronx. I grew up as a stealth Townie in a gentrifying working class neighborhood in Brookline, Massachusetts.

The brilliant teachers at Brookline High School taught me how to write and that just keeps paying off. I will always be grateful that I had access to excellent public education.

I got my BFA degree in theater from Emerson College in Boston after an unsuccessful year at Grinnell College in Iowa and a gap year spent trying to figure myself out in San Diego and Europe. That travel was funded with a cashed-out $2000 mutual fund that my Dad had started for me at some point. Thanks, Dad.

After graduating Emerson, I moved to NYC where I took a half-hearted stab at pursuing acting, and then ended up doing stand up comedy, which was fantastic. I made money temping, then consulting, which pays more and involves less Xeroxing.

I was in NYC for nine years, and then moved home to Boston to marry and have a kid, not necessarily in that order. I now have an amazing 14-year-old and a decent ex-husband.

I live in Cambridge with my kid surrounded by hipster cafés and intellectuals.

Reviews

[Dev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley

actual rating: 3.5

I just want to point out that calling this a 'graphic history' and 'highly illustrated' is more than a bit misleading. It's just a prose book with some black and white line drawings thrown in every so often. I guess the illustrations are of decent quality for something like a webcomic, but I was expecting a lot more out of it based on the description. This doesn't necessarily affect my review because the book was still good, it was just good in a different way than it was marketed. Which actually kind of brings me to my next point ...

Again, I am not complaining about this because I feel like it was very well done, but this book was almost as much about race equality as it was about women's equality. Obviously the two are very connected in our nations' history, but I was a bit surprised that the book spent so much time on slavery and the civil rights movement - in regards to black men AND women. There were a lot of very interesting facts included because of this, but I feel like something along the lines of 'a comprehensive look at the history of the relation between race and gender equality in the united states' might have been a better title just because so much time is spent talking about it.

The last few chapters I feel got stuck in a bit of a rut as well in regards to Hilary Clinton. Obviously Hilary has been a big player in politics and women's progress in that arena in the last 30+ years, but to basically spend the majority of three chapters talking about one woman is maybe not the best use of space in a book that is supposed to cover such a broad topic. What happened in 2016 was absolutely devastating but there have been so many amazing female politicians elected to both the House and the Senate in the 2016 and 2018 elections and I think it would have been great to mention some of them and how we are still trying to move forward despite setbacks.

Overall it was a fairly comprehensive and informative read. It's pretty depressing how much further we still have to go, but hearing about the achievements of all the great women who came before us is very inspiring. I would recommend this book, but just keep in mind that what you get is not necessarily what it is marketed as.

[Holyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I checked this book out of the library with the hope that I could share it with my middle schooler. This book leans PG13-R in content; I would share with younger kids only in a guided environment.

That being said, this is a fabulous and accessible read focused upon overlooked people in the history of our nation - specifically women and women of color. I loved reading new facts about familiar historical women and learning aspects of history new to me. This is a book I will purchase in the future.

[Sage · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so great. I wished there were more illustrations, though — I expected more of a graphic novel/comic book format, but I really enjoyed it. The text was snarky and fun and informative, and I learned A LOT that I didn’t learn in history class while growing up. 10/10 would recommend. I also really loved the additional reading suggestions at the end, and I can’t wait to check those out!

[Stephie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic overview of how women have fought for our place in society. This book read as a timeline of women's achievements and struggles through our short history. It really puts into perspective how it was not that long ago that that we were granted the right to vote. It is a shame to see that we still do not have complete control over ourselves depending on what state you live in. It was also disheartening to read about other women who want us to remain dependent upon our male companions as was seen with the fight against the Equal Rights Amendment. I think this is an important book to get into the hands of both female and male young people. It is another great jump off point to learn more about our history. I took a star off because the end seemed rushed but I enjoyed the suggested readings list.

I will note that on page 180 there was a mistake on the roman numeral for King Henry the VIII. It was written as King Henry the XIII.

Thank you to Netgalley and Perseus Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Katie Peach · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

While I wouldn't call "She the People" a graphic history, as there are very few images, this is a wonderful and concise book that explains the role of women in the history of the United States, from its founding to the present day. I think this would be a great book for an older high school student or college student to learn about some of the important figures in US history and feminism.

I received an advance reading copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

SHE THE PEOPLE sweeps through the history of women, from 1776 to now, in America, and our quest for equality. Perfect for girls, teens, and women--this is a book that should be in every living room in the United States. With graphics, facts, and essays, you'll learn something each and every time you pick it up.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved how the author referred did give name to the reality show host!!!
a very good read!
here's hoping the sequel includes a woman president!

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean...this book has some issues. including, but not limited to, the fact that everyone somehow missed the fact that Henry XIII doesn't exist and Henry VIII is the one who created the Church of England to get a divorce.
Also, feels like the author tries VERY hard to be inclusive about her feminism...but falls short. Writes a lot about Black women and their importance in the movement, mentions Sacagawea once and talks about lesbians 3-4 times but it doesn't seem...I don't know, genuine, somehow? And maybe that's what happens when white women try really really hard to be inclusive. I hope not, because I'm a white woman who is trying really hard to dismantle my own internal racism, so I hope I don't always come across as disingenuous.

I'm glad that the "infighting" between feminist movements is discussed- certainly gives me more things to read.
So, I mean, I don't know, really. A lot of good info just something about it didn't totally 'nail' it for me.

OH. ALSO. When Thomas Jefferson "had sex with" his 16-year-old slave, what that is *actually* called is "rape." So like. Let's call things what they are. 16-year-olds can't consent. And SLAVES certainly couldn't consent. It may seem like just saying he was 44 and "having sex with" a 16-year-old is shocking enough, but that's dangerous language to use; "sex" implies consent. He did not have it. So, just one more time, call it what it was, please.

