Strong Like Her: A Celebration of Rule Breakers, History Makers, and Unstoppable Athletes

by Haley Shapley, Sophy Holland (Photographs)

This stirring and vibrant account of women’s athleticism throughout history “will leave readers feeling inspired and powerful” ( Ms . magazine).

Part group biography, part cultural history, Strong Like Her delves into the fascinating stories of our muscular foremothers. From the first female Olympian (who entered the chariot race through a loophole) to the circus stars who could lift their husbands above their heads and make it look like “a little light housework with a feather duster,” these brave and brawny women paved the way for the generations to follow.

Filled with Sophy Holland’s beautiful por­traits of some of today’s most awe-inspiring ath­letes, including Peloton instructor Robin Arzón, bodybuilder Dana Linn Bailey, actress/dancer Patina Miller, and many others, Strong Like Her is “a love letter to muscles and the women who rock them so gloriously” ( Shape ).

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Feminism, Fitness, Self Help, Sports, Biography Memoir

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 7, 2020

About the author

Haley Shapley is a journalist whose writing has appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, Teen Vogue, Sierra, SELF, American Way, Shape, and the Telegraph. Her first book, Strong Like Her, was published in April 2020 by Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster.

An Olympics superfan and exercise enthusiast, Shapley has cycled 206 miles from Seattle to Portland, summited the highest glaciated peak in the continental United States, competed in a bodybuilding show, and run a marathon. She lives in Seattle.

Reviews

[Viv JM · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this history of strong and athletic women - it makes fascinating and inspiring reading. In addition, it is a physically beautiful book on gorgeous, high quality paper with the most stunning photographs by Sophy Holland of contemporary female athletes.

[Heidi Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished reading Strong Like Her yesterday, and it was far more interesting and engaging that I'd thought it would be.

The book chronicles the history of women athletes, rampant sexism they've faced, and their own stories of how and why they succeeded. From the earliest spectator sport women could participate in ("pedestrianism," more athletic than it sounds) to the social critiques of women bodybuilders being "too masculine" (because only men can appear strong and have muscles?) to those who made a living on the circus circuit, the brief bios of these amazing women was inspiring.

Tidbits:
* Said of Pudgy Stockton, an early bodybuilder: "muscularity wasn't so threatening when it came in a wholesome package." She was vibrant, pretty, and strong--the girl next door, but working out at Muscle Beach.

* But Babe Didrikson was different. She was "masculine," angular, and competitive, raising fears that women being strong like men meant you were into women (she probably was).

* Women athletes have a history of being forced to undergo genital exams and invasive testing to "prove" they are women, even being forced to take hormones if their natural testosterone level is deemed too high. (Note that no men with naturally-occurring high testosterone levels were forced to undergo such treatment.)

* A 2009 survey of 2,000 women showed that 71% of women would rather be perceived as "too fat" or "too thin" than "too muscular." More women (18%) said they would rather be perceived as "too fat" that "too muscular." (11%)

The book ends with bios of amazing women athletes, including one bodybuilder who had been anorexic and came to love her big, muscular thighs instead of thinness.

While my own body will never enable me to achieve this type of muscularity without serious damage to my joints, I loved reading these stories of women defying stereotypes and challenging what it means to be "masculine" and "feminine."

[persy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this so much; it was such an encouraging and inspiring read. Who knew women’s fitness was also so closely tied to women’s progress: not just changing perceptions of swole women, but also suffrages on bikes?

Also the pictures!!! As someone obsessed with being skinny/working out to be skinny and getting rid of my love handles, it’s very encouraging to see strength in different forms (and being fit and strong isn’t always about being skinny).

There are a ton of examples here, from the historic to modern day examples, featuring everyday people (like the 88-year-old elderly lady who decided to lift weights, ok; that’s mad impressive). And it made me think that like some of these women who switched sports halfway, I just haven’t found a sport I excel in just yet (even though I run a ton; doesn’t mean I’m good at it).

[Michelle Pecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, one of my favorite books I’ve read all year so far.

Being a women who’s into lifting heavy things this book was so inspiring! This book covers the history of women in strength sports for the last couple hundred years and to today. It’s crazy to me how far we’ve come and it hasn’t been that long. A lot of where we are today wouldn’t have happened if women didn’t try to be rule breakers and hang with the boys. It was very eye opening.

