Roxane Gay Reading

Last night one of my good friends and I drove up to LA with the primary mission of seeing Roxane Gay discuss her newest book, the memoir Hunger. Secondary: a stop at The Pie Hole beforehand for some of their deliciousness (their Maple Custard is the best pie I've ever had). There was no traffic either way, the weather was cooler, and parking was only $5. Clearly, it was a good night. 

Gay spoke to a packed auditorium at the Japanese American Culture and Community Center (put on by ALOUD) and was hilarious, honest, and poignant. At the time I was two-thirds through her book (now done), so it was interesting to hear her elaborate a bit on some of the topics she writes about. The discussion was often quite serious, as it should be when discussing rape, body image, and the cruelties of society (and self). Gay refused to let the mood stay somber, interjecting a healthy dose of humor into her reflections as she often does in her writing. I appreciated her mentioning that she writes only for herself; she is aware of her audience and respects them, but her authenticity prevails. Her trajectory into the public eye has been a challenge for her, as she often desires to not be noticed at all. She also revisited the struggle of her role as an imperfect feminist, as well, which I relate to immensely. 

I highly, highly recommend reading Hunger and seeing her if she ends up in a city near you. Her writing is thought-provoking, forcing you to analyze how you see yourself and others.