Bad Feminist is a sharp, funny, and spot-on look at the ways in which the culture we consume becomes who we are, and an inspiring call-to-arms of all the ways we still need to do better. The portrait that emerges is not only one of an incredibly insightful woman continually growing to understand herself and our society, but also one of our culture.
I once live-tweeted the September issue." In these funny and insightful essays, Roxane Gay takes us through the journey of her evolution as a woman (Sweet Valley High) of color (The Help) while also taking readers on a ride through culture of the last few years (Girls, Django Unchained) and commenting on the state of feminism today (abortion, Chris Brown). I read Vogue, and I'm not doing it ironically, though it might seem that way. If I have an accessory, it is probably pink. I used to say my favorite color was black to be cool, but it is pink, all shades of pink. She also describes how having privileges affect the way you are perceived by others.A collection of essays spanning politics, criticism, and feminism from one of the most-watched young cultural observers of her generation, Roxane Gay. She gives examples of how some people have a great deal of privileges like President Barack Obama. The way she arranged her information is logical because what she writes is relevant and is seen today in society. As I continued to read the essay I felt myself agreeing with what she wrote. Reading this made me realize things I didn’t think of before. It got me to think about the kinds of privileges I have as a female and being Asian. In the essay she includes her own experiences and thoughts which contributes to her credibility because it shows that she has knowledge of the topic she’s discussing. On the topic of having privileges, I think that Gay’s targeted audience is specifically the people who have privileges whether it deals with gender or race. Having privileges is not something that you should feel guilty or ashamed about. She continues to write that having privileges can be discussed as an accusation, but she wants you to understand that it needs to be discussed as a way of acknowledgement. Meaning that everyone has some kind of privilege, however you may have more or less than others, but you have to appreciate the privileges you have. You have to accept the fact that you have these kinds of privileges while others don’t.
Gay writes, ” everyone has something someone else doesn’t”. There are a variety of privileges like: racial, gender (identity), heterosexual, education, and religious privileges to name a few. She does not want you to just understand your own privileges, but become aware of the advantages and disadvantages that others have.
In this essay she writes about having privileges and how it should be something that you accept and understand what kind of benefits you have.
I chose the essay “Peculiar Benefits” by Roxane Gay.