Dear editor:
We just finished reading your WCT's interview with Jay Manuel ( in the Aug. 5 issue ), and we have an important question.
Did you ask or even challenge him about the book's title, and the use of the highly offensive and demeaning word in the title"Bitch?" ( It's very offensive and demeaning to most women but, sadly, maybe not to men, especially gay men. )
Jay Manuel says, "When I look at the core themes of the book, I really felt this need to write a story that's inspired by my life and talk about important themes, like what is the cost of fame, why is there such acceptance around abuse of power in the entertainment industry...."
In your article, Jay mentioned that he talked with psychologists, because "I really wanted to see how this story could come together from a psychological standpoint."
I'm really confused, because I believe that most qualified psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, social workers ( and most emotionally healthy people ) would all agree that using the word "bitch" is highly misogynistic and demeaning. Sadly, it is used, usually by men, in a way to both consciously and unconsciously hurt, offend and put women "down and in their place," and then say, "Oh, I was only joking."
This feels so damn frustrating, and I wonder if Jay even "gets it."
Isn't this in part what equality and the women's movement, for years, has been aboutstopping the physical and emotional dismissive abuse of girls and women, often through misogynistic and demeaning language toward women?
I'm not trying to be "politically correct." I'm just so damn tired of people using highly offensive and demeaning words like "bitch" being thrown around and then labeling it as a joke or "satire."
We, ( or our friends, especially in the LGBTQ+ family ) have no interest in buying this book because, once again, it feels like it continues to promote toxic behavior and language.
Sincerely,
Lori Fox