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hslavitt's picture

As someone who almost went

As someone who almost went to St. John's College-Anapolis, a college whose very essence is a set literary canon, I'll be the first to admit that there is something so attractive about having a widely accepted reading list that in certain circles will identify you as well-read. I didn't go there because yes, I have a huge interest in feminism and literature by women, and indeed, not surprisingly, there were only three...THREE...women!!!! Needless to say, they were all white (Austen, Woolf, O'Connor if you were curious). For me it's hard not to repeat this pattern of canonizing feminist texts. Honestly, there are some texts that you have to read if you want to enter into a dialogue. I don't think it's wrong to demand that we, the handywomen of feminism, all have universally necessary tools like hammers and screwdrivers in our metaphorical toolbox. I think that as long as our canon is never in a fixed, set-in-stone state and is as inclusive as humanly possible, we will have a great starting point for feminist discussion.

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