A review by samdej
The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic by Jessica Hopper

informative medium-paced

2.5

As a Puerto Rican woman in my 20s who grew up in the late 2000s/2010s hardcore/punk/emo scene, I found myself drawn to this text, particularly after seeing “Emo: Where the Girls Aren’t” be recommended so heavily in response to this current wave of emo nostalgia. It’s definitely a standout, although due to personal bias I did find myself feeling a little bit defensive of the scene in question. This is partly because her overall point is both true and deeply relatable - but also because even the bands who showed her that “[SHE] MATTER[S]” are still within a scene that is intensely white! Others have mentioned that discussions of race are notably absent, with mentions in her interview with Jim DeRogatis on his reporting on the R. Kelly accusations (another standout) and in “Pogoing Across Borders,” a brief dive into Chicago’s Latin punk DIY scene that deserves a whole book of its own. Even if I liked these three essays (and quite a few more), I cannot help but find Hopper’s explorations of feminism to be hollow without substantive discussions of race (and vice versa). A frustrating but fast read. Seek out DeRogatis’s actual reporting if his interview struck you. If her accounts of the punk/emo scene interested you, read Tranny by Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! and Sellout by  Dan Ozzi.