[Duane Bindschadler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was introduced to this book by a friend who knows the author, and actually had a chance to meet Ms. Deaderick briefly (but before I'd read the book). This is an excellent overview of women's movements in America and is written at a level appropriate for teenagers.

A number of the reviews here on Goodreads are by women, indicating that they want their daughters to read the book. It is even more important for young men to read about these events and be aware of the generations of effort that women (and especially black women) have put into to being treated with equity and fairness. I'm in my late 50's and was aware of the seismic changes that occured in the 1970's, or the retrenchment of the Reagan era, but I'm not at all convinced that our public schools have taught enough about them. And in order for all of us to progress, it's necessary for men - especially white men - to know that our history contains injustice that still remains to be rectified.

[Mitra · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can tell by the cover, this book is not boring. It's interesting, funny, and insightful. The writing is the opposite of dense - it's airy, like a really good croissant. It's full of fascinating facts and it moves right along at a satisfying clip. I loved it! I think it would make a great textbook.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absorbing, readable, intersectional feminist history of the U.S. - in approx 200 pages.

excellencies
The chapters, divided loosely by decade and era, are brief but sufficiently detailed. I learned quite a few things about people and time periods that I thought knew. Deaderick takes pains to focus on the women, to the enjoyable extent of not using any male's name if she can help it. For example, Yoko Ono and "the Beatle," Jackie O. and "her husband," #45 is the "reality show host." She also takes pains to present an honest, intersectional view of the history of "women's equality," - trying to avoid the tale of the white woman feminist. This means calling out the racist words or actions of recognized heroines (Elizabeth Cady Stanton, for shame) and villains alike, and the vital roles of activists of color (Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Dorothy Pitman Hughes, Shirley Chisholm, and so on), recognized or not.

wishes, or what else it could have had
I do wish she had expanded on the current era with LGBTQIA+ rights - if not pop culture and the reception of Laverne Cox and Caitlyn Jenner, then at least about the NC bathroom bill and the extreme dangers facing transgender people of color. This was published earlier in 2019 so I think it could also have included the increased visibility and volatibility of white supremacy, a return of us/them rhetoric about immigrants...she was so upfront about calling out Japanese internment, the KKK, the "Lost Cause" confederate narrative, and other dark spots on American history, I wish she had turned that same lens on the present. I imagine she would say the choice was to focus on the switchback path to "women's equality," but I say intersectional or bust.

Also, more pictures. A "graphic history" this is not. A "history with the occasional comic book lettering pop out quote and even less occasional bland illustration" is more like it.

in summary
For its brevity, this text packs a lot into a mere 200+ pages. I wouldn't say it's all you ever need to know about history and human rights, but it's a good starting place or refresher piece.

[Maddie O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley.

This was a super good overview of the challenges that American women- both Black and White- have faced since the Declaration of Independence. There wasn't much in here that I hadn't learned or read about before but it was unusual to have it all put together in such an engaging way and to have it tied into what's happening in our world right now.

One minor quip- I think the title "Graphic History" is a bit misleading. I was expecting a word-heavy graphic novel, but this was more a short history with hand-drawn art every couple of pages. The art was great and definitely added to it, but I just wanted to note that in my review in case you're expecting a quick graphic novel.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good basic overview of the history of feminism in America - not an in-depth exploration, to be sure, but a nice jumping off point for people who are new to this, and a good place to find out the names of people and movements to research more. However, this book is NOT a "graphic history" - it's a book of text with occasional line-drawing illustrations sprinkled in. I went into this expecting a graphic novel (a la John Lewis' "March" or Marjane Satrapi's "Persepolis") and was a little disappointed.

*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Leah K · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but fascinating look into women's rights in the United States over the last 2.5 centuries. The author is great at making this book both educational and funny with her wit. It was well researched. If I had a complaint, I'd say she left out some major female figures, in my opinion, but let's admit it - no book could list EVERY amazing woman who has made the country a better place and worked their butt off to do it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a fair amount in this book, but not anything super life-changing. It markets itself as a "graphic history" but I think it is just a normal history with a couple of illustrations here and there. It's fine for an overall look at the history of feminism, but I think it works best as a jumping-off point, rather than a real analysis.

[Karli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to ready historical account of America and the people it left out, and the women who fought for equality. Written for middle/school high school. I can’t use it for my forth grade social studies but it certainly is great background for
Me.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really excited to read this book as it’s been on my TBR pile for a while. Not what I thought it was more to do with America and how it had been shaped by so many influential woman. It’s also touches on politics which isn’t bad just kind of stressful given the current climate. I did enjoy the hand drawn pictures throughout though.

[Moonlight.aileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to important women in American history, but does not have the space to really given anything beyond a surface introduction.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

[Pamela King-Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A reminder of what we lived through and to plan for what is next

As a woman who grew up in the 60’s and thought she was aware, I found how uninformed I was about many of the events surrounding women’s liberation, especially the ERA movement. This book was a great wake-up call for me. I am so appreciative of all my sisters who are unabashedly proud of being women and know their value.

[Sue Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slightly snarky, in a good way, this short book lacks the illustrations to really call this a graphic novel, but the text is factual and interesting. A console history worth a read. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jocelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the variety of women who were represented in this book, both in the time periods and the different backgrounds. I felt, however, that the book didn't really go into great detail of the individual woman. It would have been more interesting, I think, to focus on a few women from each century from around the country and really talk about their live struggles. While reading the ebook, it was also very jumbled. This might have been done to make sure that no good copies would get out if someone violated the rules, but it made this book very difficult to read and present a review of.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review, all opinions are my own.