[Agnė · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5

Strong Like Her: A Celebration of Rule Breakers, History Makers, and Unstoppable Athletes is an inspiring, eye-opening, well-researched, and readable look at the history of female athletes in Western culture. Even though I was already a huge fan of strong women, I gained a whole new level of appreciation for their contribution to society throughout history. As the author aptly notes,

“Knowing the history of the women who have come before puts everything into perspective.”

Indeed it does!

Since I’m not really that much into history, the first few chapters about ancient and Victorian-era female athletes interested me only mildly (good to know, of course), but once we got to the twentieth century and beyond, I was hooked.

Also, the book is full of Sophy Holland's gorgeous full-page portraits (with quotes and inspiring bios in the back) of modern day American female athletes of different sports, levels, abilities, shapes, ages, and races.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before Title Nine
Women athletes joined the circus
Lifted rocks, swam in wool…

http://www.laurenallenstoryteller.com...

This book has meant so much to me personally. While training for rock climbing, I have been asked repeatedly, “why do you want to look like a man?” The photos in the book are not only beautiful, they are essential: representation matters. The well-researched stories in the book describe female athletes who accomplished amazing feats of strength despite stigma and very limited resources.
Strong women still need to fight for respect to this day. I am grateful to this book for making the fight a little bit easier.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Want some motivation? Want to read about some strong women who made history? Want to look at some awesome photographs? Well, this is the book for you! I loved hearing about well known women (at least I had heard of them before - maybe not well known to everyone) and lesser known women who have overcome huge obstacles, both physical and societal, to pursue their athletic dreams. And, kudos to Galley Books! The quality of paper in this book was terrific!

[Carrie Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous and fascinating! This explores women that aren't commonly written about, with insightful perspectives on strength and society. Shapley's voice is very accessible, the photos are incredible. My hardback copy has Post-It flags on all the pages with quotes I loved-- lots of little blue flags!

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this quick, but informative history of women in athletics. Reading stories of women throughout history who broke barriers and stories of modern women who continue to break barriers was so incredibly inspiring. Strong Like Her showed this squishy, unathletic lady that she is capable of becoming stronger.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this! The photographs are stunning. Shapley writes about the history of strength and musculature among women athletes, which is fascinating—and not something I’d read much about before. Her writing style is pretty casual, sometimes a little too blogger-cute for me, but it makes for quick reading. All in all, a beautiful coffee-table worth book with an important story to tell.

[Rhonda Mazilauskas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the book to be inspirational for women and girls everywhere. It's refreshing to hear people listening to their inner voice and becoming the best versions of themselves.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must read for every woman whether you are in sports or not. Strength is so important for everyone.

[Kriti | Armed with A Book]

"I try to never forget that the reason I’m in the gym is because I love my body and I want it to be strong."- Meg Gallagher

Strong Like Her is an exploration of women’s athleticism, going back to Ancient Rome and their paintings all the way to the present. It’s a well researched book that showcases the women who took the first steps (truly) into sportsmanship. Did you know that pedestrianism was a popular sport in the United States in the 1870s and 1880s? That’s where the first prominent woman athlete, Ada Anderson, revealed herself, mesmerizing crowds with her walk. I knew very little about the events and athletes mentioned in this book and now that I know them, it feels so good to know how women have been striving to get stronger.

Haley took me on a journey through time. She connected history and interpretation of scholars to the real life stories of the women who pursued strength. It felt like I was there, watching Ada Anderson, feeling the buzz in the air at Muscle Beach. Haley explores concepts I had never linked to women – the effect of the circus on athleticism being one of them. The pressure to have a successful marriage and kids was prevalent for many years. Physiques of women were analyzed and those who did not fit into the petite mold that society expected were not looked upon kindly.

I appreciated that Strong Like Her touched on societal expectations as well the role women play in body perceptions. When I was young, I was considered a stick figure. Now I am older and am considered not bulky enough. I have learned to ignore the comments as I know what I am doing for my body and how I feel in it. As I read, I pondered the effect that the way women talk about other women has on their perception of their body.

Throughout history, discussions surrounding women’s participation in sports have often intersected with societal expectations regarding attire and behavior, often based on what would not incite lust from men around them. I read about the debates around dress codes for sports like tennis as well as swimming and how athletes such as Annette Kellermann were pivotal to normalizing swimming suits for women that would not be obstructive.

