Stories and ideas that spark awareness and lead to action
Writing sits at the heart of my work
I write weekly in substack, you can subscribe HERE
Everyone Pays The Price.
Gender bias in childhood, why it matters and what to do about it.
If every carer, parent and teacher read this book and truly applied this principles in educating children, we can end gender discrimination within a generation.”
— Farida D, author
Gender stereotypes are costing all of us: our mental health, our relationships and our children’s futures. Everyone Pays the Price shows where those costs start and how you can stop paying them.
From the toys our children are given to the stories they hear, the clothes they wear and the words adults use around them, gender stereotypes quietly shape who they believe they can be. They affect confidence, behaviour, friendship dynamics and later career choices. They also leave a mark on adults, who were raised inside the same narrow scripts.
Everyone Pays the Price combines accessible explanations of how the brain develops with real examples from everyday life to show how deeply those scripts run. It offers a practical, non judgemental guide for parents, educators and leaders who want to raise and support children beyond these limits and build fairer homes, schools and workplaces.
Life in Progress
“When I need honesty, rage, permission or just a little company, I reach for Virginia’s essays.”
Life in Progress is a collection of essays for anyone who has ever held their tongue, stayed too long, or wondered if the world is as broken as it feels. Virginia writes about the hard stuff, the good stuff, the angry stuff, and the everyday things that make us who we are. These are not essays about having the answers. They are essays about having the audacity to keep asking.
Writing Out Loud:
“Sometimes I laugh, once or twice I’ve cried, but it’s always thought provoking. Virginia is a truly gifted writer, a trailblazer and all round badass. Already looking forward to the next book!"
This collection gathers one full year of weekly Substack essays, with pieces that move between everyday life and big questions about courage, belonging and feminism. It is a book to dip into and to keep.
Through My Lens
"I loved this book - it has pride of place on my bookshelf. I've been very intentional about not reading it all in one binge-read and savour it!"
The first annual collection of my weekly Substack posts. These are intimate, thoughtful pieces about motherhood, friendship, identity and the cultural currents that shape us. Every page invites you to look again, with tenderness and rigour.
Childhood Unlimited: Parenting beyond the gender bias.
This book has now been discontinued and is no longer available to purchase.
It was traditionally published under Sheldon Press imprint and in 2026 I claimed the rights back and re-published it under Everyone Pays the Price.
The Mika & Lolo Series
“Beautiful book with a very important message. If only I had had this when I was small”
Bilingual picture books that make equality playful and normal.
Mika & Lolo Learn About Gender Stereotypes
The first book invites children and adults to question everyday stereotypes and to be their unique selves. Available in English and several bilingual editions.
Mika & Lolo Learn About Consent
The second book helps families talk about boundaries in daily life, practising how to say no and how to respect a no. Available in English and English–Spanish editions.
Bring the books into your school or organisation
If you would like author talks, themed workshops or training that builds on these books, I can design sessions for staff, students and parents, or for leaders and wider teams. Let us map what you need and create something that fits.
