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Bad Fat Black Girl: Notes from a Trap Feminist
From funny and fearless entertainment journalist Sesali Bowen, Bad Fat Black Girl combines rule-breaking feminist theory, witty and insightful personal memoir, and cutting cultural analysis for an unforgettable, genre-defining debut.
Growing up on the south side of Chicago, Sesali Bowen learned early on how to hustle, stay on her toes, and champion other Black women and femmes as she navigated Blackness, queerness, fatness, friendship, poverty, sex work, and self-love.
Her love of trap music led her to the top of hip-hop journalism, profiling game-changing artists like Megan Thee Stallion, Lizzo, and Janelle Monae. But despite all the beauty, complexity, and general badassery she saw, Bowen found none of that nuance represented in mainstream feminism. Thus, she coined Trap Feminism, a contemporary framework that interrogates where feminism and hip-hop intersect.
Notes from a Trap Feminist offers a new, inclusive feminism for the modern world. Weaving together searing personal essay and cultural commentary, Bowen interrogates sexism, fatphobia, and capitalism all within the context of race and hip-hop. In the process, she continues a Black feminist legacy of unmatched sheer determination and creative resilience.
Bad bitches: this one’s for you.
Growing up on the south side of Chicago, Sesali Bowen learned early on how to hustle, stay on her toes, and champion other Black women and femmes as she navigated Blackness, queerness, fatness, friendship, poverty, sex work, and self-love.
Her love of trap music led her to the top of hip-hop journalism, profiling game-changing artists like Megan Thee Stallion, Lizzo, and Janelle Monae. But despite all the beauty, complexity, and general badassery she saw, Bowen found none of that nuance represented in mainstream feminism. Thus, she coined Trap Feminism, a contemporary framework that interrogates where feminism and hip-hop intersect.
Notes from a Trap Feminist offers a new, inclusive feminism for the modern world. Weaving together searing personal essay and cultural commentary, Bowen interrogates sexism, fatphobia, and capitalism all within the context of race and hip-hop. In the process, she continues a Black feminist legacy of unmatched sheer determination and creative resilience.
Bad bitches: this one’s for you.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 5, 2021
236 people are currently reading
7923 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 445 reviews
October 24, 2021
This is one of those books that came at me in ways that I couldn't have even anticipated. If you're someone that is interested in reading nonfiction that highlights the explicit experience of Black women in America, I would recommend picking this book up.
Bad Fat Black Girl is an interesting look into the experience of Black women, Black femmes against the back drop of trap music. I've grown up listening to a lot of trap music so on the surface level there were a lot of references to songs that made me instantaneously connect with the book. On a deeper level, I appreciated that Bowen was able to capture this specific sub-genre of hip-hop and utilize it to illustrate how Black women and femmes are often left out of conversations related to feminism. Bowen leaves no stone unturned. There is dialogue related to being a Black fat woman or femme in a society that often places an emphasis on the unrealistic "slim thick" body crafted by Dr. Miami, there is dialogue about sex work and sex trafficking, conversations related directly to Black queerness, the often volatile relationship that exists between Black women and men, poverty and classism. And while these things do feel universal to Black women and femmes, I truly believe that this was Bowen's love letter to those that grow up in the hood. These are the individuals that are often left out of mainstream conversations even when the intersectionality of race and gender is at the forefront of the conversation. One of the things that stood out to me about this social commentary/memoir is Bowen's emphasis on the fact that people need to refrain from trying to change people from the hood. There is this weird need (even within the Black community) to change people from the hood and make them into the Black people that society deems worthy. This isn't a book that is about a Black woman or Black femme going through self-actualization. There are so many stories that already focus on this that it's a breath of fresh air for Bowen to give us a story in which someone is already comfortable in their Blackness. Honestly, this is one my favorite non-fiction books and one of my favorite books of the year. The rawness of it, the comfortable use of AAVE resonated with me in unimaginable ways. If you haven't had the chance to pick this up, I highly recommend reading it and listening to it on audio.
Bad Fat Black Girl is an interesting look into the experience of Black women, Black femmes against the back drop of trap music. I've grown up listening to a lot of trap music so on the surface level there were a lot of references to songs that made me instantaneously connect with the book. On a deeper level, I appreciated that Bowen was able to capture this specific sub-genre of hip-hop and utilize it to illustrate how Black women and femmes are often left out of conversations related to feminism. Bowen leaves no stone unturned. There is dialogue related to being a Black fat woman or femme in a society that often places an emphasis on the unrealistic "slim thick" body crafted by Dr. Miami, there is dialogue about sex work and sex trafficking, conversations related directly to Black queerness, the often volatile relationship that exists between Black women and men, poverty and classism. And while these things do feel universal to Black women and femmes, I truly believe that this was Bowen's love letter to those that grow up in the hood. These are the individuals that are often left out of mainstream conversations even when the intersectionality of race and gender is at the forefront of the conversation. One of the things that stood out to me about this social commentary/memoir is Bowen's emphasis on the fact that people need to refrain from trying to change people from the hood. There is this weird need (even within the Black community) to change people from the hood and make them into the Black people that society deems worthy. This isn't a book that is about a Black woman or Black femme going through self-actualization. There are so many stories that already focus on this that it's a breath of fresh air for Bowen to give us a story in which someone is already comfortable in their Blackness. Honestly, this is one my favorite non-fiction books and one of my favorite books of the year. The rawness of it, the comfortable use of AAVE resonated with me in unimaginable ways. If you haven't had the chance to pick this up, I highly recommend reading it and listening to it on audio.
