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vaykay's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
I struggle sometimes to review older material such as Bad Feminist (10 years later) because oftentimes it loses relevancy. Many essays in this book have lost all relevancy or are on popular cultural artifacts that have been discussed to shit by now (i.e. The Help and Orange is the New Black). It isn't a crime to be dated or to discuss the then-and-now with no concern for how relevant it will be 10 years from now, but I want to warn other readers that much of it is outdated. Many essays were good and interesting; some essays were extremely hypocritical and irritating due to what felt like an elementary level of self-reflection and understanding as well as comfortability with her voice as an essay writer. Gay's implications that reveling in more traditionally feminine things like pink, materialism, weddings, and — I guess — sucking dick means you're not a feminist (or at least not a good one) was weird. That implication was probably the least feminist thing about Bad Feminist because in her moment of self-doubt and projection, she tore down other women. It felt weird and uncomfortable... and not the sort of discomfort that is well-meaning in its ability to challenge you. Unfortunately, the first and last essays are the worst ones in the text, which seems like an interesting choice to hook readers and leave them fulfilled by the ending.
That said, I want to read more of Gay's more recent work to see how her voice and ideas have grown and changed in the last 10 years.
That said, I want to read more of Gay's more recent work to see how her voice and ideas have grown and changed in the last 10 years.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Homophobia and Abortion
Minor: Ableism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Islamophobia, and Religious bigotry