Bad Feminist is a collection of essays that take a deeper look into the world of feminism and its political, cultural, and critical aspects. In the book, the witted Roxane Gay insists that no human is perfect hence being a bad feminist is no exception. Gay also describes the pressure that comes with being a feminist and an advocate for women's rights.
Gay argues that unlike the feminism showcased in the media, there is no single version of feminism. According to the author, the complex movement, in an attempt to advocate for the rights of all women, has surely fallen short of its purpose. Traditional feminism only represented the equal rights of white, heterosexual, and cisgender women in society. It, however, failed to fight for equal rights of black, transgender, and gay women who face different challenges from the white feminists in the country. It is the same traditional feminist group that seems to somehow write the “feminist rule book.”
Gay also talks of how traditional feminism handles feminism like a club with strict guidelines that must be adhered to in order to be considered a true feminist and patriot of the group. The author completely disagrees with this kind of feminism hence she labels herself as a bad feminist. Gay believes in the equal opinion and rights of all men and women no matter the race. She has refused to brand herself as a feminist since her beliefs contradict those of a traditional feminist which she vividly details in the book. Gay has however made peace with her beliefs and has accepted that she will never please anyone just to join the outdated group of feminists.
