In the current state of affairs for women not only in the US but in the world, it’s nice to know there’s a group of people joined and Kickstarted a book that talked about women’s experiences in an intersectional perspective, since the narrative has been predominantly under the White Feminist spotlight.

That’s why this book is so important to change this narrative, to say “Yes, good. We’re talking about this but consider Black Women, Trans Women, Indian Women… etc” because those experiences are just as important because women that enjoy some privilege due to race can use it to lift these stories and finally make some changes. Because even though we are all women and suffer different kinds of oppression the level in which marginalized women “play” the same level is harder than their white counterparts.

This books explores those experiences and what in Trump America means being a Nasty Woman, as he called Hillary Clinton during the campaign, and women took the internet to reclaim the label as an act of defiance, it’s a way of resistance that at the end will appear in history books as the definitive moment when women are fed up with the status of the world and back to the streets to change it. The Gender Revolution 2.0 if you will.

I give this book 5 Stars, it still has a few flaws but the whole story and how it came about is what gives it heart and to me, as a woman, as a latina woman, means a lot to be given a voice.

This is a powerful collection of essays on what it means to be a woman in the 21st century.

It's extremely contemporary, having being inspired by the words of Donald Trump and the aftermath of this inauguration. The examples of racism, sexism, dismissal of sexual violence and normalising of misogynist language are terrifying, and each writer shows the correlation between those incidents and the rhetoric used by the man in the most powerful office in the world.

It also features UK writers talking about the impact of Brexit on how we talk and feel about our neighbours (both on and off the British Isles).

The book has some stark realities but is also filled with hope and joy - it's an uplifting battle cry to keep fighting, keep shouting and keep being nasty women.

This was such an inspirational book. I think that with the rise of "Nasty Women" this will be a very popular book!

This anthology hit me really hard.

I just wasn't expecting it, though I'm not sure why. Despite being told that this book was about "nasty women", I don't think I grasped just what 404 Ink was offering up. I got the Hillary Clinton reference, of course, and figured the writers would have something to say about Trump, misogyny and racism, but I am so used to the modern version of feminism - the fun, sexy, easily-digestible version offered up by women like Taylor Swift and Lena Dunham.

This isn't that at all. Nasty Women is about all the ugliness that exists in our society, and it makes no apologies for it. It's about imperfect feminists who are fuck ups, drug addicts, and dealing with mental health issues. It's about immigrants who refuse to apologize; who stand in proud admiration of their parents' bravery in coming to a new and unwelcoming country.

It's feminism stripped down to its bare bones, without pretty dresses or a catchy beat. And, look, I will be the first to tell you that the personal is political, that everything is political, but this book just doesn't feel like it's about politics. It feels like a collection of personal, sad, angry, passionate stories about women who deviate from the "norm". Which, strangely, makes it so much more powerful.

The best kind of non-fiction, in my opinion, is that which flows like a story. And that's exactly what we have here. The writers take you into their lives, their worlds, and bring you on journeys with them - in one chapter, you are sat cringing in horror as you hear a white man intellectualize his racism at the next table; in another chapter, you are fuming with anger over gendered violence at a punk rock concert.

It's a deeply emotional, chilling anthology. I found it full of surprising pieces like, for example, Becca Inglis' Love in a Time of Melancholia - about mental illness, female role models, the media, celebrity worship, and - oddly - being a fan of Courtney Love. The author's account of her own obsession with Courtney Love was strange, but also wonderful, as she considered the benefits of having a screwed up role model as someone damaged and imperfect enough to relate to.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that this book doesn't play by the feminist rules we've come to know and accept. But what is feminism if it isn't refusing to play by the rules?

excellence excellence excellence.

wonderful to hear from voices not usually heard from. wonderful to read something that resonated on so many levels, and will resonate with so many different people.

I absolutely adored this book, a collection of essays from women written over the past few months - post-Trump, post-Brexit - that were inspired by the term 'Nasty Woman', which hit the headlines when it was used maliciously by Trump in the presidential race.

I was always going to look forward to a book that focused on platforming women's voices but I was absolutely blown away by both the diversity of women and subject matter covered in these essays, but also by the excellent pencraft from many of the writers. Seriously, if i could put a copy of this excellent book into each of your hands, I would. It's a book that would always demand to be read, but one that delivers so impressively on its intention to outline 'What It Is To Be a Woman in the 21st Century' in all its variations and intersectionality.

I mean, where to begin... The breadth of scope in these twenty essays takes your breath away. From rape and survival, to black feminism and misogynoir, from women with disabilities to a stupendous essay on Courtney Love, from an absorbing account on the politics of having a Muslim name in the UK to essays from transgender rock stars and witches.

It seems almost unfair to select highlights as they are all superb, but i was particularly taken with the first-hand account of the American woman living in Scotland who talks about life as a fat woman, a Black British woman who wrote so powerfully about how marginalisation has been reinforced all her life, another woman's account of severe mental illness in her family and having to deal with the violence that brought into her life, and a timely account on white women in the the USA from the point of view of a Black woman.

This book is exhilarating, it is exciting, at times it is righteously angry and painful, and at other times heartfelt and sad, but most importantly these are women's voices represented in their own words, sharing their own experiences - unfiltered. This could have been a box-ticking exercise but, oh my, this goes far beyond what I expected to present a truly representational and fascinating collection of women's voices. Superb.

This is a collection of essays regarding what it's like to be a woman in today's world - the collection does a pretty good job regarding representation and covers a lot of different topics from around the world. The edition I read did not include two essays that will appear in the final edition (pieces by Kaite Welsh and Anna Cosgrave). Overall, this is a good collection.

Timely, heartfelt personal accounts of womanhood from both fresh writers and established cultural figures. Inclusive, raw and relatable.

Funny, poignant, interesting, intriguing and challenging - there is something for everyone in this collection of essays by women about their lives in the 21st Century. The book covers a range of topics from the female perspective, including intersectional feminism, disabled access and consent amongst many others. Written from first hand experience, the voices are authentic and honest and provide a personal insight into issues which often go unchallenged within mainstream feminist narrative.

Because I hadn't even considered some of the topics within Nasty Women I did find that a couple of the essays made me a little uncomfortable - which I think can only be a good thing. I know I've definitely been at best apathetic to certain problems which I'm now much more aware of. I loved the way that the book made me realise these things without being preachy or judgemental.

My personal favourite essay was about one girl's love for Courtney Love. I really identified with what she was saying as I grew up in that post grunge Britpop and nu metal music scene. I also have mixed feelings about Courtney Love and I thought that the author really explored the good and bad whilst reminding the reader that Courtney is a woman who has been vilified by the press, was left widowed at a young age with a young child and is an addict with mental health issues.

Throughout the book there is some really excellent writing which is obviously completely authentic. It's unusual to get a flavour of feminism through a particular lens from the people who are experiencing it all together in one book. It's a great mix of people and experiences although I did think it was lacking something from the business community. It was a shame that no one talked about the gender pay gap, women at work, female leaders etc. There must be feminist business leaders/economists/HR people out there who have something to say about these issues.

I thought this book was a really good read with plenty of food for thought. It was quick to get through, covered a variety of topics and the first person narrative made it really interesting. I thought it was a good starting point for lots of issues that really need more discussion. A great book for International Woman's Day!

Such an honest and essential collection of writing from women of all experiences. All contributions were written in 2017 so we are able to read the most recent and candid snapshot of life for women in our mindless Trumpesque era.

This is a diverse, broad and wide open range of essays from women who exist in all walks of life- Black, white, Muslim, Catholic, able and differently abled, gay, straight, parent, childfree, working class, upper class- it's all here. The breadth of the differing female experiences are truly great and the collection as a whole is a breath of fresh air for that reason. Those of us who read a lot of books about and by women and feminism are used to seeing the same issues arise again and again (precisely because the world is still not dealing with these problems) but this collection adds quite a few lesser known ones.

I had some particular favourite essays- 'Lament: Living with the Consequences of Contraception' by Jen McGregor is heart wrenching, especially in the early 21st century as we learn more and more about the real side effects and implications of long term hormonal birth control (in various forms). Jen's method of addressing her life with birth control is very powerful. I also really enjoyed 'Against Stereotypes: Working Class Girls and Working Class Art' by Laura Waddell, because in all the feminist, por-woman writing I read, rarely do I hear the working class voice and that absence is now very clear to me. I was also surprised to find that I really loved 'Foraging and Feminism: Hedge-Witchcraft in the 21st Century' by Alice Tarbuck, which addresses the current trend for natural foraging and its roots in misoyny and violence against women considered witches in the past. Tarbuck is great on the topic and drives home that witch burnings are not just a United States phenomenon.

On the whole, I loved this and would happily recommend it to someone who wants to understand what it is to live as a woman in any place, but especially in the UK post Brexit.

This is a great selection of truly intersectional feminist essays.
The starting point for the contributors was the election of Trump as president, however this is not really touched on which I found a bit disappointing (unless these will be ready closer to publication and were not included in my galley?).
That said this is a wonderful selection of very personal insights by an amazing selection of strong and intelligent women. Inspiring and enlightening.

