-What stood out: Bell Hooks dunking on Harry Potter back in 2004, fuck yeah. The Patriarchy chapter didn't have any new information for me even when I first read it, but it does point out how afraid people are to use the word, especially men. You can lose a lot of status and become the object of ridicule for a lot of men just by adopting feminist speech and terminology.

-Ideas: I do wish I'd learned of how damaging social exclusion can be, how much I was harming myself by not expressing any of the emotions I was subtly informed I am not allowed to express. The notion of anger being the only acceptable outlet for all of the negative feelings boys have, just like anyone else.

What resonates: Feeling completely lost when it comes to my emotions was my normal for most of my life, up until a few years ago when I decided to really knuckle down and explore them and figure myself out. I'm a lot more stable now, and finding healthier ways to deal with my feelings. But the neglect I suffered at the hands of, well, every single adult in my life who was supposed to be responsible for my emotional wellbeing was pretty damaging. And the fact that it's pretty much normal for boys, though they find other ways to make connections with their peers, is pretty horrifying.