You might not be familiar with Lindy West’s name, but if you have even a passing familiarity with the internet you’re probably acquainted with her writing. She also tackles some of the most burning issues of popular culture today, taking a frank and provocative look at racism, oppression, fat-shaming, twitter-trolling and even rape culture, unpicking the bullshit and calling out unpalatable truths with conviction, intelligence and a large dose of her trademark black humour. She reveals the obstacles and stereotyping she’s had to overcome to make herself heard, in a society that doesn’t think women (especially fat women and feminists) are or can be funny. In Shrill, Lindy recounts how she went from being the butt of people’s jokes, to telling her own brand of jokes - ones that carry with them with a serious message and aren’t at someone else’s expense. That cripplingly shy girl who refused to make a sound, somehow grew up to be one of the loudest, shrillest, most fearless feminazis on the internet, making a living standing up for what’s right instead of what’s cool. Fortunately for women everywhere, along the road she found her voice - and how she found it! It’s difficult to believe she was once a nerdy, overweight teen who wanted nothing more than to be invisible. Guardian columnist Lindy West wasn’t always loud.
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