January 30, 2022
4.5 stars - I flew through this one. This was a great example of a memoir that combines social and pop culture commentary, and I really enjoyed the authorial voice. Highly recommend!
Read
October 4, 2021Thank you to Harper Audio for an advanced copy of this book.
I don't rate memoirs but I really loved this one. The audio is narrated by the author and it is amazing. I totally missed the subtitle of "Notes from a Trap Feminist" and so at the start, I was a little thrown off but quickly realized what this was about and how it would be going forward. This is obviously a memoir, this is about her Sesali's life but through her storytelling she explains what it means to be a trap feminist. Trap feminism (to quote from the book): "calls on Black women to be aggressively self-interested as a means of self-determination." Sesali talks about life experiences that she's gone through where her decisions weren't hers, she wasn't in control, she didn't have a say and how that was the foundation for the person she is today. I did not grow up in the hood, but there were still similar experiences we shared as Black women who grew up in America. I loved how raw and honest this was, especially with the use of AAVE. So much of this book had me going "amen" and "preach" because she was taking us to church and making several points about the negativity and toxicity that can exist in the Black community. I think a lot of Black women/femmes millennials who grew up in America can really relate to Sesali's story and I'm glad she was able to express herself in an organic way because I don't think the story would hit as hard if it was changed to be more "mainstream". I don't know what else to say, if you want to hear from a Black trap feminist, read this book!
I don't rate memoirs but I really loved this one. The audio is narrated by the author and it is amazing. I totally missed the subtitle of "Notes from a Trap Feminist" and so at the start, I was a little thrown off but quickly realized what this was about and how it would be going forward. This is obviously a memoir, this is about her Sesali's life but through her storytelling she explains what it means to be a trap feminist. Trap feminism (to quote from the book): "calls on Black women to be aggressively self-interested as a means of self-determination." Sesali talks about life experiences that she's gone through where her decisions weren't hers, she wasn't in control, she didn't have a say and how that was the foundation for the person she is today. I did not grow up in the hood, but there were still similar experiences we shared as Black women who grew up in America. I loved how raw and honest this was, especially with the use of AAVE. So much of this book had me going "amen" and "preach" because she was taking us to church and making several points about the negativity and toxicity that can exist in the Black community. I think a lot of Black women/femmes millennials who grew up in America can really relate to Sesali's story and I'm glad she was able to express herself in an organic way because I don't think the story would hit as hard if it was changed to be more "mainstream". I don't know what else to say, if you want to hear from a Black trap feminist, read this book!
March 26, 2021
There are so far nine one star reviews for this book, all by accounts with no photos or other books listed. I know Goodreads won't do anything about it, so I'm adding a a 5 star review to counterbalance what seems to be some kind of personal agenda here. People are jerks. Also, the cover art is delightful.
October 28, 2021
Wonderful and thought-provoking.
If you want to challenge your ideas of what it means to be a feminist, particularly if you are steeped in white feminism that lacks intersectionality, I would recommend reading Bad Fat Black Girl in conjunction with Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall. They tackle similar topics but this book is a memoir heavily laced with feminist theory while Hood Feminism is a book about theory and policy implications, heavily laced with anecdotes. I think they dovetail nicely and really problematize feminisms that are rooted in the privilege of being white and wealthy, vilifying sex work, focusing on the "glass ceiling" of a few rather than on providing protection, justice, and equity to all women.
Bad Fat Black Girl also does a great job of discussing fatphobia and anti-fat bias. In this case as it is situated primarily within the Black community, but this is something that extends more broadly as well. It is a book about the experiences of Black girls and women growing up in predominately Black communities, telling stories that are often undervalued and brushed aside. This is a book that might make some readers uncomfortable, but I don't think that's a bad thing. The author unabashedly shares her life and celebrates the love she has for herself and the people in her life. She talks about being queer and polyamorous, having healthy boundaries in a relationship, and why friendship is so important. There's a lot here and it's worth a read. She reads the audiobook herself and I definitely recommend the experience. I received an audio copy of this book for review from Libro.FM. All opinions are my own.
If you want to challenge your ideas of what it means to be a feminist, particularly if you are steeped in white feminism that lacks intersectionality, I would recommend reading Bad Fat Black Girl in conjunction with Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall. They tackle similar topics but this book is a memoir heavily laced with feminist theory while Hood Feminism is a book about theory and policy implications, heavily laced with anecdotes. I think they dovetail nicely and really problematize feminisms that are rooted in the privilege of being white and wealthy, vilifying sex work, focusing on the "glass ceiling" of a few rather than on providing protection, justice, and equity to all women.
Bad Fat Black Girl also does a great job of discussing fatphobia and anti-fat bias. In this case as it is situated primarily within the Black community, but this is something that extends more broadly as well. It is a book about the experiences of Black girls and women growing up in predominately Black communities, telling stories that are often undervalued and brushed aside. This is a book that might make some readers uncomfortable, but I don't think that's a bad thing. The author unabashedly shares her life and celebrates the love she has for herself and the people in her life. She talks about being queer and polyamorous, having healthy boundaries in a relationship, and why friendship is so important. There's a lot here and it's worth a read. She reads the audiobook herself and I definitely recommend the experience. I received an audio copy of this book for review from Libro.FM. All opinions are my own.
August 11, 2021
"Black women's greatest strength is that we are always more than what everyone says we are, and we've never been afraid to put people on notice about it..."
