Margaret Atwood at 86: How fiction reveals the truth about women’s rights

Last week, I had the immense honour of attending the launch of Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts, the latest book from Margaret Atwood, held at Waterstones Piccadilly in London. Days before her 86th birthday, Margaret stood in front of a room full of peers, readers, and admirers, as sharp, generous, and fearless as ever.

But this was more than a literary milestone. For us at Equality Now, it was a powerful reminder of how stories can make injustice impossible to ignore.

Margaret Atwood has never just written fiction; she has held a mirror to reality.

A long-standing ally in the pursuit of legal equality

Margaret has long stood with Equality Now as a cultural partner and feminist ally. When Season 2 of The Handmaid’s Tale aired, she chose us as the official impact partner, helping bring to life Hope Lives in Every Name, a campaign video connecting the series to real-world injustices. It received over 2 million views. 

She also invited us to co-launch The Testaments, the sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, and spoke powerfully when we honoured her at our 2018 Gala. That night, she said:

“It’s unfortunate that many are viewing it now, not as fiction, but as a guide to reality. It is part of the reality of Equality Now to make The Handmaid’s Tale fiction again.”

And that is precisely our mission.

Because the world Margaret writes about, of denied autonomy, legal control, and state-enforced silence, is not imagined. It exists today in laws, systems, and social norms that continue to discriminate against women and girls.

From the page to the law: How Margaret Atwood’s fiction reflects reality

In The Handmaid’s Tale, reproductive servitude is a central theme. In today’s world, we still see its echoes:

• 34 US states still allow child marriage, with no minimum age in some 
• Marital rape remains legal in many countries 
• Bride kidnapping is still practised across Eurasia, with few legal consequences

These are not dystopian inventions; they are real laws.

The scenarios Margaret Atwood writes about are closer to fact than fiction. In The Handmaid’s Tale, reproductive control is state policy. Today, child marriage remains legal in dozens of countries. Marital rape is not universally criminalised. And in some regions, bride kidnapping continues with little consequence.

In Alias Grace, patriarchal morality is used to criminalise women’s bodies and choices. In Bodily Harm, a woman is silenced through violence and surveillance, a chilling parallel to the digital harassment many women in public life now face.

These themes reflect what we see every day at Equality Now. That’s why we work to end harmful laws, confront anti-rights narratives, and strengthen protections for women and girls.

Legal equality is not a future dream; it’s an urgent reality

What Margaret imagines through fiction, we confront through legal reform. Laws don’t just reflect society, they shape it. When crafted with justice in mind, laws protect; when flawed or unjust, they enable harm.

At Equality Now, we partner globally to challenge discriminatory laws and strengthen justice systems. In The Gambia, we supported local activists to stop a repeal of the national law banning female genital mutilation. In Latvia, we’re helping defend the country’s commitment to the Istanbul Convention, a vital international treaty on ending violence against women.

The global backlash against gender equality is real and coordinated. So our response must be equally strategic and persistent.

What we take from Margaret Atwood’s legacy

One of the most enduring lines from The Handmaid’s Tale is the fictional Latin phrase “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum”, which translates to “don’t let the bastards grind you down”.

It has become a rallying cry, a reminder of resistance, resilience, and the power of solidarity.

At Equality Now, we carry that message forward. We’re working for a world where the injustices Margaret writes about are no longer embedded in law or in life.

This week, as we celebrate her birthday and the release of Book of Lives, we honour not only her words, but her impact. Her stories challenge us to think deeper, act smarter, and never look away.