Altrincham-based Marketing Director and Mum Fights The Feminist Fight With Debut Book ‘Womanhooded’

A 53 year-old Altrincham-based, Marketing Director and mother of two teenage daughters, this week kicks off 2024 by making one of her resolutions come true in a spectacular way – as she releases her passion project ‘Womanhooded’, a book which brings together her passions, desires, experiences and social commentary on womanhood – a topic which has captured the hearts of many as the book continues to climb the bookcharts.

Setting herself the goal last year to bring this book to life, after the onset of Menopause and an Ovarian cancer scare, releasing it in January sees Joanna Lambe start the year as she means to go on – as a fierce advocate for women’s voices and a champion for the next generation.

As a woman who has experienced sexism within her career, being told she belonged in ‘the typing pool’, being made redundant when pregnant, and struggling to find flexible part time work after having kids, Joanna feels she has lived the stereotypes.

Looking back reflecting on how she set up her own feminist magazine, which she grew to an audience of over 30K and a team of 10 writers, interviewing the likes of Janet Street-Porter, after she was made redundant, she also sees her fight was always there. But giving this up when she became pregnant with her second child, as she ‘couldn’t do it all’ brings a huge sense of regret and sadness, and a feeling she subscribed to what she is now fighting against – women holding themselves back due to societal pressures.

Having hit Menopause she has found a new fire at this new turning point in her life. She said; “This book has been in the making for many years, but it’s Menopause that has brought it out of me, as I feel re-ignited, with a new sense of urgency, also driven by a frustration around many elements of my life path so far.”

Designed to ‘reinvigorate the movement for women’s fulfillment and potential, challenging the status quo of women’s social roles’, with this book Joanna says she; “is encouraging a seismic shift in perceptions and actions regarding women’s roles both at home and in the wider world” – and she asks; “Ever wondered who you are and what you’re here for? Is it to collect crumbs or pick up pants? Do you want to change your world?…..”

The book invites a conversation about women’s lives from childhood to adulthood and provides actionable strategies for reclaiming identity and potential that is often diminished and untapped in the journey of womanhood.

“I am frustrated that in 2024 we are still debating and pushing for equality and equity for women”, she says, “but this is still the reality we’re living in”.

A devoted mother of two teenage daughters, Joanna draws inspiration from her own experiences and observations, fuelled by the desire to create a better future for the next generation. Lambe delves into the lifecycle of women and outdated ideas, addressing how societal norms impede progress at various life stages, including marriage, motherhood, and menopause, and she shares her own stories and experiences along the way.

Key concepts explored within the book include:
Women’s educational achievements not being proportionally reflected in their societal roles
Internalised socialisation causing women to support others while losing their own identities
Actions to empower women – what women can do to empower and reconnect to their true selves to help them reach their true potential

Joanna’s personal journey, marked by health challenges and a commitment to self-discovery, started a wake up call that culminated in the creation of ‘Womanhooded’ including an ovarian cancer scare that turned out to be endometriosis.

She said: “When my doctor told me I had two satsumas on my ovaries, one on each, I pictured them in my head, then she said don’t worry, one is only a small one! It made me think how this was expected to be accepted – and made me reflect on what else I had just been expected to accept, as part of being a woman, over the years and find out what else was inside of me. That’s when I decided to dig deep to find out what I wanted to do about fighting this – and this book and the campaign are the result!”

“I also took these health scares as my body trying to tell me something and I thought if I was going to die “what would I regret I didn’t do?” – this book is the result!”

“I have two determined daughters with huge potential and there is no way that I want them to be held back by what society expects”

In her current role as a Marketing Director at a cosmetic surgery clinic, Joanna regularly witnesses women who lack self-confidence and have an identity crisis. She says: “I have heard the same pattern of personal stories many times over and noticed how the personal struggle of each woman in her own box, is actually a political problem as most women struggle with the same issues in society today.”

Joanna shares that after becoming a mother, she spent many years focusing on her household and bringing up a family. The book identifies how women are socialised to prioritise others, leading to a loss of identity through life stages like marriage, motherhood, and menopause.

Joanna explained: “Like many people I reassessed my life during the pandemic, looked at the “motherload” of work it took to keep the house ticking over and hit the menopause at the same time.I hit a brick wall in my life in that I could not and would not face another day of domestic drudgery in the kitchen without the help of my other family members to share this load.”

“Women are routinely expected to put up and shut up about most female issues. It’s time to use our voices on this and many other women’s issues, so I am hoping this book is a catalyst for change in many areas of women’s lives.”

Lambe’s call to action is clear: women must lose any guilt, delegate household responsibilities, and actively participate in decision-making processes to achieve personal fulfillment and contribute to societal progress – “We don’t want to destroy more, we want to build more!”

Joanna Lambe’s book ‘Womanhooded’ aims to inspire women of all ages, starting from 15 onwards, to break free from societal constraints and embrace their uniqueness. She says; ”The book signals a transformative movement to address issues such as identity crisis, lack of confidence, and early socialisation that hinder women’s progress.’Womanhooded’ is not just a book; it’s a catalyst for change, a manifesto for women’s empowerment, and a roadmap towards a more equitable and just society.”

Joanna adds: “I want to change women’s lives for the better so they reconnect with their individual identity, feel more personally fulfilled and help them reach their true potential to improve society for us all.”

“I have always adored books since reading Enid Blyton and Aesop’s Fables as a child. As a teenager I focussed more on the school curriculum books such as; Pride and Prejudice and now that I’m an adult, I devour self-help, empowerment and feminist books. I’ve been thinking of writing a book since university and started a few times throughout my life, but I was compelled to write this book now, as I kept seeing the same pattern of unfulfilled women who had lost their identity and were being “seconded” in their own lives so had to do something about it!”

Joanna hosted her book launch party in January at The Bowdon Rooms, Altrincham.

You can follow Joanna’s mission at https://www.instagram.com/iamjoannalambe/

And buy the book on Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/ftibwDw