Sesali Bowen grabbed me from the Dedication and did not let go! In Bad Fat Black Girl: Notes from a Trap Feminst, Ms. Bowen defines trap feminism and what it means to be a trap feminist. During the height of the Me-Too movement and what seemed to be a re-emergence of the feminist movement, I felt like an outsider because I did not display the same "down with patriarchy" passion the way every woman that was labeled a feminist did. I love trap music despite the misogyny it glorifies and I'm not going to justify that. Sesali's teachings are punctuated with lyrics from trap songs that compliment the beautiful portrait of her trap feminist manifesto. She is speaking to me and I'm sure many others like me. If my being a Bad Fat Black Girl with the nerve to be happy offends, excuse me while I turn up my trap music and dance on your feelings.
PS: For those unfamiliar with trap music, I recommend listening to the songs and artists referenced in the book for a pretty solid introduction.
Sesali Bowen grabbed me from the Dedication and did not let go! In Bad Fat Black Girl: Notes from a Trap Feminst, Ms. Bowen defines trap feminism and what it means to be a trap feminist. During the height of the Me-Too movement and what seemed to be a re-emergence of the feminist movement, I felt like an outsider because I did not display the same "down with patriarchy" passion the way every woman that was labeled a feminist did. I love trap music despite the misogyny it glorifies and I'm not going to justify that. Sesali's teachings are punctuated with lyrics from trap songs that compliment the beautiful portrait of her trap feminist manifesto. She is speaking to me and I'm sure many others like me. If my being a Bad Fat Black Girl with the nerve to be happy offends, excuse me while I turn up my trap music and dance on your feelings.
PS: For those unfamiliar with trap music, I recommend listening to the songs and artists referenced in the book for a pretty solid introduction.
Read
December 31, 2024No rating because I do not rate memoirs or books with a strong memoir aspect.
I'm always there for an approach to feminism that includes the notion that innocence/purity isn't a requirement, not sure that I got much that was new to me from Bowen's framework though but I had a good time with her words (it's always nice to read someone you have an easy time agreeing with isn't it?).
I'm always there for an approach to feminism that includes the notion that innocence/purity isn't a requirement, not sure that I got much that was new to me from Bowen's framework though but I had a good time with her words (it's always nice to read someone you have an easy time agreeing with isn't it?).
February 12, 2022
I feel like this is a nice book to have read having read other books in a similar conversation and how these texts tackled similar content from different lenses. The narration was also just enjoyable to spend my day listening too, definitely felt like I was listening to a friend just give me all of their thoughts on a topic. One that I think will benefit from repeated listens and will hopefully get to again sooner rather than later.
December 17, 2022
GET THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!
March 13, 2022
I'm planning to reread this as an ebook so that I can highlight passages and annotate until my heart's content. But I definitely, definitely recommend listening to the audiobook first, which is narrated by the author herself.
Final impressions:
• Before anything else, I must commend the author for doing a brilliant job in narrating. Listening to the audiobook felt like a conversation with a close friend who's not one to mince her words. It was a very compelling and engaging experience. (By the way, the audiobook is available on Scribd, and you can use my referral link to get a free trial.)
• Prior to this book, I'd never heard of Trap Feminism. And while this book offers a great introduction into what Trap Feminism entails, it's written very much like a memoir as the author references her personal experiences and knowledge of trap music/culture to navigate the discussion.
- Bowen makes a commendable effort in clearly drawing the line between what Trap Feminism is and what it isn't intended to be.
- To paraphrase the book, Trap Feminism is an avenue for self-determination, specific to Black women and femmes. While it presents a valuable framework for empowerment and self-liberation, it isn't flaunted as the be-all and end-all ideology that can dismantle systemic unfairness and subjugation.
- In line with this, I really appreciated that this book is brimming with a wealth of knowledge, insight, and above all else, self-awareness.
• Unapologetically comfortable in its use of AAVE (rightfully so!), Bad Fat Black Girl is a witty, thoughtfully written nonfiction that explicitly highlights the lived experiences of Black women in America. Particularly Black women born and raised in the hood.
- Being fat, queer, and Black herself, Bowen dauntlessly delves into the plentiful intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and body politics.
- As a former sex worker, Bowen tackles the topic with tongue-in-cheek honesty and self-awareness.
- It's worth noting that there's also a frank discussion on how Black people from the hood are pressured into conforming to what is acceptable or palatable to a white supremacist society. (Even though hood and ghetto cultures are continuously exploited for profit and cultural mileage.)
• The social commentary was, for lack of a better term, provocative. In a sense that it really challenged me to question my understanding of culture, empowerment, and identity.
- As I am neither Black nor American, Bad Fat Black Girl was an eye-opening experience for me. Especially as I reconciled the iron-clad influence of America, including its pop culture, on my country with the anti-Blackness within my own communities.
- On a more personal level, reading this book also prompted me to reevaluate my relationship with my body and sense of self.
- It also low-key reignited my fascination with the field of Gender and Sexuality!
• Bad Fat Black Girl is an excellent book to pick up if you want to challenge your ideas of feminism and/or if you are seeking feminist nonfiction that's intersectional, genuine, and thought-provoking. To sum up my thoughts: Powerful and empowering. A new favorite.
Highest of recommendations!
🌻🍃 More bookish content on Shut up, Shealea 🍃🌻
instagram • pinterest • twitter • ko-fi
Final impressions:
• Before anything else, I must commend the author for doing a brilliant job in narrating. Listening to the audiobook felt like a conversation with a close friend who's not one to mince her words. It was a very compelling and engaging experience. (By the way, the audiobook is available on Scribd, and you can use my referral link to get a free trial.)
• Prior to this book, I'd never heard of Trap Feminism. And while this book offers a great introduction into what Trap Feminism entails, it's written very much like a memoir as the author references her personal experiences and knowledge of trap music/culture to navigate the discussion.
