"triggering nature"
Apparently, Bitch Magazine decided to remove Living Dead Girl from their 100 Young Adult Books for the Feminist Reader list because of its--and this is the only reason given--"triggering nature."
You can read why the book (and two others) were removed here, and there is a post and comments on the removal here
For feeds that strip links--the removal: http://bitchmagazine.org/post/from-th..."
Post and comments in reaction: http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.co...
Margo Lanagan, who was also removed from the list, has a post about the issue and her own book here.
Do I have more I'd like to say? Yes. But I can't change what Bitch Magazine did, and, most importantly of all, I can't change what they said about Living Dead Girl and how it marginalized what the book is about.
But then, as Alice points out in Living Dead Girl:
"...the host pats their shoulders or gives them a fast one-armed hug, and says things like, "But you survived. You're strong." Then they will ask why they didn't say anything.
Why didn't you tell someone?
Why didn't you ask for help?
Why didn't you leave him?
Why didn't you respect yourself enough to get away?
The women usually crumple, shed their flesh shells, and become quivering living dead girls, trapped. A few will say that no one listens, that people don't want to see, and that if you try something, anything, you won't suffer but others will.
The audience always boos and says You Should Have Done Something.
You should have fought back.
You should have known no one has that kind of power.
You should have been strong.
You shouldn't have been so stupid.
The women nod and sniffle. They are still broken. They still agree with everything anyone wants. Even the ones who try to explain end up with their heads down, their hands in their laps. Little girl ready to say she's sorry.
All our fault, always."
and
"Just one word, they say. But no one would listen. I could have screamed a million times in a million voices and no one would have ever heard me.
I did, every time I left the apartment, with every step I took out in the world.
All those cries, and no one ever heard them."
You can read why the book (and two others) were removed here, and there is a post and comments on the removal here
For feeds that strip links--the removal: http://bitchmagazine.org/post/from-th..."
Post and comments in reaction: http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.co...
Margo Lanagan, who was also removed from the list, has a post about the issue and her own book here.
Do I have more I'd like to say? Yes. But I can't change what Bitch Magazine did, and, most importantly of all, I can't change what they said about Living Dead Girl and how it marginalized what the book is about.
But then, as Alice points out in Living Dead Girl:
"...the host pats their shoulders or gives them a fast one-armed hug, and says things like, "But you survived. You're strong." Then they will ask why they didn't say anything.
Why didn't you tell someone?
Why didn't you ask for help?
Why didn't you leave him?
Why didn't you respect yourself enough to get away?
The women usually crumple, shed their flesh shells, and become quivering living dead girls, trapped. A few will say that no one listens, that people don't want to see, and that if you try something, anything, you won't suffer but others will.
The audience always boos and says You Should Have Done Something.
You should have fought back.
You should have known no one has that kind of power.
You should have been strong.
You shouldn't have been so stupid.
The women nod and sniffle. They are still broken. They still agree with everything anyone wants. Even the ones who try to explain end up with their heads down, their hands in their laps. Little girl ready to say she's sorry.
All our fault, always."
and
"Just one word, they say. But no one would listen. I could have screamed a million times in a million voices and no one would have ever heard me.
I did, every time I left the apartment, with every step I took out in the world.
All those cries, and no one ever heard them."
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message 1:
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Minerva
(new)
Feb 03, 2011 10:43AM
Let them take you off...who wants to be listed on a magazine with that name (because bitch is not empowering to me at all even if they have stripped its meaning by using it so blatantly). Anyways, isn't feminism about empowerment and the journey to empowerment and the awakening to the lack of empowerment women have in our society? And isn't that what your book is about?
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Minnie got it exactly. No true skin off your back, E.
Living Dead Girl had such a massive impact on me. It made me realize that ANY of us could have been Alice. Her story is a testament to the true power of human instinct and the will to survive. And while I agree with their right to compose their list in the way they see fit, I would have loved a bit more explanation as to what "triggering nature" means.
Minnie, Lynne, and Adrianne--thank you all SO much for the kind words! Please know I am very, very grateful for them :-)
