BAD FEMINIST by Roxane Gay

Photo: Katie Chin

Just finished Roxane Gay's Bad Feminist, a book I have been wanting to read for quite some time, but it took me a while to get to because I always choose fiction over non-fiction, so it took time for me to finally make myself read this book. 

I generally enjoyed the book. Gay's writing is clear, and it's a pretty easy read, so I flew through this book, despite the fact that I am a bit of a slow reader. I wanted this book to be revolutionary for me, but it wasn't. I think because I am an 'internet' person and purposefully engage with feminism and issues around feminism, not much was new to me. Many of the essays relied on using television shows, movies and novels as examples or points of critique, which is all well and good, but it ended up being that 80% of what I was reading was recaps. I felt as if I should have just been given a reading list. 

Although, Bad Feminist still excels. With this collection of essays, Gay comprehensively conveys intersectional feminism. Her essays range from talking about the horrendous gender roles of books such as Twilight, to discussing how black bodies in films are too often depicted as being brutalized and therefore need more diverse narratives about the lives of black people. The book works toward a critical understanding of the necessary work and dismantling to be done toward equality in cultural, political and personal spheres. Furthermore, Gay is forward with her emotions, and allows empathy to guide her through the difficult issues and seemingly insurmountable problems presented. In the essay 'How We All Lose,' Gay references another writer Kate Zambreno, who said, 'For my criticism came out of, has always come out of, enormous feeling.' These essays do not run away from the enormous feeling associated with the struggle for equality, representation, and justice.