To all the feminist ears
Deep Dives
Explore related topics with these Wikipedia articles, rewritten for enjoyable reading:
-
Sara Ahmed
14 min read
The author of this article is Sara Ahmed, a prominent British-Australian feminist scholar known for her work on feminism, queer theory, and race. Understanding her academic background and major works like 'The Feminist Killjoy Handbook' provides essential context for this newsletter post about her book tour.
-
Consciousness raising
10 min read
Ahmed's concept of 'becoming a feminist ear' and creating spaces for complaints echoes the feminist practice of consciousness raising - small group discussions where women share experiences to identify systemic patterns. This historical practice illuminates the tradition Ahmed's work continues.
Yesterday was my last in person event for 2025 at Broadway Books. Thanks to my dear friend and comrade in queer world making, Jonathan Keane, for making it happen.
The event was part of a series celebrating 20 years of Broadway Books. 20 years of book selling. Of world making.
It was also the last in person event for the No is Not a Lonely Utterance UK/Ireland book tour (there is one virtual event remaining). I am so grateful to have been able to share the work in so many independent radical bookstores, libraries and galleries.
The format of events has varied, but most involved being in conversation with amazing, thoughtful people. I often describe my task as becoming a feminist ear, giving people somewhere to go with their complaints. I too have been surrounded by feminist ears. That is what you have been for me. So many of you have given your precious time and energy to respond to the words and the work, to my thoughts and feelings, not all of them coherent, with such care.
It is so important: to be heard.
I felt heard.
Many thanks to my conversation partners (in order of events): Leila Whitley, Tiffany Page, Akanksha Mehta, Heidi Mirza, Durre Shahwar, Noreen Masud, Nita Mishra, Carol Ballantine, Melanie Ramdarshan Bold, Mónica G Moreno Figueroa, Erin Maglaque, Senthorun Raj and Nisha Ramayya.
Many thanks to my hosts (in order of events): Round Table Books, Feminist Library, Foyles, Queer Emporium, Small City Bookshop, Gutter Bookshop, Abbey Theatre, Lighthouse Books, Glasgow Women’s Library, Heffers, Five Leaves Bookshop, Juno Books, Queer Whitworth, Common Press and Broadway Books. I have also been glad to drop in and sign books at Toppings, Category is Books, Pages of Hackney, Housmans and Gay’s the Word.
Not a lonely no, picked up and shared in spaces of solidarity.
I have so many beautiful photos from the tour. I am sharing just one not from an event but from our visit to Pages of Hackney. Meet Bluebell meeting Albie.
This photo captures something precious.
There are so many ways we meet through books.
So many to meet.
One of the points of writing these two books, I think of them as companions texts, The Feminist Killjoy Handbook and No is Not a Lonely Utterance: The Art and Activism of Complaining, was to make the work more accessible. I know the
...This excerpt is provided for preview purposes. Full article content is available on the original publication.