What do you think?
Rate this book
Speak Up!
Use your voice to change the world!
Don’t just read about inspiring women: become one!
Launching in time for International Women’s Day 2019 – Speak Up! is the must-have empowering book to inspire a whole new generation of rebel girls.
Speaking up can be difficult, but did you know just how powerful your own voice can be?
Written by Laura Coryton, who led the international campaign against tampon tax, Speak Up! is a vital and timely book exploring what it means to stand up for what you believe in on both a public and personal level. Laura explores how to make sure your voice is heard as well as what happens when your voice is challenged by others. She tackles tricky subjects like feminism, consent, online bullying and self-confidence in a meaningful but accessible and entertaining way.
With a positive message about friendship, female empowerment and standing up for who you are, this is the perfect gift for girls aged 12+. Inspiring, warm and honest, this conversational and big-sisterly guide is the must-have girl power book of 2019.
"Speak Up! is a wonderful and timely guide to activism for women and girls brought up in the age of the internet and social media. It is wholly accessible, fun and quirky, full of Laura Coryton's own experiences with the very successful tampon tax campaign. I highly recommend it – and hope the book helps to galvanise the next generation." – Helen Pankhurst, great granddaughter of suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst, author and women's rights activist
Don’t just read about inspiring women: become one!
Launching in time for International Women’s Day 2019 – Speak Up! is the must-have empowering book to inspire a whole new generation of rebel girls.
Speaking up can be difficult, but did you know just how powerful your own voice can be?
Written by Laura Coryton, who led the international campaign against tampon tax, Speak Up! is a vital and timely book exploring what it means to stand up for what you believe in on both a public and personal level. Laura explores how to make sure your voice is heard as well as what happens when your voice is challenged by others. She tackles tricky subjects like feminism, consent, online bullying and self-confidence in a meaningful but accessible and entertaining way.
With a positive message about friendship, female empowerment and standing up for who you are, this is the perfect gift for girls aged 12+. Inspiring, warm and honest, this conversational and big-sisterly guide is the must-have girl power book of 2019.
"Speak Up! is a wonderful and timely guide to activism for women and girls brought up in the age of the internet and social media. It is wholly accessible, fun and quirky, full of Laura Coryton's own experiences with the very successful tampon tax campaign. I highly recommend it – and hope the book helps to galvanise the next generation." – Helen Pankhurst, great granddaughter of suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst, author and women's rights activist
- GenresNonfictionFeminism
224 pages, Paperback
Published March 7, 2019
2 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Laura Coryton
2 books2 followersLaura Coryton is an inspirational young woman who led the international campaign against tampon tax which gained over a quarter of a million signatures and has led to changes both in UK and European law. Laura was featured in the BBC's 100 Women series of 2016. She also won one of the Guardian's New Radical Thinker awards and was named 2015's top unknown world change maker by the Independent. She has recently completed an M.St in Women's Studies at the University of Oxford.
Laura regularly speaks at schools about the trials and tribulations of being a female campaigner. She aims to advise and empower girls who might want to start their own campaigns or get involved with politics.
Laura regularly speaks at schools about the trials and tribulations of being a female campaigner. She aims to advise and empower girls who might want to start their own campaigns or get involved with politics.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 10, 2021
I would've rated it 4* for the tips and resources if it wasn't for how TERFy this book is.
Its laid out really well and has great tips.
But no where on the cover did it say it was so female focused.
It isn't just females who use tampons and menstrual products.
Its from 2019 and paints JK TERFling as a badass??? No thank you.
It was also a bit too pro tory for my personal liking, which I mean what ever that's fine but added with all the other stuff I ended up feeling a bit gross after reading it. And I didn't really read the last few pages im not going to lie.
As much as I'd love to recommend this for young people wanting to make a change, I think that books like this are actually pretty dangerous for young people.
Disguised as tips and tricks and with some actual valid advice, it's mostly thinly veiled transphobic speal.
Also, no mention than bechedel is a lesbian?
Idk maybe I'm just making something of nothing, but all these things added together make for a pretty shady book.
Anyways, good tips in places but proceed with caution and maybe talk to your kids about the things that aren't so great about this book
Its laid out really well and has great tips.
But no where on the cover did it say it was so female focused.
It isn't just females who use tampons and menstrual products.
Its from 2019 and paints JK TERFling as a badass??? No thank you.
It was also a bit too pro tory for my personal liking, which I mean what ever that's fine but added with all the other stuff I ended up feeling a bit gross after reading it. And I didn't really read the last few pages im not going to lie.
As much as I'd love to recommend this for young people wanting to make a change, I think that books like this are actually pretty dangerous for young people.
Disguised as tips and tricks and with some actual valid advice, it's mostly thinly veiled transphobic speal.
Also, no mention than bechedel is a lesbian?
Idk maybe I'm just making something of nothing, but all these things added together make for a pretty shady book.
Anyways, good tips in places but proceed with caution and maybe talk to your kids about the things that aren't so great about this book
January 11, 2019
Loved this! Empowering, real advice for future campaigners. I want every school library to have a copy of this fab book
April 5, 2023
BOYS CAN'T READ THIS XD
----------------------------
*Ahem* Anyways, this book slays. I made an account on change.org and currently considering making a petition because of this book! I can't tell you how much I love this book. It is really inspiring and just screams girl power. It speaks straight up facts and calls out Disney for making the idea of women and girls being helpless and weak. ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE AUTHOR👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
I have said all I want to say for now. Bye baddies😜
----------------------------
*Ahem* Anyways, this book slays. I made an account on change.org and currently considering making a petition because of this book! I can't tell you how much I love this book. It is really inspiring and just screams girl power. It speaks straight up facts and calls out Disney for making the idea of women and girls being helpless and weak. ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE AUTHOR👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
I have said all I want to say for now. Bye baddies😜
February 21, 2019
Speak Up! By Laura Coryton is the antidote to claims that young people aren’t interested in politics or to the idea that young people are too young to bring about any kind of change.
Read more of our review here: http://www.bookerworm.com/reviews/505...
Read more of our review here: http://www.bookerworm.com/reviews/505...
March 15, 2024
This would’ve gotten 4 stars as I think it contains a lot of great advice to young activists and is laid out in such a great text-bites sort of way…but I had to put it down after it lauded JK Rowling as an anti-troll superhero. That’s some TERF nonsense.
February 19, 2019
3.5 🌟 a great informative book, activism and speaking up 💪
January 28, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC.
This was a really easy and enjoyable read, showing how you can make a change. It highlights the highs and lows and how to keep going even if it doesn't go to plan. Recommend having this available to all young people, encouraging them to think about the change they are able create on issues they feel passionately about.
This was a really easy and enjoyable read, showing how you can make a change. It highlights the highs and lows and how to keep going even if it doesn't go to plan. Recommend having this available to all young people, encouraging them to think about the change they are able create on issues they feel passionately about.
March 6, 2019
Praised as a 'toolkit for change', Speak Up! is an inspirational book about the power of your voice and the changes this can bring, whether this be on a social, public or personal level. Laura doesn't mess around with the advice she offers in her motivating manual - she's been there, she's encountered the challenges, the failures, the setbacks that come with wanting to make a significant change, but that just makes her voice that more fierce and positive as she guides the reader of their journey to find their authentic voice and use it effectively.
Broken down into a 5 step practical plan - Goals, Decision Makers, Research, Platform, Launch - Laura uses her own campaign as well as other successful campaigns (such as the viral #metoo campaign) to offer a raw and realistic guide to planning and executing one's own movement/campaign, or getting involved with politics. But Laura doesn't stop there. She also tackles tricky subjects like feminism, consent, body-positivity, social media, education, online bullying and internet trolls, self-confidence and self-love in a meaningful but accessible and entertaining way. Although ingrained with Laura's personal stories and experiences, Laura's voice never comes across as dictatorial or forced, but rather, warm and conversational.
Speak Up! is filled with positive messages and encouraging statements about friendship, female empowerment and standing up for who you are inspiring not just future campaigners but this whole new generation of rebel girls.
Accompanied with quirky illustrations and bold typography this is definitely a perfect gift for girls aged 12+, or anybody who wants to use their voice to change the world. Launched just in time for International Women's Day this is without a doubt the must-have girl power book of 2019!
www.bluebirdreviews.co.uk
Broken down into a 5 step practical plan - Goals, Decision Makers, Research, Platform, Launch - Laura uses her own campaign as well as other successful campaigns (such as the viral #metoo campaign) to offer a raw and realistic guide to planning and executing one's own movement/campaign, or getting involved with politics. But Laura doesn't stop there. She also tackles tricky subjects like feminism, consent, body-positivity, social media, education, online bullying and internet trolls, self-confidence and self-love in a meaningful but accessible and entertaining way. Although ingrained with Laura's personal stories and experiences, Laura's voice never comes across as dictatorial or forced, but rather, warm and conversational.
Speak Up! is filled with positive messages and encouraging statements about friendship, female empowerment and standing up for who you are inspiring not just future campaigners but this whole new generation of rebel girls.
Accompanied with quirky illustrations and bold typography this is definitely a perfect gift for girls aged 12+, or anybody who wants to use their voice to change the world. Launched just in time for International Women's Day this is without a doubt the must-have girl power book of 2019!
www.bluebirdreviews.co.uk
August 14, 2019
Laura Coryton’s campaign against the ‘Tampon Tax’ in May 2014 resulted in a change to EU law and inspired international groups to carry out equivalent campaigns in other countries. This book seeks to inspire teenage girls to organise their own campaigns while empowering them to speak up for themselves but I found the tone too breathy and her approach to facts breezy, while also underplaying the complexities of some of the issues discussed.
