Any time you can transform hundreds of hours of binge-watching your favorite TV show into a paid byline, life is grand.
Last week, my essay about Buffy–edit, my word-geeking about the greatest show to ever feminism–was published at Salon. I’ve never been published at Salon before. I’ve never had work published anywhere with as much reach. The fact that I hit such a milestone on the hem of one of Buffy’s still-fabulous leather trenches is delicious.
But honest to god, it was just so fun to write. I love Buffy more than most things. Writing the essay was about celebrating the show’s 20th anniversary, not about making astute critical analysis that no one has ever made before (the show is still widely popular after ending 13 years ago. Everything’s been said). It was about giving voice to the teenage me that wanted so badly for these characters to be real, to maybe even be one of them. That fan girl is still here, still wants to be seen and heard, still rocks the Docs and tries to navigate the angst as best she can. Her hero is Buffy Summers.
I address it in the essay, but one of my favorite things about Buffy the Vampire Slayer also happens to be one of my favorite things about Pearl Jam, my other obsession: empathy for adolescence. Buffy is powerful, but she just wants to be “normal.” And the deeper into the show you get, the less you cringe at her desire to get dolled up and go to a dance, doodle hearts around her undead boyfriend’s name + hers, or have one real date without being called away to stake something. The less frequently you fall back on that socially conditioned idea that young women are frivolous, self-involved, ineffectual airheads. The more you realize who the real narcissists of the world usually are.
One thing I didn’t talk about in my essay is how much attitude I have about any non-Buffyverse vampirism. Vampires do not get glittery in the sun; they burn! To death! They are creatures of the goddamn night!
But sometimes people disagree with me. An invaluable reminder to myself during the Salon publication experience: don’t read the comments on your work and don’t feed the trolls. I scrolled below my bio right after my piece went live and the first comment I saw was “Articles like this are the reason Trump won.” (That actually made me laugh really hard.)
But speaking of. We could use a hero like Buffy now more than ever. The election of 45 feels like the mayor’s ascension at the end of season 3. Anyway. Write what you know and love, right? If the apocalypse comes, beep me.
another writing mom 
Only just come across your article, but I enjoyed reading it! Buffy is pretty much timeless.
It was definitely one of the best shows for teenage girls. It felt like one of the first times we were in charge (in popular entertainment).
I think it was quite inconsistent in how explicitly feminist it was though. Some seasons it didn’t seem to be feminist at all (except in the kind of bare bones way of just being about a girl who kicks ass). Whereas other times you had really strong messaging like Caleb in Season 7, as you mentioned. I loved it when it did stuff like that. Caleb was the ultimate personification of the patriarchy, and Buffy kills him with an axe in the dick.
Lol, That always reminded me of an especially aggressive feminist college professor I had, who would always say that the job of feminism is to kick the patriarchy in the balls so hard it collapses and can’t stand up again.
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Keep writing articles that make Trump win! Because it means the opposite. You are staying what needs agitating. What I like about this piece of how you dig deep into why a story, show or music moved us. And you ultimately show us the path to empathy.
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Forgive the typos! My phone and internet have a bad relationship.
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Read this and the Salon post. Ah, I do miss Buffy. I like your point about Buffy lifting up other women too. I also love how that show showcases multiple women being multiple styles of interesting, complex, and kickass. I love how the men of the show also don’t always fall into strict boxes of masculinity, and how Xander in particular has a few plotlines where he struggles with that and finds himself as well.
Great posts!
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Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Brandilyn. Yes, I think feminism touches every single character on Buffy. Cheers to that.
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Based on the way this article started, you seem to desire to extend your reach.
You continue the post by writing about what about Buffy resonated with you. I dug that. I, too, really liked Buffy. In fact, I’m in the process of rewatching the series on Netflix.
Then you continued by needlessly bashing things that others like. The post was about the coolness that is Buffy. Why bring other subjects into it?
I dug Twilight. I like Trump.
Had you simply not mentioned either of these two subjects, I would have left thinking, “Hey, that blogger’s pretty cool.” Instead, I have no desire to ever return to this blog.
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My space, my preferences. Have a great day.
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I am so beyond thrilled for you! As a fellow Buffy fanatic and a writer, that byline is extremely exciting. I can’t wait to read it ❤️
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Thanks, Dana! ❤
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