Discrimination by Design: A Feminist Critique of the Man-Made Environment [Paperback] Weisman, Leslie

Leslie Weisman tears down the idea that architecture is neutral. From office towers that assume every worker has a wife at home, to public restrooms that punish women with queues, to housing developments that isolate caregivers — she argues that physical space has been designed by men, for men, with everyone else as an afterthought. This isn't abstract theory. Weisman walks through actual buildings, cities, and planning decisions to show how sexism gets baked into concrete and steel. The kitchens are too small, the daycare is nowhere, the "universal" wheelchair ramp serves exactly one body type. Published by University of Illinois Press, this is essential reading for anyone studying architecture, urban planning, or feminist theory — and a furious wake-up call for anyone who's ever wondered why a building just doesn't work for them.