Becoming Dangerous

"A fierce and voluble refutation of the patriarchy and its soul-crushing oppression of female power. These writers make clear that as witches, femmes, and queers, they will use their own strength, ingenious rituals, beauty routines, and spells to rise above and beyond the limits of racism/classism and objectifications set by a male-dominated society. While bound by a thread of magic, these are inspiring feminist writings for readers of feminist literature, however identified.” --Library Journal Edgy and often deeply personal, the twenty-one essays collected here come from a wide variety of writers. Some identify as witches, others identify as writers, musicians, game developers, or artists. What they have in common is that they’ve created personal rituals to summon their own power in a world that would prefer them powerless. Here, they share the rituals they use to resist self-doubt, grief, and depression in the face of sexism, slut shaming, racism, patriarchy, and other systems of oppression. Contents Introduction Notes from the Editors Content Warning Unfuckable—Cara Ellison Trash-Magic: Signs & Rituals for the Unwanted—Maranda Elizabeth Uncensoring My Ugliness—Laura Mandanas Femme as in Fuck You: Fucking with the Patriarchy One Lipstick Application at a Time—Catherine Hernandez Before I Was a Woman, I Was a Witch—Avery Edison Undressing My Heart—Gabriela Herstik Garden—Marguerite Bennett Reddit, Retin-A, and Resistance: An Alchemist’s Guide to Skincare—Sam Maggs The Future is Coming for You—Deb Chachra My Witch’s Sabbath of Short Skirts, Long Kisses, and BDSM—Mey Rude Buzzcut Season—Larissa Pham The Harpy—Meredith Yayanos Fingertips—merritt Red Glitter—Sophie Saint Thomas Touching Pennies, Painting Nails—Sim Bajwa Ritual in Darkness—Kim Boekbinder Gayuma—Sara David Pushing Beauty Up Through the Cracks—Katelan Foisy Ritualising My Humanity—J. A. Micheline Simulating Control—Nora Khan I Am, Myself, a Body of Water—Leigh Alexander Contributors Acknowledgements