Okafor

Lauren Okafor

Professor Seifert

ENGW105

22 March 2017

Journal 8

AfterreadingthreesectionsfromRoxanneGaysBadFeministIdecidedtofocusonthe

introduction.ThedialogueoncomedyandmusicareonesthatIhaveencounteredbefore,

howeverGaysdiscussionregardinghowshedefinesherselfasabadfeminist(BF)struckme

differentlyunpleasantlyalmost.IseewhereGayiscomingfrom.Iunderstandherintentions.

WhatIdonotunderstandisthechosenrhetoricthatsheusestodemonstratethatshe,likeall

humanbeings,isnotperfect.

BeingaBFaccordingtoGaymeansthatshewillfaceoccasionswhereheractionsdonot

matchupwiththeidealsoffeminismorthatshewilltakepartinactivitiesthatmaynotbe

upliftingtowomen.Basically,asaBF,Gaywillhaveshortcomings.Intheprocessofstatingher

reasoningforbeingaBF,shementionshercurrentstateinlifedescribingherselfasmessyand

human.Bylimitingherselftoastaticpositioninlife,Gaycanaccepttheideathatwhereshe

is,iswhereshellstay.

ThisiswhereGaylosesme.Justbecausesheisnotanexpertinthefielddoesnotmake

herbad,itjustindicatesthatshehasroomtogrowandthereareopportunitiestoimproveher

awareness.Evolutioninideasandpracticesshouldbeconsideredbeyondthepointwhereshe
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realizedfeminismwasamovementthatsupportedherbestinterests.Thestatementofnottrying

tobeperfectandnottryingtosay[she]hasalltheanswersarealmostcopoutstome.

Nobodyexpectsthatofher.Gaymentionsthefeministpedestal,andtherearenoleadersthatI

canthinkofthathavedoneeverythingright,butIdounderstandherapprehensionaboutbeing

criticizedforhermistakes.Inthebeginningshestates,Whenfeminismfallsshortofour

expectations,wedecidetheproblemiswithfeminismratherthanwiththeflawedpeoplewhoact

inthenameofthemovement,yetasaselfproclaimedflawedindividualwhohasdemonstrated

nointentionongrowingasafeminist,thenshewouldfallrightintothatsamecategoryofpeople

shejusttriedtodenounce.

Asablackwoman,Gaysmentionoftheneedforintersectionalityisobvious.Feminism

hasbeenamovementwheretheloudestralliesareregardingtheissuesofwhitecisgendered

heterosexualwomen,whilefailingtoconsiderthelargeumbrellaofatermwomanandthe

manyindividualswhofallintothatcategory.Inclusionandawarenessisnecessaryanditshould

notbeassociatedasbeingbadortheincorrectversionoffeminism.Gayisafeminist,notabad

one,soacceptthetitleandworktowardsbeinganeffectivesupporterofthemovement.