The only way to understand the experiences of people who look, love, pray, or live differently than we do is to listen to, learn from, and respect their stories. This is a work of fiction but it is so real. I consider myself a feminist and I am LGBTQ, but as a white person I felt that everything Juliet experienced and learned as a POC LGBTQ Feminist was so incredibly powerful and eye opening. I am guilty of some of the same things as white feminist Harlowe, and this beautifully written novel helped me realize ways that I could be a more inclusive feminist, a more inclusive member of the LGBTQ community, and a better ally to people of color.
That is just what I experienced when I read it. I can't and won't speak for POC but I really hope that this fills the void for some young women who, like Juliet, don't see themselves in the books they're reading or the media they see. I'm so glad that I live in a time where books about a young, Puerto Rican, lesbian feminist grace the bookshelves at your average bookstore or library. I'm lucky that I get the opportunity to read and learn from books like this. I'm thrilled that this beautiful and wonderful masterpiece of a book exists to comfort those like Juliet and to make the rest of us question what we think and what our privilege is.
That is just what I experienced when I read it. I can't and won't speak for POC but I really hope that this fills the void for some young women who, like Juliet, don't see themselves in the books they're reading or the media they see. I'm so glad that I live in a time where books about a young, Puerto Rican, lesbian feminist grace the bookshelves at your average bookstore or library. I'm lucky that I get the opportunity to read and learn from books like this. I'm thrilled that this beautiful and wonderful masterpiece of a book exists to comfort those like Juliet and to make the rest of us question what we think and what our privilege is.