March Review: Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
"Some women being empowered does not prove the patriarchy is dead. It proves that some of us are lucky."
- Roxane Gay
Bad Feminist is a collection of essays that comments on the many ways that the feminist movement fails to represent women in their entirety while reminding us of our own imperfections. But unlike many books about the flaws of humans, Bad Feminist does not inflict guilt or self-reproach, but excites you about all of the room we still have to grow and build better systems and communities for ourselves and each other.
I personally love books that take the form of a bunch of mini essays, because it allows us to oscillate between difficult topics and more light-hearted ones. It doesn't always need to work like this, but in this instance it was refreshing to hear the reminders of all of the ways we have succeeded and grown as a movement and a collective people mixed in with our calls to change. Gay's essays range from serious to witty to emotional to deeply personal, but are often many of these things at the same time. Humans have a vast emotional range, and this is fully and unapologetically on display in this book.
In one essay, Gay discusses women holding "high up" positions in the workplace, and the energetic and emotional tolls of trying to prove your worthiness despite the sexism, racism, ableism, and fatphobia that exist in these spaces. She specifically comments on the harmfulness of the assumption that in order to excel in the workplace, a woman must embrace traditionally male qualities of aggressiveness and the classic i-know-more-than-anyone-here attitude. Why is "success" contingent on us being rude or better than everyone else? Like Gay, I want to exist in a world where we can all be our wonderful, unique selves without our kindness and humility limiting our opportunities to excel.
Gay explores so many topics and experiences in this book, and I truly think every one of us can gain something from this book. It is not a book strictly for women, nor is it a book to read in isolation. I would encourage you to engage in conversation about the book and its topics with friends and family and coworkers. You may not agree with everything Gay asserts; she is okay with that, and you can be, too.
FAVORITE QUOTES
“I have never considered compassion a finite resource. I would not want to live in a world where such was the case.”
"One of my favorite moments is when a guy, at that certain point in a relationship, says something desperately hopeful like, 'Are you on the pill?' I simply say, 'No, are you?'"
"In truth, feminism is flawed because it is a movement powered by people and people are inherently flawed."
"If you're reading to find friends, you're in deep trouble. We read to find life, in all its possibilities."
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What were your thoughts about the book? Did you have any questions about the novel or this article? Comment down below and I will be sure to respond to all comments and questions :)
Thank you for participating in March's Book Club! Check out our Instagram or blog for information about April's Book Club Pick.
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At this link, you can see questions and reviews for the book, and engage in community discussion. If you want to track your reading progress this year, make a Goodreads account and start by adding this book to your list!
Find a library near you and check out this book to get started. If you want your own copy, check out these Black-Owned bookstores that offer online ordering. Happy reading!
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