A review by autumngk
Girls Can Kiss Now: Essays by Jill Gutowitz
funny
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
This isn't my first read of this book I'll admit, it's taken me two times to really grasp the full thing. First with the physical book (I made it about 85-90% of the way through I'd estimate), and then I just went for a fresh start with the audiobook for my second time. It was my first audiobook and I was always hesitant as someone with ADHD-very tied to the belief that reading meant I had to have a book in my hand so it can ground me in my activity. But I absolutely loved it, there was a magic to it that isn't quite in the physical book, but I loved having to reference to. Memoirs & personal essays I've found to be best read both audiobook and physical copy together.
Pop culture IS a reflection of our lives: present, past, and impending future. While it's clear a queer femme identifying audience is the target majority, readers that are shying away because they're intimidated by the topics, or they don't feel included in the conversation, or for whatever reason they feel this book isn't for them: I very strongly feel you are who should be reading this book most right now. If not this book, use this as a starting point for more queer femme literature. To create a space for ourselves is not our work alone; for you to understand that we belong in your world, you have work to do as well. It is tiring, it is a lot, but it's all we need as queer people.
Much like how Gutowitz struggled with the appeal of Entourage growing up, she's delivered a very unique debut for the audience she yearned to be apart of her entire youth. Out of morbid curiosity, I watched a few episodes of Entourage for the first time while reading this book and it made think "at least my generation had Workaholics instead of this?" And it's so wonderful to be apart of Jill's audience. Not Entourage's.
Pop culture IS a reflection of our lives: present, past, and impending future. While it's clear a queer femme identifying audience is the target majority, readers that are shying away because they're intimidated by the topics, or they don't feel included in the conversation, or for whatever reason they feel this book isn't for them: I very strongly feel you are who should be reading this book most right now. If not this book, use this as a starting point for more queer femme literature. To create a space for ourselves is not our work alone; for you to understand that we belong in your world, you have work to do as well. It is tiring, it is a lot, but it's all we need as queer people.
Much like how Gutowitz struggled with the appeal of Entourage growing up, she's delivered a very unique debut for the audience she yearned to be apart of her entire youth. Out of morbid curiosity, I watched a few episodes of Entourage for the first time while reading this book and it made think "at least my generation had Workaholics instead of this?" And it's so wonderful to be apart of Jill's audience. Not Entourage's.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Lesbophobia, and Outing
Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape