This is on my teen MUST READ list. A dystopian future or reality today? Barbie movie fans, you’ll like this one!

When I started reading this book I thought it a bit far-fetched, but as I read through it, I was shocked to realise that this is today’s reality. Whilst gender equality is a topic that gets more vocal by the day, the underlying bias still exists and needs a lot more work to see true change vs lip service. Only by calling it out and making this unconscious bias more visual and thus more recognisable will real progress be made. Holly Bourne captures the angst, insecurities and pressures of the teen years. The underlying issue is not new, but technology exaggerated the unfairness and puts a spotlight on it.

There shouldn’t be a divide of pretty but useless or intelligent but ugly. Women must be seen for their whole selves and not judged solely on external appearance. Take care of yourself of course, but don’t go to extremes. No-one should have to sacrifice mental and physical health to achieve a look simply to please other people. It’s a mind-shift that’s needed.

Why are women still used as “eye candy”? How many almost naked men do you see in advertising. How many men are seen as props at car shows or race meets?

A note to parents. This is a teen book and has content around relationships. Although aimed at teenage girls, I think that if you have sons too, try to get them to read it and read it yourself. Have a family discussion about it; whether they resonate with the story or not https://thebookandtoycompany.com/producto/you-could-be-so-pretty/, what do they think? Are there elements of their views and behaviour that they will modify based on what they read?