“The United States as we know it was founded on the principle of inalienable rights, this idea that some rights are so sacrosanct not even a government can take them away. Of course, this country’s founding fathers were only thinking of wealthy white men when they codified this principle, but still, it’s a nice idea, that there are some freedoms that cannot be taken away.What this debate shows us is that even in this day and age, the rights of women are not inalienable. Our rights can be and are, with alarming regularity, stripped away.”

American writer, professor, editor, and social commentator

Roxane Gay is an American writer, professor, editor, and social commentator. She is known for essays, fiction, memoir, and public commentary, and for books including Bad Feminist, Ayiti, An Untamed State, Difficult Women, and Hunger. Her work spans criticism and creative writing, with Bad Feminist becoming a New York Times best seller. Across her books, she writes about culture, identity, gender, and the pressures of contemporary life, moving between personal reflection and sharper social critique.