Free Downloads Black Girl Dangerous On Race, Queerness, Class And Gender
Mia McKenzie, creator of the enormously popular website Black Girl Dangerous, writes about race, queerness, class and gender in a concise, compelling voice filled at different times with humor, grief, rage, and joy. In this collection of her work from BGD (now available only in this book), McKenzie's nuanced analysis of intersecting systems of oppression goes deep to reveal the complicated truths of a multiply-marginalized experience. McKenzie tackles the hardest questions of our time with clarity and courage, in language that is accessible to non-academics and academics alike. She is both fearless and vulnerable, demanding and accountable. Hers is a voice like no other. "One of the most provocative and insightful writers of our generation." -Aura Bogado, Colorlines "A fierce voice among a generation of queer and trans folk of color." -Janet Mock, New York Times Bestselling Author of "Redefining Realness" "Tough-love activism at its best-straightforward, challenging, whip-smart, and uncompromising." -Andi Zeisler, Bitch Magazine
Paperback: 180 pages
Publisher: BGD Press, Inc. (May 5, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0988628635
ISBN-13: 978-0988628632
Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.4 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #86,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #71 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Specific Demographics > Gay & Lesbian #109 in Books > Gay & Lesbian > Nonfiction #132 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Gender Studies > General
As a white girl who was under the impression she wasn't oppressing people, this book made it painstakingly clear I have a lot to learn, and a lifetime of understanding in front of me. Mia writes with a clear poignancy and force that one has to reckon with.I loved this narrative on the life I live, on the life people of color live.Read it. Hopefully it will change your world too.
Black Girl Dangerous is a collection of work from writer Mia McKenzieâs blog and website. Each piece offers a reaction to personal observations, conversations, and current events that represent broader social disparities from the writerâs perspective. BGD is a powerful contemporary work of social dissidence, central in which is a focus on the roles gender, race, class, and sexual identity play in forming an individualâs sense of self-worth, personal freedom, and social agency.Spoiler: If youâre a person of privilege who feels a little fussy about marginalized people speaking up for themselves, BGD will be an uncomfortable read. It might, though, prove to be the perspective-altering reality check you most need.Mia McKenzie allows her own experiences as a queer person of color to illustrate the ways in which inequalities permeate into the most intimate and defining aspects of a personâs identity. McKenzieâs works were written for an online audience between 2012-2014 and typically have an implied assumption that readers are up-to-speed on the news stories or social movements that are central to her discussion. For this reason, McKenzieâs commentary is to be understood at times within the specific context that it was written, as an immediate and unapologetic response to an evolving event or discussion. Some of the most compelling moments in BGD are those in which McKenzie strives to empower others who, like her, experience multiple layers of discrimination and exclusion. The tenderness with which she speaks about self-love as an act of resistance is both inspiring and heart-wrenching. For the most part, though, this collection can be characterized as a determined affront to the ways in which white people earnestly deny their own privilege while they dominate every position of power, every conversation, and justify excluding, devaluing, and erasing the lives of people of color. McKenzie uses highly controversial topics, such as the Newtown shooting, to expose the hypocrisy of white liberals, and includes tongue-in-cheek instructions on how to oppress white people as a way of illustrating the fallacy of âreverse-racismâ. In this aspect, BGD is set apart from any other collection or essay I have ever read. Potentially, the confrontational tone present in some of the book might be interpreted as resorting to âcall-outâ rhetoric, further disengaging those to whom the criticisms are intended. McKenzie, in fact, addresses this critique and defends her approach in one of the selections. There remains to me, however, a small degree of ambiguity on this point. Ultimately, this book provides a sound voice of clarity in a society that remains constantly embroiled in tensions created by systematic inequalities. The direct and unpretentious manners in which topics related to women, gender, and sexuality studies are explored with depth also makes Black Girl Dangerous a useful teaching tool for students and activists. My own perspective having been dramatically expanded, I would definitely recommend this book.
AMJ - Mia McKenzieâs Black Girl Dangerous is an anthology of journal-like entries which were originally posted on the authorâs personal blog, which was of the same name as the book, as a sort of activist performance of breaking the silence. It is a collection of selected entries, which are paired with the authorâs retrospective analyses of the original posts and responses. Each entry consists of a short synopsis of events which the author noted via personal encounters, social media, and national news networks, as well as a personal analysis of those events as they pertain to issues of gender, sexuality, and race through the lens of a queer Black feminist. As a WGSS student, I found the book to be very insightful and provoking through its presentation of an intersectional alternative to the traditional heteronormative White feminism which has often been taught in WGSS courses. I also found it to be helpful and inspiring through its exemplification of a tangible version of feminist activism which is most feasible and effective in the digital age of the 21st century. Additionally, the authorâs ability to be reflective and self-critical at times within the book is quite refreshing. I especially liked the entries in which the author called out her own friends and communities, questioning their responsibility in perpetuating some of the issues that are discussed. I felt that it offered a more realistic vision of feminism which acknowledged humans as imperfect and ever-changing beings, rather than flawless idols of social justice and moral upstanding. Overall, its greatest strength is its authenticity, specifically its conversational tone and personal approach. It makes feminism more appealing and far less intimidating in a world where the âFâ word has been stigmatized. However, this same strength is the greatest weakness of the book, too. While the book provides an excellent example of realistic everyday feminism, it does not provide scholarly research based conclusions. Due to the nature of the writing style, there are not citations or references to solid statistics, studies, definitions, or concepts that are pivotal to any functional feminist study, discourse, or practice of WGSS subjects. Additionally, the information provided is primarily opinion based and must always been assessed with consideration to the authorâs biases. This relates to another issue, which McKenzie herself mentions in the opening of the book: it does not include the dialogue and commentary amongst readers of the entries on the blog. Therefore, the response that the entries elicited is not fully understood, the discursive context in which certain things were said is lost, and the progression of ideas which is often achieved through open responsive dialogue is unavailable. Alone, the book simply does not hold up; it can only really be appreciated if some prior familiarity to concepts and events are present.Ultimately, it is a worthwhile investment for anyone studying WGSS. Although it does not establish a foundation for feminism, it does function as a rare example of ways in which feminism can be expanded, personalized, and critiqued.
Black Girl Dangerous on Race, Queerness, Class and Gender Gender Born, Gender Made: Raising Healthy Gender-Nonconforming Children Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Class: The Sociology of Group Conflict and Change The Meaning of Difference: American Constructions of Race, Sex and Gender, Social Class, Sexual Orientation, and Disability Race, Class, and Gender in the United States: An Integrated Study, Eighth edition Gender, Race, and Class in Media: A Critical Reader Inequality: A Contemporary Approach to Race, Class, and Gender Race, Class, & Gender: An Anthology Exile and Pride: Disability, Queerness and Liberation O Sisters Ain't You Happy?: Gender, Family, and Community Among the Harvard and Shirley Shakers, 1781-1918 (Women and Gender in Religion) Gender and Jim Crow: Women and the Politics of White Supremacy in North Carolina, 1896-1920 (Gender and American Culture) Ambiguous Images: Gender and Rock Art (Gender and Archaeology) Gender and the Social Construction of Illness (Gender Lens) The Gender Quest Workbook: A Guide for Teens and Young Adults Exploring Gender Identity French Gender Drill: Learn the Gender of French Words Without Any Memorization Dangerous Deception (Dangerous Creatures) Robert Young Pelton's The World's Most Dangerous Places: 5th Edition (Robert Young Pelton the World's Most Dangerous Places) Deadly Class Volume 2: Kids of the Black Hole (Deadly Class Tp) Race Rebels : Culture, Politics, and the Black Working Class X-Men and the Mutant Metaphor: Race and Gender in the Comic Books
