Roxane Gay

Roxane Gay is an acclaimed novelist, essayist, freelancer, and professor. Her work has been featured in numerous publications including The New York Times, The Guardian, the Wall Street Journal, and Time Magazine. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling collection of essays Bad Feminist, the nationally bestselling novel An Untamed State, and the critically acclaimed short story collection Difficult Women.

Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Roxane received her Doctorate in Rhetoric and Technical Communication from Michigan Technological University. She is currently a professor at Purdue University, where she primarily teaches creative writing and nonfiction.

In 2012, Roxane released her first book, a collection of essays titled Bad Feminist, which was an immediate success. In this collection of 25 essays, Gay delves into a range of topics including race, gender, pop culture and current events. She never shies away from controversial topics, tackling everything from gender in hip hop to rape culture, and always offers an unfiltered view of the world.

In 2014, Roxane published her debut novel An Untamed State, which chronicles the story of a young Haitian-American woman, Mireille Duval Jameson, who is kidnapped in a botched ransom attempt. Throughout the novel, Mireille has to not only survive her captors, but also retain her dignity and hope in the face of unthinkable challenges. Despite its dark subject matter, the novel was praised for its nuanced and graceful storytelling.

Her most recent work, the 2018 short story collection Difficult Women, is a masterful collection of unforgettable and nuanced stories about women’s lives. Through these stories, Roxane paints a powerful portrait of the complexities of contemporary womanhood.

Roxane’s work has been celebrated by literary critics, won multiple awards, and has been featured in numerous publications. She was also one of five women to be featured on the cover of TIME’s Person of the Year 2018 “The Guardians and The War On Truth” issue.

Beyond her writing, Roxane is actively involved in a range of social justice advocacy, including organizing discussions on intersectional feminism and giving TED talks on the importance of effective communication.

Roxane’s writing is truly inspiring, tackling difficult topics and providing an unflinching view of the world. By articulating difficult issues with compassion and empathy, Roxane has become one of the most beloved contemporary authors. Through her words, she offers an insightful and powerful perspective on the world and the lives of women in it.