My Body, My Book Club
BODILY AUTONOMY: UNITING THROUGH BOOKS
NEXT EVENTs
Online
"Ten Men"
with Kitty Ruskin
5th of February 2026
6:30 pm to 7:30 pm (UK Time)
Limited places available
Minimum Donation: £3
(all proceeds go to Women's Aid)
Next book
Ten Men by Kitty Ruskin
'BOOK EVERY YOUNG WOMAN SHOULD READ' Daily Mail
'BOLD AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING' Glamour
As heard on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour
Ten men, many stories.
At the beginning of the year, Kitty Ruskin decided it was time to embrace her sexuality, taking advantage of all the joys that being young, free and single bring and having fun, easy, no-strings sex with whomever she desired.
She got on the apps and started swiping. What followed was sometimes sexy, frequently funny, occasionally shocking and, sadly, all too often fraught with pain and danger. It was not the carefree adventure she had envisaged; it was something altogether darker.
Ten Men is one woman's tale told with searing honesty. It's an exploration of the 'blurred lines' that even seemingly nice guys can exploit, a meditation on the lack of clarity around consent and a call to arms to combat a culture that seems to thrive on women's vulnerability.
In February we are featuring Women's Aid, an organisation dedicated to empowering survivors of domestic abuse by delivering life-saving services, driving systemic change, and securing the safety and independence that violence would otherwise deny them.
About our Guest
Upcoming books
About the Book Club
My Body, My Book Club aims to connect people and create communities. We read fiction books (with the odd memoir here and there too) that deal with different aspects of how we understand bodily autonomy and exemplify how we can get involved and support each other.
Issues such as gender-based violence, racism, homelessness, displacement, abortion, obstetric violence, and the rights of marginalised communities, like the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ groups, are just some of the topics we cover.
All opinions expressed during book club meetings are those of individuals and do not necessarily reflect those of My Body, My Book Club or the charities it supports.
How it Works
We know this is heavy stuff, but the book club hopes to foster empathy as well as raise awareness and question established narratives. Our main goal is to connect communities. So, for each session, we partner with a charity working with the subject we will be reading about in the novel, and we invite an expert on the topic to join our chat. (Also, all proceeds from the sale of tickets will be donated to the month’s charity.)
Too Busy to Read the Book?
We understand that people are busy and life happens – so please do join us even if you don’t manage to finish the book in time. We will also always provide other ways in which you can get involved and learn more about the subject in the "Next Book" section, whether it’s through a video or a blog post.
About the Host
Dr Julia Martins is a historian of the body, an activist, and an unapologetic bookworm. She is an Activism Outreach Supporter with The Vavengers, a member of the Charity Committee of the FGM Education Project, and an editor at the Feminist Perspectives Collective.
She writes about gender history and history of medicine, and how history can inform contemporary feminism.
You can check out her YouTube channel Living History and her website, and follow her on TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram.
My Body, My Book Club was launched as part of her involvement in the Abortion Rights UK Activist Bootcamp.
Stay in touch
Contact
Any questions or suggestions, feel free to email us at:
contact@mybodymybookclub.com
or find us on Instagram: