Examining Roxane Gay's ideas in 'Bad Feminist' with particular emphasis on her use of the term 'bad feminist.' How does this particular term aid the feminist movement? What are its benefits and implications? Is it problematic or is it liberating? Do you identify as being a Bad Feminist? Considering the wide range of feminist books, where does Gay's book belong on this publishing spectrum? And lastly, what does Roxane suggest the feminist movement should do to enable progress?
This has gotten me so intrigued! I'm off to read more about Gay, watch her TedTalk, and maybe possibly have this be part of one of my first Artifice posts. I'm hoping maybe I can tie in the "bad feminist" ideas into either a Literature or a Film post. I will be back in touch if I decide to snatch this topic. Thanks for the inspiration. :) – Rachel Watson10 years ago
Hi Rachel, no worries. I love Roxane Gay & her literature. I find her ideas really compelling and have always thought it'd make a good article. Keep me updated on how you go. (Btw, there's some fab articles & interviews in the Guardian online) x – Aliya Gulamani10 years ago
Hi Aliya, thank you so much for the tip! Do you think that be okay if I combine Gay's ideas with looking at "Jane Eyre"? The literature of Charlotte Bronte is kind of my speciality, so for my first article I was hoping to write something on her. I think it would fit quite well since most readers see Jane Eyre as this pinnacle of feminism and female independence, but then in the end she becomes a wife and mother--but my biggest question (and I think what Gay gets at), is why being more of a tradition woman suddenly means that you're not a feminist, or that you're a "bad" feminist. I would be interested in tying these two together in a Literature post, but I would bring it back to how these issues relate to our contemporary society. – Rachel Watson10 years ago
Wow, that's an amazing angle. I actually had a friend who was really dismissive of Austen, Bronte, etc and I told her that these women were actually remarkable feminist characters at the time, and how that literature transformed society's perspective of women and women's perspectives of themselves. Even by adhering by their traditional roles, they can still be feminists and I feel that's the crux of Gay's novel - how feminism has alarmingly developed into a stereotype and in doing has oppressed various types of women who don't fix the mould. Jane Eyre would be an amazing example - yes she marries Mr Rochester and yes she becomes a mother but she does it all on her own terms. I really really love the idea of this, as you may have gathered. I think it's amazing! – Aliya Gulamani10 years ago