Moreover, the historical struggle for women’s suffrage highlighted the societal belief that physical strength should correspond to political influence. In the late 1800s, women like Sandwina, renowned strongwoman and circus performer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, were challenging this idea. The mid-20th century saw the rise of outdoor gym and beach areas, Muscle Beach, where bodybuilders, weightlifters, and fitness enthusiasts gathered to showcase their athleticism. Pudgy Stockton played a significant role in the development of Muscle Beach as a training ground for bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts. She had a column called Barbelles in Strength and Health magazine. Maybe one of the first instances where a woman publicly encouraged other women to train, she ensured they understood that genuine advancement required dedication and effort.

Strong Like Her should not be mistaken for a historical book. It’s a well thought out critique of the perceptions that stopped women from getting into and staying in sports as well as a celebration of the women who made it regardless of the pushback they felt and the inspiration they offered to girls in their time and today. For example, Lei Wang is the first Chinese woman and the first Asian American to have achieved the Explorers Grand Slam (to reach the North Pole and South Pole, as well as climb the Seven Summits). We share the same upbringing that focused on education and career, and not sports or physical activity. The efforts it took to reach these goals takes a lot of courage and I loved reading her challenges and triumphs. It felt so good to be seen in the experiences of the women in this book and, hence, possible to imagine that I too can be that strong should I put my mind to it. If beginning is the hardest then I am already on my way.

The hallmark of a balanced book is one where credit is given to whom it is due. Strong Like Her also highlights the men who invited their woman partners to the gym, because back then, an invitation was needed. I learned about Jan and Terry Todd as well as Pudgy and Les Stockton.

With over 20 portraits of present day athletes by Sophy Holland, the photos effectively capture the strength and resilience of the athletes with grace. I spent hours looking at these photos. Though their stories are not interwoven into the main narrative, I loved a quote from each of them that was included in the photograph and enjoyed learning about them and their achievements in the appendix of the book. The chapters also have photos of historical female athletes which were equally captivating. The one of Jan Todd lifting 1000 lbs and Elaine Craig with her gorgeous and well-built body blew me away.

Strong Like Her inspires and empowers me to build my strength and to do this for myself, my inner strength. It is a must-read for anyone interested in women’s history, sports, and gender studies. Many thanks to the author for a review copy of this book for an honest review.

Check out the detailed review and author interview on my blog. :) Have you read this book or plan to?

- Kriti, Armed with A Book | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book on my wife's recommendation. I was a little worried because it wasn't a topic that I found particularly interesting going in. It turned out to be a very interesting look at woman's strength with lots of historical examples. I enjoyed the part on competitive walking and the scandal it caused at the time.
The book itself is beautiful with amazing full page photographs.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. A first of its kind anthology to women’s strength over the years, Strong Like Her is chock full of stories of strong women throughout history. I highly highly recommend this to anyone, particularly women involved in any kind of sport, who is curious as to the women who paved the way for us.

[Whit · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a woman who has always done whatever I felt like, I’ve never really been drawn to a lot of books specifically about women doing XYZ. Unlike many books that patronize women and make us the victims, this books was an incredibly well-thought historical analysis and informative read. I loved the focus on power and confidence with amazing examples.

[Dearbhla She-Her · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was surprisingly better than expected. I'd describe it as Invisible Women for Sport and Fitness. Plus it's anecdotes not data driven. I loved the cheery writing style, often tongue-in-cheek. I'll be recommending it to lots of women I know. I've docked a star for being less diverse and intersectional than it could have been - it's very US-based and white oriented.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. When I started this book, I didn't think I was interested in a history book about strength but this pulled me in and kept me coming back for more. I loved how this made the history of strong women so accessible. Definitely recommend this book for all.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved learning about all of the groundbreaking female athletes throughout history - many of whom I was unfamiliar with. The photos were gorgeous and really added to the message of the book. I'm inspired to get stronger!

[Julie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Not just because I’m a fan of fitness, strength and strong women but the history of strong women has been put aside somewhat and his book details not just how far we’ve come, but how far we still must go. Thoughtfully written and very informative. I learned a ton.

[Chelsea Harrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Women should sooth their hysterics by laying on a fainting couch in a petticoat in a house that only their husband could own. At least, that's what I used to believe before I read this book.

