Ask the experts: 9 books that will help you stand up for equality in 2017
This holiday season, give the gift of standing up for someone -- especially those who might find themselves under attack in the new year.
You can march and raise money for causes. You can speak up when you see bigotry in public. And you can educate yourself (and your friends) about the very real struggles that people of color, Muslims, women, immigrants and the LGBTQ community face in a country where hate incidents saw a spike in activity after the election.
We talked to five activists about what books to give out -- and gift to yourself -- in order to help you and your loved ones stand up for the people and causes you believe in.
Fight racism
The Great Wells of Democracy: The Meaning Of Race In American Life, by Manning Marable
On Intersectionality: Essential Writings, by Kimberlé Crenshaw
The Great Wells of Democracy -- an exhaustive look at the causes and effects of racism in America -- is "an older book that reads like prophecy right now," says Blair LM Kelley, assistant dean of interdisciplinary studies and international programs at North Carolina State University.
For anyone who wants to understand the complex, overlapping forces of discrimination in the world today, she also recommends On Intersectionality: Essential Writings, written by UCLA law professor Kimberlé Crenshaw, who first coined the term "intersectionality" in a 1989 essay.
If you care about this issue, consider supporting the ACLU or the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
Fight Islamophobia
Who Speaks For Islam?: What a Billion Muslims Really Think, by John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed
"It's an accessible book that directly addresses the questions and misconceptions many people have about Islam, such as whether or not Islam promotes terrorism and the oppression of women, and whether or not Islam is compatible with democracy," says Evelyn Alsultany, director of the Arab and Muslim American Studies Program at the University of Michigan.
The book, based on six years of research and more than 50,000 interviews with Muslims across the world, gives "insight into the perspectives of a very diverse population."
If you care about this issue, consider supporting the Council on American-Islamic Relations or the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.
Fight for women
Whipping Girl, by Julia Serano
The Geek Feminist Revolution, by Kameron Hurley
"Julia Serano's Whipping Girl is one that I think a lot of people could benefit from reading," says feminist, writer and activist Bailey Poland. "Julia is a trans woman who has written brilliantly on how femininity continues to be the target of sexist attacks (including, sometimes, by feminists), and her work is invaluable."
Poland also also suggests Kameron Hurley's Geek Feminist Revolution, "for a more geek culture/writing emphasis that cuts across multiple demographics. Plus it's a collection of essays, which might be more digestible for readers who want smaller chunks."
If you care about this issue, consider supporting We Need Diverse Books, Women Have Options or the National Organization for Women.
Fight for immigrant rights
Underground America: Narratives of Undocumented Lives, by Peter Orner
Enrique's Journey: The Story of a Boy's Dangerous Odyssey to Reunite with His Mother, by Sonia Nazario
Grace Cheng, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, recommends these "very smart" and "nuanced" books about immigration.
Enrique's Journey tells the story of a Honduran boy searching for his mother, who left her starving family to find work in the United States. Underground America collects oral histories from immigrants trying to make a living in America.
If you care about this issue, consider supporting the National Immigration Law Center or the National Immigrant Justice Center.
Fight for LGBTQ rights
When We Rise: My Life in the Movement, by Cleve Jones
The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle, by Lillian Faderman
Kerry Eleveld, author of Don't Tell Me to Wait: How the Fight for Gay Rights Changed America and Transformed Obama's Presidency, recommends the new memoir from Cleve Jones, who worked with Harvey Milk advocating for LGBTQ rights and co-founded the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. (Jones also served as the historical consultant for Gus Van Sant’s Milk, in which he was portrayed by Emile Hirsch.)
Another top pick for Eleveld? The Gay Revolution, which tells the story of the struggle for LGBTQ rights from the 1950s until the present.
If you care about this issue, consider supporting Lambda Legal, the National LGBTQ Task Force, the National Center for Lesbian Rights or the Transgender Law Center.
Topics LGBTQ Racial Justice Immigration
Keith Wagstaff is an assistant editor at Mashable and a terrible Settlers of Catan player. He has written for TIME, The Wall Street Journal Magazine, NBC News, The Village Voice, VICE, GQ and New York Magazine, among many other reputable and not-so-reputable publications. After nearly a decade in New York City, he now lives in his native Los Angeles.