- Bowen makes a commendable effort in clearly drawing the line between what Trap Feminism is and what it isn't intended to be.
- To paraphrase the book, Trap Feminism is an avenue for self-determination, specific to Black women and femmes. While it presents a valuable framework for empowerment and self-liberation, it isn't flaunted as the be-all and end-all ideology that can dismantle systemic unfairness and subjugation.
- In line with this, I really appreciated that this book is brimming with a wealth of knowledge, insight, and above all else, self-awareness.
• Unapologetically comfortable in its use of AAVE (rightfully so!), Bad Fat Black Girl is a witty, thoughtfully written nonfiction that explicitly highlights the lived experiences of Black women in America. Particularly Black women born and raised in the hood.
- Being fat, queer, and Black herself, Bowen dauntlessly delves into the plentiful intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and body politics.
- As a former sex worker, Bowen tackles the topic with tongue-in-cheek honesty and self-awareness.
- It's worth noting that there's also a frank discussion on how Black people from the hood are pressured into conforming to what is acceptable or palatable to a white supremacist society. (Even though hood and ghetto cultures are continuously exploited for profit and cultural mileage.)
• The social commentary was, for lack of a better term, provocative. In a sense that it really challenged me to question my understanding of culture, empowerment, and identity.
- As I am neither Black nor American, Bad Fat Black Girl was an eye-opening experience for me. Especially as I reconciled the iron-clad influence of America, including its pop culture, on my country with the anti-Blackness within my own communities.
- On a more personal level, reading this book also prompted me to reevaluate my relationship with my body and sense of self.
- It also low-key reignited my fascination with the field of Gender and Sexuality!
• Bad Fat Black Girl is an excellent book to pick up if you want to challenge your ideas of feminism and/or if you are seeking feminist nonfiction that's intersectional, genuine, and thought-provoking. To sum up my thoughts: Powerful and empowering. A new favorite.
Highest of recommendations!
🌻🍃 More bookish content on Shut up, Shealea 🍃🌻
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February 17, 2023I don't know if I'll be able to really put into words how much I loved this book. It was reminiscent of Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall (another must read nonfiction) but learned more into being a memoir and used an interesting framework of trap music. This felt like a book by a Black author that was actually for Black folks. There was a familiarity and rawness to it that made me feel like I was listening to a friend (also the audiobook narration was perfection). Many of Sesali's insights into fatphobia, sex work, queerness, friendship, etc were firmly in the context of the lives of Black women and femmes, which I appreciated. I particularly loved the way she showed how anti-fat bias specifically shows up in Black spaces and put words to dynamics I've seen in my life. Also, the nuanced way she explores her life in the hood and how she views people who came from her community without shame or over-explanation was just so refreshing.
There was a lot to love, and this will definitely be a book I recommend to people seeking nonfiction reads. Easily one of my all time faves!
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Everything about this was perfection.
Will fully review after HCP Union strike
There was a lot to love, and this will definitely be a book I recommend to people seeking nonfiction reads. Easily one of my all time faves!
-----------------------
Everything about this was perfection.
Will fully review after HCP Union strike
February 25, 2022
"People try to erase ratchet Black girls at every turn, but we are not siloed, and our impact is undeniable. In the same way that hip-hop is consumed by diverse audiences all over the world, so are the trends that are set by ghetto ass Black girls. Our style, our language, and our beauty resonate with people across different backgrounds. Just look at all the white influencers who are making millions by appropriating Black culture or flat-out “Blackfishing.” Everyone wants a fat ass and a colorful weave. …. People are obsessed with hood bitches, whether we care to admit it or not."— 94% in 'Bad Fat Black Girl' by Sesali Bowen
"Being a real bitch is fundamentally more important than being a bad bitch, a rich bitch, a freak bitch, or even that bitch, because all of those things are dictated to us by a culture that relies on our subjugation.
Can you make good judgment calls under pressure? Do you say what you mean and mean what you say? Are you principled when it comes to your people? This is the real spirit of trap feminism. I don’t think this shit is new either. I like to think that Harriet Tubman was a trap feminist." — 95% in 'Bad Fat Black Girl' by Sesali Bowen
Sesali Bowen is the realest G!
This book fed me. It’s not for everyone, but it’s specifically for the sisters and I respect it. I loved it. I needed it and I’m glad that I got to experience reading it. Enjoying it during BHM was just the extra sauce I needed on my life this month.
I know that I’ll be returning to this book again and again and recommending it/reading passages from it to all my friends.
Yoo my Telfey came today, I should have got one big enough to stuff this book in. This mixtape that goes with the book is the one. https://open.spotify.com/album/5rQoj0...
There’s not enough stars for this book! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
October 18, 2021
Book 323 of 2021
Many thanks to Libro FM and Harper Audio for my ALC
This is such an authentic and raw book where the author bares as much as she can and then some. It's a book about a different type of feminism, one that white feminists and even upper class black feminists turn their noses up against - trap feminism.
It's also part memoir because the author infuses so much from her own life into this book. It's also part pop culture commentary, as the author explores females in rap/trap and how their lyrics empowered her and empower us.
This book also delves into sex works and rights for sex workers as well as hierarchies within the sex work world, as the author is a former sex worker herself.
The audiobook narration, done by the author, was gold. I had a great time listening to this.
Financial independence is a huge part of this book, and I love how much the author infused parts of her own life and struggles with money into this book.
This was a great read and I highly recommend it.
