Two days ago I attended a reading of Bitchfest, Bitch Magazine’s 10-year anthology. I wanted to write something about it just because I left feeling uplifted, optimistic and excited. For many women, I’m sure thinking about the state of our rights and our place in society is a tad depressing, but this reading made me so happy to be a woman, simply because we are so willing and able to gather, speak and discuss. Not to say that all men are unwilling, of course. There were even two amazing male speakers at the event, and this was what was so exciting. The term “feminism” has had such a bad rap. When I used the word ONCE while telling a friend about the event, he exclaimed, “Ugh, I’m SO glad I wasn’t there.” But what stood out to me at this reading was that a feminist is not just one kind of person. Yes, there are many militant feminists still out there, I’m sure, but any woman or man who cares about the issues affecting women can be, effectively, a feminist. The reading was attended by tattooed, vintage skirt-adorned women, studious women, stylish and intelligent gay men, concerned and attentive straight men, the list goes on. Because of the universality of the issues that are addressed in this book and the humorous delivery with which many of the contributors share their thoughts, I have to recommend Bitchfest to anyone who reads this blog. Yes, all three of you.
Bitchfest: Ten Years of Cultural Criticism from the Pages of Bitch Magazine
Edited by Lisa Jervis and Andi Zeisler
Foreword by Margaret Cho
Farrar, Straus and Giroux / New York
$16
