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barefootsierra's review against another edition
The essay on rape was too triggering
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
keraashley's review against another edition
3.75
Some of these essays are really good, some are not. But they are entirely her own opinion. All about feminism, and racism too. Hits many pop culture moments.
lilyprimeaux's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
jessicasonley's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
crystalstarrlight's review against another edition
3.0
Bullet Review:
It was...okay. The latter essays were stronger - I definitely liked her "Bad Feminist: Parts 1 and 2" essays - but overall, I felt very much "been there, done that". (I read A LOT of feminist work on internet blogs though.) I had hoped for more exploration into that corner of feminism where what you do and what you like may not be considered mainstream feminism (wearing makeup, liking pink, shaving your legs, rocking out to misogynist music, etc.). I've read some feminist opinions on these, but was hoping for more fleshed out thoughts here. (There's some here, but not as much as I expected from the Title/blurb.) The Scrabble story started out fascinating but by the end, I was cross-eyed.
That said, this is my opinion and mine alone, and this opinion is not meant to suggest she should not have written her book the way she wanted or whatnot. Black voices are NEEDED, and I'm more than capable of shutting up and listening.
I think she has a great writing voice, a joy to listen to (listened on audiobook and Bahni is the bomb). Truly she knows how to work the English language.
All said, I would still recommend because I think voices like hers are needed - feminism could use more diversity and less focus on how to make lives better for well-off white women (Sheryl Sandberg, Lena Dunham, Taylor Swift, take note!).
It was...okay. The latter essays were stronger - I definitely liked her "Bad Feminist: Parts 1 and 2" essays - but overall, I felt very much "been there, done that". (I read A LOT of feminist work on internet blogs though.) I had hoped for more exploration into that corner of feminism where what you do and what you like may not be considered mainstream feminism (wearing makeup, liking pink, shaving your legs, rocking out to misogynist music, etc.). I've read some feminist opinions on these, but was hoping for more fleshed out thoughts here. (There's some here, but not as much as I expected from the Title/blurb.) The Scrabble story started out fascinating but by the end, I was cross-eyed.
That said, this is my opinion and mine alone, and this opinion is not meant to suggest she should not have written her book the way she wanted or whatnot. Black voices are NEEDED, and I'm more than capable of shutting up and listening.
I think she has a great writing voice, a joy to listen to (listened on audiobook and Bahni is the bomb). Truly she knows how to work the English language.
All said, I would still recommend because I think voices like hers are needed - feminism could use more diversity and less focus on how to make lives better for well-off white women (Sheryl Sandberg, Lena Dunham, Taylor Swift, take note!).
zgg22's review against another edition
medium-paced
2.0
I skipped so much of this book it’s almost a DNF.
The author’s opinions are presented mostly through a commentary of movies/books/pop culture from 10+ years ago. Many of them I had no interest in as I haven’t consumed the discussed content and/or because they are outdated reading this in 2024. While the author shares some personal experiences, I went in expecting more autobiographical elements rather than essays on political events and pop culture.
The author’s opinions are presented mostly through a commentary of movies/books/pop culture from 10+ years ago. Many of them I had no interest in as I haven’t consumed the discussed content and/or because they are outdated reading this in 2024. While the author shares some personal experiences, I went in expecting more autobiographical elements rather than essays on political events and pop culture.
dontstopreadin's review against another edition
3.0
The beginning of this was really nice. Then the middle was super boring. I almost DNF'd it. Then the ending really redeemed it for me. That kind of evens out to a middle of the road read for me. If you're already been grounded in your feminist beliefs and foundation, this isn't going to bring a lot of new content to the table. Gay is often condescending and very often angry, she is curt and abrupt and I like that style. It's a voice that is needed within feminism; however, the read was still just middle of the road for me.
irenejean's review against another edition
2.0
There were essays that resonated with me, especially in the beginning, but by the end of the book, I was tired of reading it. The author makes some really good points, but sometimes it seems that what she wishes for in one essay, she will complain about in the next when she gets what she wants. I got the feeling that the author is the type of person who will find something in everything to be offended about. I liked the beginning, and I liked parts at the end, which is more autobiographical, but the middle dragged with seemingly contradictory arguments.
maisiewrites247's review against another edition
4.0
CW: Rape. Bad Feminist is a collection of essays by Roxane Gay revolving around the central theme of feminism, with an added focus of racism. These essays are written entirely from her opinion and you need to bare that in mind. At times, I didn’t agree with her, but the overall message is very relatable and the majority of what is discussed is very important for all people - not just women, or specifically black women - to understand. I recommend this book because if you don’t know a lot about sexism or racism, this teaches you a lot. If you do know about sexism and racism, this challenges your knowledge. It makes important points for all people to acknowledge. I was especially interested in her thoughts on the importance of intersectionality. ‘I am a mess of contradictions.’