Roxane Gay

Writer

In "Bad Feminist," her 2014 book of essays, Roxane Gay laid out a wise, funny and deeply empathetic vision of modern feminism, acceptance and identity -- flaws and all.

Why you should listen

Roxane Gay is a novelist and essayist whose online essays you've probably had forwarded to you by someone you adore. Collected in the 2014 book Bad Feminist, they posit a world where (gasp!) we can actually talk honestly about searching for identity, being less than perfect, and thinking hard on privilege and acceptance. Kira Cochrane in The Guardian puts it correctly: "In print, on Twitter and in person, Gay has the voice of the friend you call first for advice, calm and sane as well as funny, someone who has seen a lot and takes no prisoners."

Roxane Gay’s TED Talk

Roxane Gay
Confessions of a bad feminist
11 minutes 18 seconds
When writer Roxane Gay dubbed herself a "bad feminist," she was making a joke, acknowledging that she couldn't possibly live up to the demands for perfection of the feminist movement. But she's realized that the joke rang hollow. In a thoughtful and provocative talk, she asks us to embrace all flavors of feminism -- and make the small choices that, en masse, might lead to actual change.
Posted Jun 2015

Roxane Gay

Why you should listen

Roxane Gay’s TED Talk

More news and ideas from Roxane Gay

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What’s the definition of feminism? 12 talks that explain it to you

Mark Ronson makes a cameo, Roxane Gay and Adam Grant discuss the pros and cons of social media, and much more