Man-Made: How We Designed a World That Leaves Women Out, and How We Can Make It Right

“We should no longer accept living a world that has been designed by men, for men,” contends debut author Reuther, an industrial designer and former global creative director at Nike, in this pointed critique of how products and spaces are often designed to suit men at the expense of women. Reuther offers examples of design choices that range from insulting to dangerous. Footwear brands, she explains, make sneakers for women by scaling down men’s sizes and recoloring them pink (“shrink it and pink it”), even though women have different anatomical and functional needs than men. Crash test dummies, firefighting gear, and personal protective equipment are also largely modeled on male anatomy. She also highlights how women have been involved in design throughout history but their talent and contributions often went overlooked, as was the case with Helene Rother Ackernecht, who in 1942 became the first woman to design automobiles for GM, though her male manager was credited for her work. Turning prescriptive, Reuther insists inclusive design produces better outcomes for everyone. Her industry fluency gives her argument a granular edge, but her conclusion (“We need a world that acknowledges both equality and difference”) brings little new to the conversation. Still, it’s an enlightening recap of how faulty design choices became the norm. (July)