Many thanks to Libro FM and Harper Audio for my ALC
This is such an authentic and raw book where the author bares as much as she can and then some. It's a book about a different type of feminism, one that white feminists and even upper class black feminists turn their noses up against - trap feminism.
It's also part memoir because the author infuses so much from her own life into this book. It's also part pop culture commentary, as the author explores females in rap/trap and how their lyrics empowered her and empower us.
This book also delves into sex works and rights for sex workers as well as hierarchies within the sex work world, as the author is a former sex worker herself.
The audiobook narration, done by the author, was gold. I had a great time listening to this.
Financial independence is a huge part of this book, and I love how much the author infused parts of her own life and struggles with money into this book.
This was a great read and I highly recommend it.
October 3, 2021
I am not much for non fiction (I like my books to be the made-up variety) but something about this cover and blurb appealed to me.
Am happy I picked up this engaging, entertaining, educational and fun rom through Sesali's youth, discovering herself and her sexuality, unpacking her relationships and how they affect the woman she has become, all tied into how hip hop talks about women and influences how we think about feminism and what it means to be us.
A good read-- something I'd go back and read and note and contemplate if I was big into nonfiction. Since I am not, I will let the intellectuals take over and dissect the text and suffice it to say that I enjoyed this memoir and text on Trap Feminism (although I am unhip so I have never heard most of the songs referenced. Off to spotify!)
Am happy I picked up this engaging, entertaining, educational and fun rom through Sesali's youth, discovering herself and her sexuality, unpacking her relationships and how they affect the woman she has become, all tied into how hip hop talks about women and influences how we think about feminism and what it means to be us.
A good read-- something I'd go back and read and note and contemplate if I was big into nonfiction. Since I am not, I will let the intellectuals take over and dissect the text and suffice it to say that I enjoyed this memoir and text on Trap Feminism (although I am unhip so I have never heard most of the songs referenced. Off to spotify!)
July 31, 2024
Before reading this book, I was unfamiliar with the concept of Trap Feminism. The author offers a comprehensive introduction, using her personal experiences with trap music and reflections on culture to explain this concept. She presents Trap Feminism as a framework for self-determination specific to Black women and femmes, rather than a universal solution to systemic oppression. Bowen’s framework for Trap Feminism explores and explains this phenomenon in depth that I think would resonate with anyone looking to expand their view of intersectional feminism.
Throughout this book, Sesali Bowen, who is fat, queer, and Black, dives into the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and body politics with humor and depth. One of the most impactful aspects to this story is Bowen’s ongoing discussion about financial insecurity. Bowen is honest about growing up poor and how this affected her mentality towards money and survival. Furthermore, she discusses the struggle to become financially-conscious of her spending through navigating societal pressures to keep up with the Joneses and digging her own grave with credit card debt. Additionally, the author discusses how financial insecurity led her to seek sex work as a way to earn a more consistent income. Her experiences as a former sex worker are discussed candidly while critiquing the pressures for Black people to conform to white supremacist standards of purity and morality while their bodies are simultaneously hyper-sexualized and exploited. These discussions were both serious and funny, yet a poignant reminder of the way financial insecurity is reflective of systemic issues that further disadvantage marginalized people.
The social commentary throughout the book is provocative, challenging readers to reconsider their views on culture, empowerment, and identity. Another provocative issue explored is fatphobia, particularly within the Black community. Bowen provides a candid look at the experiences of Black girls and women in predominantly Black communities and how women’s bodies are often fetishized or shamed depending on the offender. Bowen expertly interweaves reflections on the cultural impact rap music has had on beauty and body standards which can lead to misogynoir beliefs about how women should look and act. The connections Bowen highlights show a critical analysis of how culture shapes society and vice-versa.
Overall, this has been one of my favorite reads of this year as something about Bowen's writing style felt endlessly inviting. Also, I highly recommend readers listen to the audiobook as this kind of story narrated by the author feels like you’re listening to a new favorite podcast or eavesdropping on the cool girls having a philosophical conversation. The author's candid sharing of her life, including her experiences as a queer individual, her approach to building healthy relationships and friendships, and her love of rap music makes this book unputdownable!
Throughout this book, Sesali Bowen, who is fat, queer, and Black, dives into the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and body politics with humor and depth. One of the most impactful aspects to this story is Bowen’s ongoing discussion about financial insecurity. Bowen is honest about growing up poor and how this affected her mentality towards money and survival. Furthermore, she discusses the struggle to become financially-conscious of her spending through navigating societal pressures to keep up with the Joneses and digging her own grave with credit card debt. Additionally, the author discusses how financial insecurity led her to seek sex work as a way to earn a more consistent income. Her experiences as a former sex worker are discussed candidly while critiquing the pressures for Black people to conform to white supremacist standards of purity and morality while their bodies are simultaneously hyper-sexualized and exploited. These discussions were both serious and funny, yet a poignant reminder of the way financial insecurity is reflective of systemic issues that further disadvantage marginalized people.
The social commentary throughout the book is provocative, challenging readers to reconsider their views on culture, empowerment, and identity. Another provocative issue explored is fatphobia, particularly within the Black community. Bowen provides a candid look at the experiences of Black girls and women in predominantly Black communities and how women’s bodies are often fetishized or shamed depending on the offender. Bowen expertly interweaves reflections on the cultural impact rap music has had on beauty and body standards which can lead to misogynoir beliefs about how women should look and act. The connections Bowen highlights show a critical analysis of how culture shapes society and vice-versa.
