Wednesday, 7th October: Earlier this year Early Careers have introduced a Virtual Book Club for people to share their passion of reading with others and no we are back for our October read!
So far, we have finished reading two books: Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez and I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.
Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez
Invisible Women provided insights into the gender data bias that exists in our world, and gave a plethora of real-world examples of how it impacts women in all societies, which stunned the CWIT Book Club readers. Examples such as:
- An international study of 25,000 characters, only 13% characters are female.
- Women are 47% more likely to be seriously injured in a car crash and 17% more likely to die in car crashes than men, due to the engineering of vehicle safety equipment.
- Women are 50% more likely to be misdiagnosed with a heart attack, which is explained by the lack of research done specifically for women. In fact, 90% of drug testing is done only on male animals.
- Google Home is 70% more likely to recognise male speech.
- Female police officers wear stab vests designed for men’s bodies, which has led to female police officer deaths as they had to remove their vests while in action in order to fulfil their duties.
The powerful conversation showcased the importance of gender based research and problem solving for all sexes equally.
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is the coming of age memoir by acclaimed poet and novelist Maya Angelou. Banned in several states in the USA for its truthful portrayal of life as a black woman in the Jim Crow southern USA in the 1930s and 40s, this book led to an eye-opening discussion on topics such as:
- Being a black person in the USA in the past, and racism that still persists today, even in Ireland.
- How the identity people have for themselves and for others can shape their interactions.
- What can be done to combat racism in today’s age.
- How community and family can empower people.
The discussion we had in the CWIT Book Club meeting transcended the book by helping to shape how daily interactions are perceived, and how we can make a positive impact towards equality.
What are we reading next?
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo
Joint winner of the prestigious Booker prize (Bernadine Evaristo was the first black woman to win this prize), shortlisted for the Women’s Prize, and recommended by Barack Obama as one of his favourite books of 2019. Will also be turned into a film/tv series soon!
When is it?
The third CWIT Book Club call to discuss Girl, Woman, Other is planned for 12th October 6:30-7:30pm
Who can join?
Anyone in CWIT, Anyone from our CWIT member companies, anyone who loves to read or if you prefer to just listen in on topical conversations.
Share the news with your colleagues and friends who you think would like to get involved, we welcome everyone!
How to join?
Sign up at the Eventbrite event!