December 31, 2024
Notable for the young British author's protest against a tampon tax. Found on September book display about bullying.
August 12, 2019
a thoughtful read I'll be donating to diversity club
February 25, 2019
An inspirational book about “being the change”.
Laura Coryton is a force. A British campaigner and feminist activist, she is the founder of Stop Taxing Periods, a campaign to abolish the Tampon Tax in the United Kingdom and make menstrual products exempt from VAT (Value Added Tax). This campaign spread globally and resulted in similar tax laws being overturned across several continents.
That is no small feat and in this warm and honest book, which is a motivating manual for bringing about change in whatever sphere of life moves one – albeit social or political or personal - Coryton clearly describes the “toolkit” to launch one’s own tirade against any perceived injustice. In a personable and sisterly way, she guides the reader on how to find their authentic voice and use it effectively.
With a tone which is dripping with positivity and fierce inspiration, she lays out a 5 step plan, a practical “how to” for a new generation of empowered, rebel girls wanting to start a quiet (or loud!) revolution.
She uses her own campaign as well as the other successful campaigns (such as the viral “#metoo” campaign encouraging women to speak up about their own sexual abuse and violations) as the blueprint for planning and executing one’s own personal crusades. She cites powerful women and feminists such as actress Emma Watson and activist Helen Pankhurst to underscore her call to action.
Coryton writes frankly about the failures, pitfalls and setbacks that come with wanting to make a significant change. She also addresses very relevant issues such as the imbalance of gender power, deconstructing romantic stereotypes, the issues of consent, dating and sexting, social media, body positivity and the importance of education. Her perspective on these aspects of life as a woman is forthright and steeped in her own personal experiences but they do not come across as too prescriptive but rather offering valuable food for thought.
The book is littered with positive affirmations and encouraging statements for blossoming feminists and activists that are designed to bolster confidence and self-esteem. Though I am not what one would consider the target market for the book, I still found it informative, accessible and uplifting.
It is definitely aimed at a younger (adolescent/ young adult) female audience with its quirky, colourful layout and typesetting. A must-read for young women whether they want to launch campaigns or not, it should be made available in high schools as prescribed reading and should be used by anyone (counsellors, therapists, mentors) who work with young women. Get your daughters, sisters, nieces, granddaughters, in fact, any young girl in your life, a copy of this book and watch them “become the change they want to be in the world”.
Desiree-Anne Martin
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
Laura Coryton is a force. A British campaigner and feminist activist, she is the founder of Stop Taxing Periods, a campaign to abolish the Tampon Tax in the United Kingdom and make menstrual products exempt from VAT (Value Added Tax). This campaign spread globally and resulted in similar tax laws being overturned across several continents.
That is no small feat and in this warm and honest book, which is a motivating manual for bringing about change in whatever sphere of life moves one – albeit social or political or personal - Coryton clearly describes the “toolkit” to launch one’s own tirade against any perceived injustice. In a personable and sisterly way, she guides the reader on how to find their authentic voice and use it effectively.
With a tone which is dripping with positivity and fierce inspiration, she lays out a 5 step plan, a practical “how to” for a new generation of empowered, rebel girls wanting to start a quiet (or loud!) revolution.
She uses her own campaign as well as the other successful campaigns (such as the viral “#metoo” campaign encouraging women to speak up about their own sexual abuse and violations) as the blueprint for planning and executing one’s own personal crusades. She cites powerful women and feminists such as actress Emma Watson and activist Helen Pankhurst to underscore her call to action.
Coryton writes frankly about the failures, pitfalls and setbacks that come with wanting to make a significant change. She also addresses very relevant issues such as the imbalance of gender power, deconstructing romantic stereotypes, the issues of consent, dating and sexting, social media, body positivity and the importance of education. Her perspective on these aspects of life as a woman is forthright and steeped in her own personal experiences but they do not come across as too prescriptive but rather offering valuable food for thought.
The book is littered with positive affirmations and encouraging statements for blossoming feminists and activists that are designed to bolster confidence and self-esteem. Though I am not what one would consider the target market for the book, I still found it informative, accessible and uplifting.
It is definitely aimed at a younger (adolescent/ young adult) female audience with its quirky, colourful layout and typesetting. A must-read for young women whether they want to launch campaigns or not, it should be made available in high schools as prescribed reading and should be used by anyone (counsellors, therapists, mentors) who work with young women. Get your daughters, sisters, nieces, granddaughters, in fact, any young girl in your life, a copy of this book and watch them “become the change they want to be in the world”.
Desiree-Anne Martin
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews