Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men
Caroline Criado Pérez
Data is fundamental to the modern world. From economic development, to healthcare, to education and public policy, we rely on numbers to allocate resources and make crucial decisions. But because so much data fails to take into account gender, because it treats men as the default and women as atypical, bias and discrimination are baked into our systems. And women pay tremendous costs for this bias, in time, money, and often with their lives. Celebrated feminist advocate Caroline Criado Perez investigates the shocking root cause of gender inequality and research in Invisible Women, diving into women’s lives at home, the workplace, the public square, the doctor’s office, and more. Built on hundreds of studies in the US, the UK, and around the world, and written with energy, wit, and sparkling intelligence, this is a groundbreaking, unforgettable exposé that will change the way you look at the world.
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I had to read this book in chunks spread out over time because I would get so angry. I've always known that the world is built for the male default but to have it all laid out with statistics is something else. I don't think I'm going to rate this book numerically because based on information its a 5, but I did get bored with the writing style toward the end. I also started to burn out from the deluge of information that leaves you depressed and mad at the world.
Overall: glad this book exists, wish it didn't have to.
0There were many interesting aspects of this book and I definitely learned a lot! However, I think there were quite a few gaps in terms of intersectionality — there were discussions of women in non-western nations, but I felt like there should’ve been more emphasis on how BIPOC women are even more affected by the gender gap. Also, I would’ve liked discussion of LGBTQ+ women and how they’re implicated even more so than cis white women. Lastly, there were some instances of claims that didn’t seem to be fully backed by the source (or didn’t have a source and were seemingly anecdotal), which was ok at times but struck me as odd at other times.
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