The 'disruptive' feminist

If, as a woman, you've tried to assert yourself in a situation, platformed your viewpoint, shared your unease at something, or taken offense at one thing or the other, chances are that you've heard the following statements or their variations: "Be a sport, yaar!" "Why spoil the fun, man?!" "You're taking everything too literally."

- SAURABH SHARMA

If that has happened to you, you're likely a feminist killjoy (though "not all killjoys are feminist"—just to put it out there). If you aspire to be one, independent academic and intersectional feminist Sara Ahmed is there to help. The Feminist Killjoy Handbook is her erudite, nuanced, and accessible record of what it means to be a feminist killjoy and how to cultivate a group of them as your go-to resource.

Though billed as a handbook, Ms. Ahmed's latest is a slice of history hitherto ignored or celebrated in pockets. By cataloguing the rich heritage of feminism that set out to disrupt the status quo that favored capitalist patriarchy, considered heterosexuality the norm, and ensured that intersectionality was never platformed, Ms. Ahmed's organization of ideas, formulation of Killjoy Maxims and Killjoy Equations, and inclusive politics demonstrates why feminists all over the world seek her guidance.