Overall, this has been one of my favorite reads of this year as something about Bowen's writing style felt endlessly inviting. Also, I highly recommend readers listen to the audiobook as this kind of story narrated by the author feels like you’re listening to a new favorite podcast or eavesdropping on the cool girls having a philosophical conversation. The author's candid sharing of her life, including her experiences as a queer individual, her approach to building healthy relationships and friendships, and her love of rap music makes this book unputdownable!
October 1, 2025
Wow this book is so real from start to finish!
I’m glad I chose to listen to the audiobook cause hearing it narrated by the author as a memoir about her life and principles gave it a very special touch. I could hear all the colloquialisms, slang and vernacular very well and Sesali Bowen’s personality shined bright in this. Now I might have to get the physical or digital copy because there’s so much to go back in and highlight in here!!
As a black woman a lot of these sentiments were felt, and as a woman in general within intersectional groups and marginalized communities, I can tell the author was speaking from experience. No matter your walk in life this is a book everyone can take away and learn something in challenging the status quo.
I’m glad I chose to listen to the audiobook cause hearing it narrated by the author as a memoir about her life and principles gave it a very special touch. I could hear all the colloquialisms, slang and vernacular very well and Sesali Bowen’s personality shined bright in this. Now I might have to get the physical or digital copy because there’s so much to go back in and highlight in here!!
As a black woman a lot of these sentiments were felt, and as a woman in general within intersectional groups and marginalized communities, I can tell the author was speaking from experience. No matter your walk in life this is a book everyone can take away and learn something in challenging the status quo.
October 26, 2021
Listening to this book was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Although I probably could have physically read this book quickly, listening to the author read her own work was quite amazing.
After having read Feminist AF by the Crunk Collective, who’s backdrop of feminism is against 90s hip-hop, Sesali Bowen went in a similar direction, but towards trap music as her backdrop, which presents a whole ‘nother experience if you are familiar with trap music.
Hearing the author read her words and hearing her voice, tone, inflection, emphasis, etc., really brought this book to life for me and I was instantly able to connect with the content of her book in a wide open way. Especially seeing that I grew up in the hiphop and trap music era, surrounded by the Black American ghetto of Cleveland, OH.
Although Sesali Bowen focuses on being fat and Black while growing up under the backdrop of hiphop and trap music, Black women can especially relate to her and how our bodies are constantly policed and criticized for any and everything.
Bowen also explores sex work, feminism, Black queerness, classism, sexism, violence towards Black women, and how gender and race play a huge part in how society views Black women who are not the picture of perfection. I feel like this book is a love letter to Fat Black Badass Black women who can easily identify with Bowen, but also Black women who are not necessarily seen as “fat,” but the misogynoir that is directed towards Black women, I feel like we can all relate to. This is a love letter to all of us who grew up in the hood, who had to focus on survival vs being privileged enough to not have the same or similar issues with socioeconomic issues that people in the hood have to deal with.
Although Black people are not a monolith, I feel like we’ve all had similar experiences because we’ve all been forced into certain spaces and experiences because of our race, gender, socioeconomic status and education level. Another thing I related to with Bowen’s work was her ability to meet us all where we are, but has space for people to be who they are whether highly educated or struggling to make ends meet. Just because you came from the hood, doesn’t mean that you can’t politick and are not educated or have no skill set. We should be able to be who we are without policing our bodies, the way we speak and talk to others, the way we move through situations and handle our finances, and handle societal pressures with dignity and be proud of where you come from and your experiences that shaped and molded you to who you are today.
Bowen talks about trap music in detail and the lyrics that is diametrically opposed to certain issues within feminism. For example, how we can be called ‘bitches and hoes,’ in the music, but not be an actual bitch or hoe and still love the music, still love the attention men/people give you, or actually love being the ‘bitch or hoe’ and being successful in selling yourselves in order to get what we need to get. “We do what we have to, when we can’t do what we want to.” She also proclaims that she is ‘with all the shits and not one to try,” and I love that! Bowen’s work makes me feel aggressively self-determined, and I’m so glad her voice is here to give us another perspective of feminism that is focused on Black women/femmes who has been left out of conversations because they don’t fit the ideal picture of what the society feels is the norm.
I am a trap feminist. I’m with all the shits and not one to try! Though I may be highly educated, I’m still from the hood and can come with it if tried on any given day. That is the magic about us, and especially Black women who are the most educated people in this world. We have to navigate so many spaces and places that we need this perspective to feel seen, heard, and acknowledged because though we may nod and pop our fingers to Megan Thee Stallion’s music, but we can also push our dissertations and handle job interviews, all while code-switching (or not), and check a bitch if necessary when we need to.
This book says to me: “Bitch, I gotchu!” Which is used as a term of endearment and a declaration of solidarity, all while processing how those words are often used to demean and belittle us, but can also be seen as a term of friendship, solidarity, and familiarity. I loved it! 5 stars!
After having read Feminist AF by the Crunk Collective, who’s backdrop of feminism is against 90s hip-hop, Sesali Bowen went in a similar direction, but towards trap music as her backdrop, which presents a whole ‘nother experience if you are familiar with trap music.
Hearing the author read her words and hearing her voice, tone, inflection, emphasis, etc., really brought this book to life for me and I was instantly able to connect with the content of her book in a wide open way. Especially seeing that I grew up in the hiphop and trap music era, surrounded by the Black American ghetto of Cleveland, OH.
Although Sesali Bowen focuses on being fat and Black while growing up under the backdrop of hiphop and trap music, Black women can especially relate to her and how our bodies are constantly policed and criticized for any and everything.
