Thomas's Reviews > The Geek Feminist Revolution: Essays

A fabulous, fierce essay collection that uplifted my soul in the busy season of graduate school applications. Double Hugo Award winner Kameron Hurley writes about the intersections of feminism, science fiction and fantasy, and the struggles she has overcome in her personal life. She sheds light on the sexism women encounter online and in the writing industry, in a way that conveys strength and hope. Here is an excerpt from one of my favorite essays of hers, "In Defense of Unlikable Women," which I will include various snippets of throughout this review:

"I see this double standard pop up all the time in novels, too. We forgive our heroes even when they're drunken, aimless brutes or flawed noir figures who smoke too much and can't hold down a steady relationship. In truth, we both sympathize with and celebrate these heroes; Conan is loved for his raw emotions, his gut instincts, his tendency to solve problems through sheer force of will. But the traits we love in many male heroes - their complexity, their confidence, their occasional bouts of selfish whim - become, in female heroes, marks of the dreaded 'unlikable character'."

I loved two things most about this essay collection: Hurley's big heart and her commitment to discussing intersectionality. Throughout the book, she advocates for more compassion toward women and men, more kindness on the internet, and more justice for those who suffer because of circumstances outside of their control. She writes with idealism without sounding naive. Her awareness of intersectionality shines as well, as she emphasizes the importance of supporting and strengthening the voices of minority writers. Here is another quote from the same essay, again about the double standard within writing male and female characters:

"Male writers, and their male protagonists, are expected to be flawed and complex, but reader expectations for women writers and their characters tend to be far more rigid. Women may stray, but only so far. If they go on deep, alcoholic benders, they'd best repent and sober up at the end. If they abandon their spouses and children, they'd best end tragically, or make good. Women must, above all, show kindness. Women may be strong - but they must also, importantly, be vulnerable. If they are not, readers are more likely to push back and label them unlikable."

Overall, recommended to anyone who wants to learn more about feminism, in particular its intersections with science fiction and internet spaces. Some of Hurley's essays in the latter half of the collection feel a little repetitive and lack the depth of her more critical, externally-focused pieces. Still, her courage and tenacity inspire the heck out of me, and I am confident this book will rile readers up in the best possible way. To end this review, one more quote from that stellar essay I have quoted twice above:

"Like it or not, failure of empathy in the face of unlikable women in fiction can often lead to a failure to empathize with women who don't follow all the rules in real life, too. I see this all the time in conversations with men and women alike. It's these same questions that get brought up when women who have been assaulted dare to report abuse. What was she wearing? Did she provoke him by talking back? Was she a bad wife? A bad girlfriend? Was she a good woman, or a bad woman? This line of questioning, and the assumptions that prompt it, is one we would never apply to their male counterparts - unless they are men of color...

... This justification of violence against those who step outside of the roles of the dominant culture puts them into can be reinforced or challenged by the stories we tell. Stories tell us not only who we are, but who we can be. They paint the narrow behavioral boxes within which we put ourselves and those we know. They can encourage compassion and kindness and acceptance, or violence and intolerance and reprisal. It all bleeds from the page or the screen into the real world. Who deserves forgiveness? I'd hope we all do."