Trigger warning for the entire review (and book) as it discusses rape and rape culture. As a proud Angry Feminist, I’ve read a lot of books about rape culture. Considering that most women are harassed, abused, sexually assaulted, or raped in their lifetimes, it is of course a subject rife for feminist discussion and analysis. I won’t say that Not That Bad adds anything hugely revolutionary to the genre (aside from the fact that it remains a revolutionary act to frankly discuss rape and rape […]
Do Any Women Not Have a Story They Could Contribute?
Content Note: This book’s subtitle is literally “Dispatches from Rape Culture.” Best for: Those looking for some reassurance and reminders that yes, it really is that bad. In a nutshell: Editor Roxane Gay brings together essays from 30 people (mostly women), all of which address some part of rape culture. Worth quoting: “The part I wanted them to understand is that these equations can implode, constricting your whole life, until one day you’re sitting in a locked steel box breathing through an airhole with a […]
This is hard to get through, even if you’re normally okay while reading books about rape.
I have never had such a hard time getting through a book that I liked. “Liked” actually feels like the wrong word here. How can I say I liked something that made me angry and frustrated almost 100% of the way through, and which filled me with dread every time I tried to convince myself to pick it back up again? Perhaps “appreciated”? Understand is necessary? See its importance? But not liked. I didn’t expect this reaction, even though rape is a tough subject to […]
Unruly Bodies
I listened to Roxane Gay read her own book, Hunger: A Memoir Of (My) Body. It was a soul punch. Maybe I shouldn’t have listened at a time when I was struggling with feelings about my family, or maybe it was the exact right time. Several versions of this review were only appropriate for my therapist. I am fat, and I was always going to be fat unless I either put myself on a constant, punitive diet, or devoted hours and hours of my day […]