Charles Bukowski Made Me a Bad Feminist

By Emily Black, Guest Columnist

As a teen, Charles Bukowski was my favorite poet. What Matters Most is How Well You Walk Through the Fire, and You Get So Alone At Times That it Just Makes Sense were books I frequently reread and quoted on my social media. It’s true. I fell in love with the melancholy words written by a misogynistic, overly-simplistic, raging alcoholic. 

Bukowski was committed to the fast life of women, motels, sex, violence, whiskey, and… well, more whiskey. All of which were just disposable playthings for added entertainment in his life of destitution. Throughout his career, he made it quite obvious he wasn’t so keen on the opposite sex, or as he would say, “whores.”

Bukowski once wrote in a 1971 letter, 

“... don’t wait for a good woman. she doesn’t exist. there are women who can make you feel more with their bodies and their souls but these are the exact women who will turn the knife into you right in front of the crowd. of course, I expect this, but the knife still cuts. the female loves to play man against man. and if she is in a position to do it there is no one who will not resist. the male, for all his bravado and exploration, is the loyal one, the one who generally feels love. the female is skilled at betrayal. and torture and damnation.”

This leaves me with one thought, “Who hurt you, man?!”

Along with the quote above, his novel Women is quite troublesome and peppered with problematic viewpoints. Although written from the point of view of his alter ego, Henry Chinaski, the tone and messages seem quite… real. Considered one of his best works, Women focuses on Chinaski, a rising literary star, and his numerous unsatisfying sexual encounters with his female fans. It is quite clear that the women characters in the book are just mere objects to Chinaski. 

Rewind to teenage Emily, a self-proclaimed feminist, soon-to-be women’s studies minor, and the world’s biggest Bukowski fan. How could that even be possible? I remember specifically being addressed as a bad feminist for keeping a copy of a Bukowski in my backpack. So, instead of just a pleasure, reading Bukowski became a guilty pleasure-- one that I couldn’t enjoy in public.

Well now, I say... malarkey! I’m gonna engage with whatever art I choose, even if it makes me a “bad feminist.” Roxanne Gay would be proud!

Firstly, to enjoy art, you are not required to agree with the creator’s viewpoints. So, know that.

Secondly, if you avoid controversial creatives, you also avoid a deeper understanding of the complexity of human beings. To really know the world around you, you must fully immerse yourself. That means allowing yourself the freedom to engage with what you enjoy, even if it’s controversial. You can like an artist’s song, book, painting, etc. while simultaneously not subscribing to their beliefs. 

To wrap this up… life is filled with both good and bad. No person is only good, or only bad. Bukowski has created literary pieces which may invoke negative emotions for some. But, he has also written some beautiful poetry with raw emotion that resonates deeply. And dare I say his offensive nature was only a mask for his vulnerability in which he didn’t completely understand.

“There's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out

but I'm too tough for him,

I say, stay in there, I'm not going to let anybody see you.” 

-Charles Bukowski