Amir H. Payberah - 2025-03-07

As we approach March 8, I want to revisit one of the books we read last year in our Co-Liberative Computing book club: "Living a Feminist Life" by Sara Ahmed. It's a powerful reflection on feminism as a lived practice rooted in resistance, hope, and the courage to challenge oppression.

Sara Ahmed reminds us that feminism often begins with a feeling, an unsettling awareness that something is wrong. This is where she introduces the feminist killjoy: the one who disrupts the status quo by refusing to stay silent, who challenges inequality instead of making oppression more palatable. The feminist killjoy doesn't laugh at sexist jokes, doesn't smooth over discomfort, and doesn't accept injustice for the sake of harmony. Instead, she questions, resists, and refuses to conform to traditions that reinforce inequality, whether in workplaces, academia, or daily life.

However, as Sara Ahmed emphasizes, this resistance comes at a cost. Speaking up is often met with dismissal or hostility, with killjoys labeled as "too serious" or "ruining the mood". Yet, despite the exhaustion, she insists that disruption is necessary. As she argues, feminism isn't just about critique; it's about reshaping the world into something more just. She also critiques academic feminism for being too detached and calls for a more inclusive, accessible approach informed by the lived experiences of feminists of color.

Ultimately, as Sara Ahmed highlights in her book, feminism is both deeply personal and profoundly collective. Change doesn’t come from silence; it comes from speaking up, standing firm, and pushing forward.

You can find a summary of the book here.