comment on theme

By demonstrating the complexity behind female characters within Difficult Women, Roxane Gay counters commonly held sexist stereotypes targeting women. Society prescribes weakness and vulnerability upon females – girls are generally dainty and “girly”, resolving issues in mild manners. Roxane Gay easily dismisses this notion through the narrator of “Baby Arm” and her desire to vent her frustrations by hosting fight clubs. In stories such as "How", Roxane Gay shows how women such as the Ikonen sisters can be the main source of income for a household. Even for characters who easily fit commonly held stereotypes of domesticity, Roxane Gay examines their complexity in other ways – for instance, although Milly admits to her excellent cooking, Gay primarily explores her character through emphasizing her intellect and emotional intuition. In this way, Roxane Gay focuses on expanding society’s view on what women should be appreciated for, celebrating complexity.