Bowen also explores sex work, feminism, Black queerness, classism, sexism, violence towards Black women, and how gender and race play a huge part in how society views Black women who are not the picture of perfection. I feel like this book is a love letter to Fat Black Badass Black women who can easily identify with Bowen, but also Black women who are not necessarily seen as “fat,” but the misogynoir that is directed towards Black women, I feel like we can all relate to. This is a love letter to all of us who grew up in the hood, who had to focus on survival vs being privileged enough to not have the same or similar issues with socioeconomic issues that people in the hood have to deal with.
Although Black people are not a monolith, I feel like we’ve all had similar experiences because we’ve all been forced into certain spaces and experiences because of our race, gender, socioeconomic status and education level. Another thing I related to with Bowen’s work was her ability to meet us all where we are, but has space for people to be who they are whether highly educated or struggling to make ends meet. Just because you came from the hood, doesn’t mean that you can’t politick and are not educated or have no skill set. We should be able to be who we are without policing our bodies, the way we speak and talk to others, the way we move through situations and handle our finances, and handle societal pressures with dignity and be proud of where you come from and your experiences that shaped and molded you to who you are today.
Bowen talks about trap music in detail and the lyrics that is diametrically opposed to certain issues within feminism. For example, how we can be called ‘bitches and hoes,’ in the music, but not be an actual bitch or hoe and still love the music, still love the attention men/people give you, or actually love being the ‘bitch or hoe’ and being successful in selling yourselves in order to get what we need to get. “We do what we have to, when we can’t do what we want to.” She also proclaims that she is ‘with all the shits and not one to try,” and I love that! Bowen’s work makes me feel aggressively self-determined, and I’m so glad her voice is here to give us another perspective of feminism that is focused on Black women/femmes who has been left out of conversations because they don’t fit the ideal picture of what the society feels is the norm.
I am a trap feminist. I’m with all the shits and not one to try! Though I may be highly educated, I’m still from the hood and can come with it if tried on any given day. That is the magic about us, and especially Black women who are the most educated people in this world. We have to navigate so many spaces and places that we need this perspective to feel seen, heard, and acknowledged because though we may nod and pop our fingers to Megan Thee Stallion’s music, but we can also push our dissertations and handle job interviews, all while code-switching (or not), and check a bitch if necessary when we need to.
This book says to me: “Bitch, I gotchu!” Which is used as a term of endearment and a declaration of solidarity, all while processing how those words are often used to demean and belittle us, but can also be seen as a term of friendship, solidarity, and familiarity. I loved it! 5 stars!
February 25, 2023
“People try to erase ratchet Black girls at every turn, but we are not siloed, and our impact is undeniable. In the same way that hip-hop is consumed by diverse audiences all over the world, so are the trends that are set by ghetto ass Black girls. Our style, our language, and our beauty resonate with people across different backgrounds. […] People are obsessed with hood bitches, whether we care to admit it or not.”
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Just one of many quotable gems in this book full of bangers. Bowen provides a necessary voice as a fat, Black, queer, hood bitch and I’m actually going to need more people to start listening.
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Just one of many quotable gems in this book full of bangers. Bowen provides a necessary voice as a fat, Black, queer, hood bitch and I’m actually going to need more people to start listening.
May 26, 2022
Please don’t allow my rating to sway whether or not you should read this. I’m just not the targeted audience for this book. But I’m cheering her from my lane.
Read
January 11, 2024I no longer rate memoirs because I never want it to feel like I'm rating someone's personal story. With that being said this was amazing! I loved how honest she was in telling her story that included personal details I'm not sure a lot of people would want to admit. She was able to then relate her story back to feminism and how she decided to tell the story and the language she used was very relatable. I enjoyed the incorporation of rap lyrics and how she was also able to link them and other media references to feminism and her overall story. The chapters on dating advice and the power of friendship really spoke to me because some of what she talked about were things I have experienced and I think out of the whole book these would be the chapters that would appeal to everyone no matter the race. This was an amazing story that I think many people could benefit from reading!
July 5, 2023
YES YES YES
October 13, 2021
Trap feminism says that Black girls who have ever rocked bamboo earrings, dookie braids, Baby Phat, lace fronts, or those who have worked as hoes, scammers, call-center reps, at day cares, in retail, and those who sell waist trainers and mink lashes on Instagram are all worth the same dignity and respect we give Michelle Obama and Beyoncé.
I applaud Sesali Bowen for writing the book that’s needed. So often we see the same stories regurgitated, so it is nice to see focus placed here on topics that are often spoke from a narrow male perspective. Representation matters.
BAD FAT BLACK GIRL reads like a much-needed conversation with your bestie after you haven’t seen one another in awhile. It is entertaining and REAL and even laugh out loud funny in some instances. I loved the song and book/article references throughout the book. I thought they worked really well as supporting evidence and that they also evoked past memories of good times.
There was a part nearly mid way though the book that dragged a bit for me. I think the tone shifted from “ok so boom” juicy storytelling to the classic self-help call to action and general recommendations. Overall, with colorful chapters like: ”Run Me My Money,” “Knuckin’, Buckin’, Ready To Fight”, and “Not Straight” it is safe to say that there is something in this memoir for everyone!
Thank you to NetGalley and Amistad Books for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I applaud Sesali Bowen for writing the book that’s needed. So often we see the same stories regurgitated, so it is nice to see focus placed here on topics that are often spoke from a narrow male perspective. Representation matters.
BAD FAT BLACK GIRL reads like a much-needed conversation with your bestie after you haven’t seen one another in awhile. It is entertaining and REAL and even laugh out loud funny in some instances. I loved the song and book/article references throughout the book. I thought they worked really well as supporting evidence and that they also evoked past memories of good times.
