I think there are a lot of rules for women. We have a lot of expectations and a lot of rules for women. So we're expected to march in a straight line, and when we don't, all hell breaks loose.
Feminism is, I hope, a way to a better future for everyone who inhabits this world. Feminism should not be something that needs a seductive marketing campaign. The idea of women moving through the world as freely as men should sell itself.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Feminism aims for a more equitable future for all, emphasizing the importance of women's freedom and equality.
In this quote, Roxane Gay expresses her vision of feminism as a movement that should inherently resonate with everyone, as it promotes a future where all individuals, regardless of gender, can navigate the world without restrictions. She suggests that the principles of feminism should be so universally appealing that they do not require elaborate marketing or persuasion to gain acceptance; rather, the simple idea of equality should be compelling enough on its own.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on gender equality, this quote can highlight the importance of feminism in achieving a just society.
More from Roxane Gay
All quotes →I believe in the freedom of expression, unequivocally - though, as I have written before, I wish more people would understand that freedom of expression is not freedom from consequence.
Public intellectuals are often put in the position of having their words, no matter how off-the-cuff, treated as doctrine.
No one is helped when cultural critics use their voices irresponsibly.
I have never dreamed of being a princess. I have not longed for Prince Charming. I have and do long for something resembling a happily ever after. I am supposed to be above such flights of fantasy, but I am not. I am enamored of fairy tales.
There has been, and there will continue to be, vigorous discussions about race in America. I worry that little will come of these discussions because we aren't addressing what must be done to change the current racial climate.
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The first snow always startles. It covers the tricycle in the driveway, turning its frame into an abstact sculpture that says: See how quickly yesterday turns into today.
You remake yourself as you grow and as the world changes. Your identity doesn’t get found. It emerges.
Can you imagine what a different world we will live in when businesses do what's right for the communities and the environment in everything they do?
I hope one day people don't look at women like they're out of their minds when they want to pick up an instrument and play. And I think we're getting a lot closer to that.
We could get more action in the South because the Negroes had a feeling that they were being oppressed. But you take New York, for example: they'd give Negroes little five-cent jobs here and there - and they thought they had something. And the same in Chicago and any of the metropolitan areas.
All personal breakthroughs begin with a change in beliefs.