The Spice Girls are widely considered as one of the greatest girl groups to ever conquer the planet. Alongside catchy pop music, the group encompassed what it meant to be a fearless, outspoken and confident young woman. In her book, Lauren Bravo explores the legacy that the Spice Girls had on the lives of girls, particularly in Britain.
Chapters focus on themes such as friendship, style, sex and confidence and how the Girls influenced these. As a girl who grew up at the tail end of the Spice Girls phenomena (I was 4 when I got the Spice cassette for Christmas), this book is both heartwarming and eye-opening.
Bravo explores how the Girls embraced their individual identities (Baby, Sporty, Scary, Posh and Ginger) and influenced groups across the UK – “Girl power meant being unapologetically who you are” – Mel C. She also highlights how they challenged misogyny in a male-dominated industry – “This is about girl power, not about picking up guys… We don’t need men to control our lives. We control our lives anyway” – Mel B.
Throughout the book, Lauren explores how the Spice Girls influenced modern day feminism. Although Bravo acknowledges that ‘correlation doesn’t prove causation’ (pg. 179) I agree it is no coincidence that the girl power generation are ‘more politically and socially engaged than young men’ (pg. 178). It is clear that having 5 powerful, outspoken and confident women as role models was crucial for young girls and women.
What Would the Spice Girls do? includes brilliant fan stories and memories for Millenials who lived through the ‘golden period of girlhood’ (pg. 2). A fabulous book filled with nostalgia, girl power and inspiring tales of how the Spice Girls inspired a generation through their unique brand of feminism.
-Emily Clarke
Junior Girl
Girl Museum Inc.