The Feminist Killjoy Handbook

A renowned feminist thinker argues we need to get in the way of happiness, our own & other people’s, to build a more just world Do you refuse to laugh at offensive jokes? Have you ever been accused of ruining dinner by pointing out your companion’s sexist comment? Are you often told to stop being so “woke”? If so, you might be a feminist killjoy—and this handbook is for you. In this book, feminist theorist Sara Ahmed shows how killing joy can be a radical world-making project.Presenting sharp analysis of literature, film, & influential feminist works, & drawing on her own experiences as a queer feminist scholar-activist of color, Ahmed reveals the invaluable lessons of the feminist killjoy, from the importance of asking questions to the power of the eye roll. The Feminist Killjoy Handbook offers an outstretched hand to feminist killjoys everywhere & an essential intellectual guide to the transformative power of getting in the way. °°°We have to keep saying it because they keep doing it. Do colleagues roll their eyes in a meeting when you use words like sexism or racism? Do you refuse to laugh at jokes that aren't funny? Have you been called divisive for pointing out a division? Then you are a feminist killjoy, & this handbook is for you. The term killjoy has been used to dismiss feminism by claiming that it causes misery. But by naming ourselves feminist killjoys, we recover a feminist history, turning it into a source of strength as well as an inspiration. Drawing on her own stories & those of others, especially Black & brown feminists & queer thinkers, Sara Ahmed combines depth of thought with honesty & intimacy. The Feminist Killjoy Handbook unpicks the lies our culture tells us & provides a form of solidarity & companionship that can be returned to over a lifetime.°°° Scholar Sara Ahmed has published ten books, including the cult classic Living a Feminist Life. 'Not only a dazzling analysis of the workings of sexism, but a balm for the soul. It will teach you how to survive and how to transform the world' Hannah Dawson We have to keep saying it because they keep doing it. Do colleagues roll their eyes in a meeting when you use words like sexism or racism? Do you refuse to laugh at jokes that aren't funny? Have you been called divisive for pointing out a division? Then you are a feminist killjoy, and this handbook is for you. The term killjoy has been used to dismiss feminism by claiming that it causes misery. But by naming ourselves feminist killjoys, we recover a feminist history, turning it into a source of strength as well as an inspiration. Drawing on her own stories and those of others, especially Black and brown feminists and queer thinkers, Sara Ahmed combines depth of thought with honesty and intimacy. The Feminist Killjoy Handbook unpicks the lies our culture tells us and provides a form of solidarity and companionship that can be returned to over a lifetime. Table of Contents 1. Introducing the Feminist Killjoy 2. Surviving as a Feminist Killjoy 3. The Feminist Killjoy as Cultural Critic 4. The Feminist Killjoy as Philosopher 5. The Feminist Killjoy as Poet 6. The Feminist Killjoy as Activist Killjoy Truths, Killjoy Maxims, Killjoy Commitments, and Killjoy Equations Recommending Reading for Feminist Killjoys Feminist Killjoy Reading Groups - Discussion Questions