Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men

Caroline Criado Perez investigates how the systematic exclusion of women from data collection creates a world designed for men. By examining sectors ranging from urban planning and public transport to medical research and technology, she demonstrates that treating men as the default and women as atypical embeds bias into the foundations of modern infrastructure. This data gap results in tangible harms, from unsafe city streets to misdiagnosed medical conditions, revealing that gender inequality is often a byproduct of flawed measurement rather than just social prejudice.

Written with energy and wit, the book serves as a highly readable exposé on the mechanics of this bias. Criado Perez synthesizes hundreds of studies to argue that fixing these systemic errors is essential for equitable policy and design. The narrative moves between specific case studies and broader sociological analysis, offering a clear framework for understanding how invisible data shapes visible reality.

Description adapted from Open Library ↗.