The author recalls first hearing the word “feminist” in the same tone that someone might use to say, “You’re a supporter of terrorism” (8). How have you heard the word “feminist” used? Have you heard “feminist” used as a positive word or a negative one?

Here, readers are invited to put themselves into the author's shoes and remember their first encounter with the word "feminist." This question also helps readers understand the general anti-feminist atmosphere against which the author is writing.

On page 11, the author explains that the term “feminist” is a word “heavy with baggage, negative baggage” (11). What does the author mean by “baggage”? Can you think of other terms that also come with “negative baggage”? Are any of these terms also related to gender?

This question invites readers to think more about the consequences of saddling particular words, especially words related to gender such as...