Women & Power: A Manifesto

In Women & Power, classicist Mary Beard skilfully addresses history's preconceptions of authority and explores how existing power structures are deeply rooted in male traditions. From Thatcher's attempt to lower her own voice to the ubiquitous trouser suit donned by female leaders across the world, Beard demonstrates how women in power are forced to mimic masculine traits in order to gain authority. Based on two of Beard's lectures from Cambridge university, the book looks to classical texts to explain why our society perceives power as inherently masculine and seeks to raise awareness of the need to build a new, feminine system in which signifiers of authority are not based on male traits, but non-gendered values.