Nevertheless, she concluded, hers and other “feminisms” matter.Ī few hours prior to her lecture, Gay spoke to students in two writing seminars-taught by professors Leslie Dunn and Quincy Mills-for an informal discussion about the common reading and her writing practices.

Though she embraces feminism, she says such inconsistencies sometimes put her at odds with accepted feminist values. Photo: Courtesy of Harper Perennialīad Feminist, she said, had been inspired by a question: “How do we reconcile things we enjoy with the consequences they bring?” As an example, she disclosed her love of certain rap artists, even ones that sometimes serve up lyrics dripping with misogyny. The Chapel, where the lecture was held, was packed with first-year students and others eager to hear her reflect on and read selections from her work.