Last week, I did an interview with award-winning author Scott Westerfeld about the Bitch Media 100 Feminist YA list. It’s up at PopMatters now. Here’s a snippet.
How did you feel about the Bitch list at first? What was it like to have Uglies make the cut, before and after the the debacle?
Bitch is one of those iconic ‘90s magazines, like Wired or Bust or Sassy (which started in the late ‘80s, but still). Having Bitch give a shout-out to YA was great, and being on the list was just icing on the cake. It’s like one of those accomplishments where your teenage self is proud of you, though sadly in my case it’s my 30-something self.
After what you rightly call “the debacle”, I asked for my name to be removed from the list in protest. (This was a purely symbolic move on my part, I admit. But lists are merely sets of symbols, and so are books.)
Do you think books like Tender Morsels, Sisters Red, and Living Dead Girl belong on the list?
Absolutely. I’m glad that BitchMedia made some bold choices, and that’s what I would have expected of them.
Great interview Peta! I’m wondering whether I should try again with Tender Morsels now that I’m not pregnant and hormonal. Maybe having heard it labeled a “feminist” book will help me get through it.
@Amitha Knight – Thanks, Amitha! Being hormonal definitely makes it a harder read. I went back to it after checking reviews, though, since being prepared made it easier reading.