There was a part nearly mid way though the book that dragged a bit for me. I think the tone shifted from “ok so boom” juicy storytelling to the classic self-help call to action and general recommendations. Overall, with colorful chapters like: ”Run Me My Money,” “Knuckin’, Buckin’, Ready To Fight”, and “Not Straight” it is safe to say that there is something in this memoir for everyone!
Thank you to NetGalley and Amistad Books for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
September 25, 2022
Outstanding!!!
September 24 reread—-Ravenclaw Womanist Cyborg Trap Feminist! This is my tagline now lol. This is a wonderful, beautiful book that puts black women that are on the margins back in the center. The author talks about fatphobia,misogynoir in music and real life, homophobia and sexual issues that really makes you think about your privileges and priorities! I am glad that I read this book because it really breaks down black feminism in a way that is accessible and also more impactful for me and my peers. I will be applying a lot of what I read in my own life (which is the whole book lol). She also centers female hip-hop which I love!!!! Highly, Highly recommended. I would also pair this with Eloquent Rage by Dr. Brittney Cooper and Sensuous Knowledge: A Black Feminist Approach for Everyone by Minna Salami for a trifecta of great Black Feminist Books to read. All five stars and my favorite!!!!
September 24 reread—-Ravenclaw Womanist Cyborg Trap Feminist! This is my tagline now lol. This is a wonderful, beautiful book that puts black women that are on the margins back in the center. The author talks about fatphobia,misogynoir in music and real life, homophobia and sexual issues that really makes you think about your privileges and priorities! I am glad that I read this book because it really breaks down black feminism in a way that is accessible and also more impactful for me and my peers. I will be applying a lot of what I read in my own life (which is the whole book lol). She also centers female hip-hop which I love!!!! Highly, Highly recommended. I would also pair this with Eloquent Rage by Dr. Brittney Cooper and Sensuous Knowledge: A Black Feminist Approach for Everyone by Minna Salami for a trifecta of great Black Feminist Books to read. All five stars and my favorite!!!!
December 18, 2021
Really enjoyed! I was left with a better understanding of trap music and it’s feminist undertones. As a black woman with a certain level of privilege, I was given valuable insight and awareness of black women who don’t have the privileges I have. This book left me undoubtedly knowing that there is strength and beauty in the black woman experience - no matter what side of the trap/track you live on.
February 6, 2022
This book is FILLED with church worthy sermons.
July 19, 2024
Feminism is a concept that has now become vilified and detested in modern society. Why this is? I cannot tell you. But what can I tell you is that it has been a liberator in my life, a salvation I didn't know I needed and the hill I will always choose to die on.
With many subsets of the ideology in existence such as African Feminism, Choice Feminism and the most recent form of Radical Feminism appearing in South Korea called the 4B Movement; there are many paths in it to explore. However, these paths often exclude Black, queer and fat bodies such as myself and furthermore "hood girls".
The feminist ideology is often viewed as an elite concept and one that is immensely academic. But most of what feminism is made up of and built on are women and femmes' lived experiences. Sesali provides a refreshing and in-depth take on feminism by positing an innovative framework called Trap Feminism. While not all her lived experiences might be similar to mine & other women. A lot of the subjugation she faced and continues to face is similar to mine and many other women's'.
To have a voice that advocates for Black, queer and fat women is amazing! This body of work is truly art, I enjoyed every single bit of it! She's honest, witty, intelligent and most importantly, she's REAL.
A stellar book!
With many subsets of the ideology in existence such as African Feminism, Choice Feminism and the most recent form of Radical Feminism appearing in South Korea called the 4B Movement; there are many paths in it to explore. However, these paths often exclude Black, queer and fat bodies such as myself and furthermore "hood girls".
The feminist ideology is often viewed as an elite concept and one that is immensely academic. But most of what feminism is made up of and built on are women and femmes' lived experiences. Sesali provides a refreshing and in-depth take on feminism by positing an innovative framework called Trap Feminism. While not all her lived experiences might be similar to mine & other women. A lot of the subjugation she faced and continues to face is similar to mine and many other women's'.
To have a voice that advocates for Black, queer and fat women is amazing! This body of work is truly art, I enjoyed every single bit of it! She's honest, witty, intelligent and most importantly, she's REAL.
A stellar book!
July 13, 2022
This book is fantastic. An extremely sharp, funny and profound exploration of why trap music is a political force, threaded through a captivating memoir. It resonated with me personally and politically. Required reading for everyone.
August 7, 2021
I grew up listening to female rappers, I could and still can rap every word on Lil’ Kim’s Hard Core album. That album made me feel like a bad ass, as did Queen Latifa, Salt n’ Pepa, Foxy Brown and Eve to name a very few. These women made their listeners feel powerful and in charge. this generation had Nicki Minaj, Meg Thee Stallio and Cardi B to name a few and then it message is still the same. But we’re do late rappers fall, especially in the genre of trap music. Enter Sesali Bowen and “Trap Feminism” and her examination of fat phobia, sexism and the world of hip hop through her own lens. I loved this book and the authors unique voice and perspective. A great read for anyone who loves hip-hop but sometimes conflicted by it and the world it represents.
March 11, 2022
Taking off one star because of the unwavering condoning of sex work. Also the trap aspect fizzles out in the second half of the book. But otherwise, this is a very strong memoir mixed with cultural criticism.
September 11, 2022
My most relatable read yet. The way the book hits on misogynoir, body politics, homophobia and so much more, specifically in the black community is so on point. Sesali can’t miss. Every single essay spoke to me.
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