It's not often that I pick up a true non-fiction book. I mean, why would I? One of the reasons I read is to escape my surroundings (have you seen the news lately?). I don't want to me reminded (intensely) of the flaws of society. But I was intrigued and O— had once again recommended her as an author.
I was already following Roxane Gay on Twitter for well over half the year when I decided it was time to actually see what she thinks, how she writes, what she feels. Well, beyond the 280 character tweets.
I was blown away.
Her writing transformed my opinions and helped me decide the type of women I wanted to be. It showed me that I wasn't alone in feeling the pressure of living within the intersectionality of womanhood, Hispanidad, and my desire to be a feminist.
Roxane Gay's collection of essays details how experience forms ideas, and shows the struggle to be human, women and more. "Bad Feminist" forces you to be uncomfortable in a kind, and sometimes humorous, way and opens your mind to the flaws of the society around you with honesty.
And honestly, "I would rather be a bad feminist than no feminist at all."
TLDR; her essays really inspire you to be real with yourself and with the world you live in. A definite must-read for feminists and "I think I'm not a feminist"/ "We don't need feminists anymore" alike.