This collection of essays was one I found on one of those “must read” lists, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I connected with the material.
The author, Scaachi Koul, was born to Indian immigrants in Canada, so this book really is her insights into being a brown woman in a predominantly white male field. Each of the ten essays highlights a different problem in our world culture: one is about racism (overt racism or the more insidious subversive type), another is about being discontent with your body size but understanding that clothes won’t change your mindset, another is about how family traditions matter as a way to connect your past, and yet another is about body hair and the illusive “beauty” most women are trying to achieve. For the most part, her essays speak a truth that is sometimes funny, sometimes crass.
There were two essays that stuck out to me the most. The first was “Mute,” about the harmful affects of the internet. As a middle school teacher, I always try to speak to my students about the impact they make online. We even write an argumentative essay debating if you should be prosecuted for what you say online. So when I read her story about the backlash from a Tweet she posted, I understood. I understand how putting opinions online make people feel secure in saying whatever hateful vehemence they desire. As Koul says, “What they say to me online is the purest distillation of the rage they feel—statements that would get them fired or arrested in real life but get them a moderate fan base or begrudging attention online. Maybe they consider their online presence a separate existence, but we all know it’s the same person, no matter the platform.” This problem is what my students sometimes fail to understand: things on the internet don’t go away and nothing is anonymous. It’s a really hard balance, especially for kids who’ve grown up with the internet at their fingertips.
The other essay that really struck me was entitled “Hunting Season.” This one was timely since it discussed the rape culture and how women have to be so careful with their bodies. Koul talks about being roofied and how “the intersection of rape culture and and surveillance culture means that being a guarded drinker is not only my responsibility, it is my sole responsibility. Any lapse in judgement could not only result in clear and present danger, but also set me up for a chorus of ‘Well, she should’ve known better.’” Thankfully, I’ve never encountered some of the explicit stories she shared, but I know people who have, I’ve seen the news articles, and I hope that with the recent Hollywood harassment issues, it helps shape our culture into one where boundaries are understood.
All in all, this read was a good reminder that we all still have some issues to work through (if you can handle the sometimes course language).
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