A review by laurareads87
The Feminist Killjoy Handbook: The Radical Potential of Getting in the Way by Sara Ahmed

informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

The Feminist Killjoy Handbook follows the figure of the feminist killjoy - she who gets in the way of others' comfort, who speaks up to name sexism, who won't just be quiet and go along to get along. Ahmed's work is deeply intersectional & queer, she clearly names transphobia as fundamentally anti-feminist, and her analysis is simultaneously precise and applicable to an array of contexts (personal relationships, institutional contexts, policy-making - she discusses 'scale' early on).

I've read quite a lot of Ahmed's work prior to this, and have an academic background in theory. I did find this book much more 'general audience' oriented than many of her other texts, and likely more approachable; I appreciate the inclusion of a detailed recommended reading list as well as discussion questions. I want to gift this book to a significant number of people in my life.

Content warnings: discussions of sexism, misogyny, sexual harassment, sexual assault, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia