Oneoftoday’smostoriginalthinkersongenderoffersaprovocativetakeonthecurrentfeministmovement,exploring“desireastheforceshapingouridentifies,theparadoxesofliberationpolitics,andherowngendertransition“(Bookforum).“[Females]isalwayssmart,sometimessincere,andunpredictableaboutwhenitwillpinchyourarmorclutchitsnailsaroundyourheart.“--ViceEveryoneisfemale,andeveryonehatesit.FemalesisAndreaLongChu’sgenre-defyinginvestigationintosexandlies,desperateartistsandrecklesspolitics,thesmotheringembraceofgenderandthepunishingforceofdesire.DrawinginspirationfromaforgottenplaybyValerieSolanas--thewomanwhowrotetheSCUMManifestoandshotAndyWarhol--Chuaimshersearingwitandsurgicalintuitionattargetsrangingfromperformancearttopsychoanalysis,incelstoporn.Sheevenhasafewbarbsreservedforfeministslikeherself.Eachstepoftheway,shedefendstheindefensibleclaimthatfemalenessislessabiologicalstateandmoreafatalexistentialconditionthatafflictstheentirehumanrace--men,women,andeveryoneelse.Ormaybeshe’sjustprojecting.Athrillingnewvoicewhohasbeencreditedwithlaunchingthe“secondwave“oftransstudies,Chushowsreadershowtowriteforyourlife,baringherinnermostselfwithamorbidsenseofhumorandamordantkindofhope.
