Living a Feminist Life

Sara Ahmed illuminates the work of feminism with wordplay. For example, in talking about leaving the life she was expected to live (heterosexuality), she says, “When I was wearing it, I found it wearing” (p. 48). This is one way that someone can become a feminist: by coming to understand that the world around you wants you to live a life that you don't want.

This is in some ways an academic book, but its mode of discourse is not typical academic language. She uses the different senses of words, takes advantage of the difference in meaning when a word is a noun as opposed to a verb, constructs sentences around puns, and other playful tactics to express some of the difficulties or intricacies of becoming and being a feminist. Sometimes this style conveys meaning viscerally and sometimes more meaning comes from spending time with her sentences and letting them percolate. This was not a quick book to read, but it was rewarding.