I really enjoyed this diverse and inclusive collection of essays about women and their experiences in the political turmoil of the times. Personally I felt more connected to the essays regarding mental health, race and sexuality however I appreciated the others too. It is important to share real experiences in this difficult time period that we're living in. One of my favourite essays was on troubled hero, Courtney Love. I didn't know much about her, I've never listened to her music but that essay in particular had me thinking more about famous women and the problematic ways in which society view them.

Nasty Women is a powerful collection of essays about being a woman in 2017 and how this intersects with a variety of other elements of identity and issues - race, class, sexuality, disability, trauma - to create a diverse and changing image of being a woman. It is about sharing experience and shows the importance of having a voice in the 21st century, at a time of political uncertainty and prejudice.

This varied collection is the kind of intersectional work that there needs to be today, with moving, sad, and often funny accounts and essays about life as a woman in some way, but with an awareness that ‘woman’ isn’t a simple term and that gender and identity is more complicated than that. The book also makes a good introduction to a range of writers in order to find out more about their work and the issues they discuss. Short and engaging essays make it a fantastic read and a call to arms to keep sharing how ideas of being a woman in some way are interconnected with a lot of other concepts and issues in the modern day.

This was a good collection but I didn't connect with it as much as I would've liked. That was surprise since it's 100% what I'm all about. It's a powerful collection of intersectional feminist essays but something still felt lacking. I'm not even sure *what* that something is that I wanted so it makes it hard to review properly but I just wanted more.

The second I heard this was being put together I knew that I absolutely needed a copy of this in my life. A collection of feminist essays? Right up my street! I was VERY lucky to get approved for this on Netgalley so a HUGE thanks to the publishers and all of the contributors.

Nasty Women is what can only be described as essential reading for all women. Not just women, but all people. I learnt a huge amount from reading the wide variety of essays that are in this collection. I truly believe there is something for everyone in this book and most definitely something for everyone to learn. Ranging from racism, disability and social classes to pregnancy, contraception, immigration and beyond, there will be something in here that EVERY woman can connect with. Powerful.

As a woman I was able to identify with so many points throughout this collection but the most wonderful thing about this book is its diversity. There are essays here from white women, women of colour, disabled women, women from working class backgrounds and more. This is such a relevant read in today’s climate and I highly recommend to everyone.

I’m not going to do a summary and individual rating of each essay because who am I to say how much I liked everyone’s essays? These are personal experiences we are talking about and I am certainly not going to judge them against each other. I enjoyed each of the essays in this collection and found each of them to be very thought provoking.

I am so grateful to each of the contributors for being able to put themselves out there for the world to see. I have no doubt in my mind that each and every one of you is a great source of inspiration to women out there and this will only help to spread that feeling further. Thank you, you nasty women.

This collection of essays by women tackling "the rule of a racist, misogynistic demagogue" is superb in orienting readers to the need for intersectional protest in both public and private spheres. But it isn't simply or merely a stance against the forty-fifth president (although it most certainly is that), but a collection staking out a hard and fast, defiant articulation against rape culture, against institutionalized sexism, against bigotry, and exclusionary liberalism. This isn't just about forty-five, but also Brexit's cultural racism and the hard rightwing turn taken by the US and Europe.

I was most moved by Jen McGregor's essay 'Lament: Living with the Consequences of Contraception," Mel Reeve's 'The Nastiness of Survival,' 'Go Home' by Sim Bajwa, and Joelle Owusu's 'The Dark Girl's Enlightenment.'

According to Madeline Berg, Forbes staff: When Donald Trump called Hillary Clinton a “nasty woman”, he didn’t mean it as a compliment. But subsequently, many women have been embracing the term – if Clinton is nasty, well they want to be nasty, too.

Elizabeth Holliday, lead designer at e-commerce site Swanky Press says, “It has morphed from the insult that Trump intended to a badge of honor for accomplished women.”

Here we have Nasty Women, A Collection of Essays and Accounts On What It Is To Be A Woman In The 21st Century published by 404 Ink, a new, alternative, independent publisher based in the UK. Issue 1 of their literary magazine was published in November 2016 and Nasty Women, their first book, funded on Kickstarter, will be available in March 2017.

Complex issues of being a women in today’s day and age are discussed in this compilation of essays by a diverse group of women from all over the country. Topics include Trump, Brexit, pregnancy, contraception, body heath, mental illness and gun safety along with sexual orientation, harassment, rape and gender violence. Each essay is unique in voice and provides personal opinions specific to the author but is relatable in some way.

A few of my favorite essays in this collection are:

Independence Day by Katie Muriel, a Puerto Rican Feminist
The Difficulty in Being Good by Zeba Talkhani, a writer and production editor educated in Saudi Arabia, India and the UK
The Dark Girl’s Enlightenment by Joelle A. Owusu, a British writer and poet from Surrey

Nasty Women powerfully highlights a wide range of issues and is a must read for all nasty women out there! A great gift for any female in the 21st century! Available March 8th.

Nasty Women was a project on Kickstarter that ran through January 2017 after commissioning over 20 stories from women on both sides of the Atlantic in the last few weeks of 2016. They're aiming for a release date to fall on the 8th March, International Women's Day, 2017 and are well on their way to meeting that goal.

The contributors are:
Alice Tarbuck, Becca Inglis, Belle Owen, Chitra Ramaswamy, Christina Neuwirth, Claire Heuchan, Elise Hines, Jen McGregor, Joelle Owusu, Jona Kottler, Kaite Welsh, Katie Muriel, Kristy Diaz, Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! (in conversation with Sasha de Buyl-Pisco), Laura Lam, Laura Waddell, Mel Reeve, Nadine Aisha Jassat, Ren Aldridge of Petrol Girls, Rowan C. Clarke, Sim Bajwa, and Zeba Talkhani.

From them we have a collection of essays from these women who share their experiences over a variety of topics. Taken from the blurb; 'From working class experience to racial divides in Trump’s America, being a child of immigrants, to sexual assault, Brexit, pregnancy, contraception, identity, family, finding a voice online, role models and more, Laura Jane Grace of Against Me!, Zeba Talkhani, Chitra Ramaswamy are just a few of the incredible women who share their experience here.'

I pledged for this project instantly because I adore the writing of Laura Lam and skipped straight to her essay to start off with. It's a devastating story about the women in her family - how her mother grew up under the frightening rule of her mother, and the mother before her. It looks at what was considered the norm of that time, the stigma associated with mental health, and how it continues through the generations if not acted on with determination. It also speaks of a book Lam is writing with her mother that sounds like it'll be a hard but worthwhile read - I can't wait to get my hands on it.

Onto the other essays. Not all are included in this review edition - reading those will have to wait until International Woman's Day - but each and every one so far are as poignant and captivating as Lam's was. The first piece by Katie Muriel is endlessly quotable in regards to the current political rumblings in America - 'Sometimes, however, peace has to take a holiday. Sometimes, there are battles to be fought.' It speaks of how politics can divide a family, and how awful some people can decide they have the right to be, even to their own family members.

The next essay discusses what it's like to be a Black woman from Glasgow, and what this results in - white people feeling they can tough her hair as if she's from a petting zoo, or people asking increasingly incredulous questions about where she's really from, treading delicately as if they could be misunderstood as being racist. Except it is racist. Full stop.

Jen McGregor's essay really resonated with me, as a person who's constantly being told by doctors that I can't make a decision about my own body when it comes to procreation. We need more stories like McGregor's - we need more discussion about how we can barely decide things for ourselves and even then with medical guidance, tiny decisions can have such massive ramifications. McGregor's health issues are severe and yet it still takes until she's 31 until she gets the surgery she knew she wanted from a much younger age. I've recently turned 30, and I'm currently on a waitlist for the same surgery and even without the added bonus of osteopenia I can't wait to finally gain the the control and serenity over my body I've always wanted. I too have been told that even when I'm in my 30s, surgeons may refuse the referral until I have a husband who can confirm he too doesn't want children. Which makes me so mad I can't even formulate an apt sentence. It's ridiculous.

I won't go through all of the essays as I've given more than enough away. I highly recommend this book as it's easy reading - or at least easy for such hard topics. There's trigger warnings, and the essays are written in such a warm way as if we are allies (and I hope we all are!) and they're sharing a story between friends. United we stand, and all that. This is an important book, and I'm so glad it exists. So many of us reading will finally think 'oh, I'm not the only one.'

After following the social media hype - and hugely successful Kickstarter - surrounding 404 Ink's essay collection, I was dying to discover what was in its pages. Thankfully, the book doesn't disappoint; in fact, I found it dug deeper, and covered more wide-ranging issues, than I had expected. From racism to sexism, pregnancy to death, immigration to ableism, Nasty Woman looks at what it means to be a woman today through a variety of experiences and perspectives. For anyone looking for the courage to embrace their inner #NastyWoman in the current climate, 404 Ink has more than a few ideas for you.