This book is, dare I say, riveting. Buy it. Read it. Spread it.

[Emma Muldowney · Rating 5 out of 5]

.

[Ms Elleneous Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative and inspiring!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cheesy book club's January pick. I had no idea the important role bicycles played in women's empowerment back in the late 19th century. An inspiring read.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read for my book club next week. Interesting history about the struggle for women to receive equal access to and commendation for sports and fitness.

[S.T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Sculpting their bodies into a shape that had traditionally been associated with masculinity was a subversive thing to do. Their actions were saying, 'The mainstream standards of beauty don't control my body; I control my body.'"

Strong is sexy. Strong is empowering. This book explores this with examples of some of the most amazing women ever, beating the odds when no one expected them to be able to do it.

As women, our society has expected us to be a certain way and to have a certain body type. It's unrealistic as every person's body is different and beautiful. But our mainstream tells us otherwise. And Hell, it must be true, right?

Who here has tried on a pair of jeans and have been ashamed about their curves or their athletic build because the size 6 you're trying to fit into is realistically a size 2 because that's the size we are all supposed to be? Who here has compared themselves to the models on the magazines that are strewn about the store, unconsciously feeling your body with hopes that you can feel your bones yet because of that crash diet you've been on? I know I have experienced both on many occasions and still do, in all honesty. It's been ingrained in our minds and it's time to appreciate and love ourselves and do what we want. You control your body, not them.

Every day, I see more women standing up for themselves, proving to themselves and the world that they are not weak and can do anything a man can do. They are pushing mind, body, and soul to its limits, and being exactly who they want and are meant to be. It's inspiring.

"Ultimately, a body is a vessel for living one's best life. Not a show piece to be benchmarks against the latest trend."

So, if to want to be or already a bodybuilder, a gymnast, a softball player, ballerina, or whatever, good for you. You are not a dainty, delicate flower. You are strong and you are worth it and it's time that the world sees that.

[Tina H · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I loved the history of strong women, it comes with a lot of caveats. First, the history is just UK and American women. So, white and privileged, for the most part. Second, there is not even an attempt at intersectionality. To mention the vitriol aimed at the Williams sisters and Simone Biles in particular without talking about the racism inherent in the criticism of them is...weird at best. White western feminine ideals are absolutely rooted in anti-Blackness. There was even a line about how women today all want Michelle Obama's arms and I thought, surely the author remembers the HATRED spewed daily against the former First Lady daring to bare her arms?! She was called a "man" and worse. Speaking of, the author does write a bit about how female athletes are often accused of being "too masculine," but trans women are pretty much excluded from this book. Perhaps that's too deep and complex an issue for this book, which is basically just "yay girl power." And lastly, fatphobia isn't even mentioned. With a couple of exceptions, all the women mentioned and photographed are conventionally attractive (read: thin, small waists, flowing locks) and weight is mentioned a LOT. One of the photographed women is a former coach on The Biggest Loser, the absolute nadir of fatphobic culture, so I guess the author is fully on board with that aspect. It sounds like I hated the book but I'm not sure how much is due to author ignorance versus intent.

[beccasbookscapes]

Haley really brought to light all the amazing women in history who dared to be different and changed the future for women. From Anderson to Kellermann to Pudgy to Babe to Craig. These women shaped history and broke the barriers that women don't have to be dainty and delicate they can be strong. Anderson broke records and walked more in amount of time to prove that a woman can do this. Kellermann changed swimming for women. Pudgy and Babe were proving stronger then men. Craig as well did body building even when there negative comments. Even now women are struggling with this still they push to be strong and better then ever. Haley even spoke about her own struggles but how proud she is of herself. This book is a motivation to pick up a dumbbell and start working out for not only your body but your mind.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very empowering and important book for women in sports to read. Lots of amazing stories of strong women who discovered their strengths on multiple fronts, not just physical but also mental prowess. Also love how the author illustrated a wide-range of issues ranging from gender socialisation to representation in ways that are easy to understand, making it a great introductory on gender topics. There is a lot of research into the book, historical photographs & news clips as such, demonstrating how women's participation in sports is not given but earned and paved by many fearless precedentors. I read it on kindle so the images are not as good on paper - still the message is loud and clear! Highly recommend it especially for women who love lifting.