Feminist to Know: Virginie Despentes

Virginie Despentes is a French author whose work delves into themes of youth marginalization, the sexual revolution of Generation X, and the public acclimation to pornography through new media developments such as the internet and digital streaming. Known for her transgressive exploration of obscenity and social critique, Despentes challenges the new moral order through her raw and vivid storytelling. She has previously worked as a maid, a sex worker, and a freelance rock journalist, bringing a diverse and unconventional perspective to her writing.

Despentes' most notorious work, Baise-Moi, is a novel-turned-film about two women on a violent spree following a gang rape. Written when she was just 23, this piece is emblematic of the nascent grunge movement of the early nineties. Upon its release, the film adaptation became the first to be banned in France in 28 years due to its explicit content and unapologetic portrayal of female rage and empowerment. This groundbreaking work positioned Despentes as a fearless voice in contemporary literature and cinema.

In her later manifesto, King Kong Theory, Despentes delves into the intersections of gender, power, and control within the framework of late capitalism. She articulates how women’s lives are organized around satisfying male desire, making this work particularly resonant in the context of the #MeToo movement. Despentes' unflinching critique of societal norms and her advocacy for female autonomy have cemented her as a crucial figure in feminist literature and thought.

Despentes continued to push boundaries with her trilogy, Vernon Subutex, which chronicles a man's descent into the margins of society upon falling prey to the precarity of neoliberalism. The final book of the trilogy was published in 2017 and translated into English in 2020, garnering acclaim for its unvarnished portrayal of modern urban life. As for what’s next, Despentes explained in a recent interview with Flaunt that she is working on a new book in which the pandemic plays a role–a continuation of her lifelong commitment to confronting contemporary realities head-on.