The Feminist Agenda of Jemima Kincaid Quotes

“That never could have happened if he hadn’t been a guy. For one, girls aren’t allowed to wear onesies to school. They’re deemed immodest. Because, you know, distracting female bodies pose a huge educational barrier for the poor boys. And if a girl had done that zany dance, either it’d have been sexualized or it’d have been stupid, depending on the girl. “She’s hot,” people would say. Or “She’s weird.” That morning, leaving Town Meeting, everyone was jostling one another, still in high spirits. “Andy is so out there.” Voices dripping with admiration. “He’s such a…” They couldn’t even finish. No words. Shake head. Smile, smile, smile. What they meant, of course, was this: Andy Monroe is so, so freaking cool. Right after that dance—still in the onesie!—he tapped the mike and said, “Next announcement. The Service Club is hosting a winter-coat drive on behalf of the Coalition for the Homeless.” A girl wouldn’t be allowed to bridge both worlds, the silly and the sober. To be taken seriously, she’d have to act serious, and her seriousness would make her unelectable—just as a lack of seriousness would. It was a quintessential catch-22, and we couldn’t even call it out, because it sounded like an excuse. Well, I could be that cool, if I were a guy…. We couldn’t say it, but we felt it. We felt it as surely as we felt the weight of our bodies, because, like gravity, it was a truth about how it worked, this world we knew. Girls didn’t even consider running for Chawton School chairman because, as girls, we knew, we knew deep in our bones, that we would always lose.”
― Kate Hattemer, The Feminist Agenda of Jemima Kincaid

“Nobody deserves anyone. That's why we all have to be grateful.”
― Kate Hattemer, The Feminist Agenda of Jemima Kincaid

“We're all crappy feminists," said Jiyoon "It's hard. That's the point. You have to think all the time. And then you realise you're doing something wrong and you have to change. Of course we're all crappy”
― Kate Hattemer, The Feminist Agenda of Jemima Kincaid

“There no such thing as a tease," I said.
"Teases are a concept men invented to make people feel like they owe them sex. And you don't owe him anything. Even If he's up and ready to go. Still listening?"
"yeah"
" You can stop whenever you want. You don't have to be polite. Keep thinking about what you want. Every minute. And if that changes, change what you're doing”
― Kate Hattemer, The Feminist Agenda of Jemima Kincaid

“Feeling is the independent variable, the x axis. What, in the end, determines it all.”
― Kate Hattemer, The Feminist Agenda of Jemima Kincaid

“I like dresses. They're the greatest hoax in history. You look all suave, and meanwhile you're literally wearing a bag with holes for your extremities.”
― Kate Hattemer, The Feminist Agenda of Jemima Kincaid