When I purchased my ticket for The Guilty Feminist, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I consider myself to be a feminist, but, a guilty feminist? What is that? The mere title of this performance at the Camden Comedy Club (and the trendy pub located just beneath it) drew me in as I prepared myself to witness my first-ever comedy show.
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| The Captivating Neon Sign Greeting all Comedy Club Guests |
After grabbing a quick drink at the bar, I followed the stream of people heading upstairs to a predominantly female audience and took a seat at a stool in the back. The first act, Deborah Frances-White, poked fun at Professor Nericcio about our class and how no one raised their hand when she asked if any of his students were in the audience (I was the only one and too shy to raise my hand, oops!). She also went on to joke about him having a "court" in Earl's Court where he is residing in London; her quick and witty sense of humor goes over well with the crowd, and they seem to admire her. Frances-White mentioned that tonight’s episode of The Guilty Feminist wasn't an actual episode of the podcast, which I did not know prior to arriving; rather, tonight was a night full of jokes the women wanted to trial for the actual show. The humorous banter of the evening cracked at many typical feminist standards and what it means to be a “guilty feminist”; Frances-White claimed that she was a feminist but hired a man and a woman of different races, sheepishly paying the man more because he was of color and a single parent. It was invigorating to hear all these women make fun of their both feminist and non-feminist ways that seem to contradict each other, making them a true “guilty feminist.”
The second act was an Irish woman comedian, making a plethora of jokes about how Ireland has changed and become more modern. She claimed that her country has a “transgender research center for vegans", poking fun at how much more progressive Ireland has become in the past few years.
After a brief intermission, another glass of wine and a quick chat with my professor and classmates, Frances-White appears back on stage, discussing the various acts that women are not able to do that men can, like wearing a pantsuit (of all things… haha.) The last act comes on, a woman of color hailing from America, a refreshing break from her British co-stars. I connected with Kiamah (forgive me if I’m butchering her name) more than the other acts as she had studied abroad in England and came back to live here full time, something I hope to do one day. Kiamah had actually conversed with me earlier in the show and asked where I'm from; she got the biggest smile on her face when I told her I was studying abroad from the U.S., and her reaction makes more sense to me now that I know I had referenced her home. Her religious upbringing resonated with me as well as I attended Christian school from first through twelfth grade, looking forward to the day I finally reached college and a breath or fresh air. Kiamah was my favorite act of the night, mainly because of her easily relatable personality, but also because of her open attitude and realist perspective that she provided to The Guilty Feminist.
The Guilty Feminist reminded me that it’s okay to proclaim yourself as a feminist and advocate for equal rights between men and women, even if you sometimes feel guilty for doing things that aren’t so “feminine.” These women comedians had me cackling the whole night; their sharp comments, on-their-feet thinking, and even the tone in which they said their jokes is what made the night a true success.
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