feminist theory and existentialism beyond the "thought daughter" aesthetic

diverse feminist and existential voices for a new era

As a college english major student, I would sit cross-legged in the public library for hours, browsing spines of books I only half-understood but felt compelled to carry home. It was a ritualistic kind of aspiration, one marked by the certainty that literature held answers to questions I didn’t yet know how to articulate. My tote bag always weighed more on the way back, filled with names like Nin, Beauvoir, and Plath—voices that shaped a part of me I still carry. But as I’ve grown older, something began to gnaw at me: how narrow that canon felt, how curated and incomplete. It was missing a world of voices that weren’t afforded the same space to speak.

In an age where the "lit girl" and "thought daughter" aesthetic dominates cultural discourse, it’s tempting to lean into the familiar tropes of introspection and intellectualism—a curated bookshelf filled with Joan Didion, Sylvia Plath, and Simone de Beauvoir. These figures have their place, of course, but the dominance of their narratives often eclipses the richness of feminist theory and existential thought that emerges from other perspectives. What’s missing in the trending "it girl" canon is the vital inclusion of Black, Indigenous, Palestinian, Asian, and Latinx voices—authors who interrogate existence and identity in ways that expand and challenge the boundaries of the genre.

The cultural phenomenon of the "thought daughter" is rooted in a particular kind of self-reflection: the introspective woman grappling with her place in the world, often framed within a Eurocentric, individualistic lens. While these narratives can be compelling, they risk perpetuating a limited view of existentialism as something exclusively Western and white. The very foundations of existential philosophy, tied to thinkers like Sartre and Camus, often erase the lived experiences of those whose existential struggles stem not from ennui but from systemic oppression, displacement, and survival.

Diversifying the existential novel requires acknowledging that questions of existence, freedom, and identity are not universal in their framing—they are deeply shaped by context, culture, and history. Take, for example, The Hour of the Star by Brazilian writer Clarice Lispector. Lispector’s protagonist, Macabéa, is not a brooding intellectual but a poor, marginalized woman navigating a life of invisibility. Her story reframes existentialism through the lens of poverty and gender, challenging us to rethink what it means to live a meaningful life.

Similarly, Palestinian poet and novelist Sahar Khalifeh interrogates existence under occupation in Wild Thorns. Her characters grapple with the moral ambiguities of resistance and survival, painting a portrait of existentialism that is inseparable from collective struggle and historical trauma.

In Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin, existential questions of identity and faith are explored through the lens of Black American experience. Baldwin’s prose interrogates not just the individual’s place in the world but the ways in which systemic racism shapes one’s understanding of freedom, responsibility, and selfhood.

The same is true for feminist theory, which has often centered white, Western voices at the expense of a more global perspective. While Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex remains a cornerstone of feminist philosophy, it is incomplete without the works of thinkers like Chandra Talpade Mohanty, whose Feminism Without Borders critiques the colonial underpinnings of Western feminism. Mohanty’s work reminds us that solidarity must be built across differences, not by erasing them.

Audre Lorde’s Sister Outsider similarly expands the boundaries of feminist thought by insisting that personal identity—race, sexuality, class—is central to any meaningful political movement. Lorde’s insistence on the "erotic as power" challenges the sanitized intellectualism of traditional feminist theory, urging us to embrace the messy, embodied realities of our lives.

From the Latinx tradition, Gloria Anzaldúa’s Borderlands/La Frontera explores the existential tension of living between cultures, languages, and identities. Anzaldúa’s concept of the “new mestiza” offers a vision of identity that is fluid, hybrid, and transformative, challenging rigid binaries of belonging and exclusion..

In a time when the literary world celebrates aesthetics and relatability, expanding the canon of feminist and existential thought is an act of resistance. It’s a reminder that literature is not just about seeing ourselves reflected—it’s about seeing the world more fully. It’s about encountering stories that challenge our assumptions, that force us to sit with discomfort, and that expand our capacity for empathy.

By diversifying the voices we read, we also diversify the ways we understand the ethics of existence, freedom, and resistance. This matters not only for those whose stories have been marginalized but for all of us who are navigating a world that is increasingly interconnected yet profoundly divided.

If you’re ready to expand your bookshelf, here are a few recommendations to deepen your engagement with feminist theory and the existential novel:

• Sahar Khalifeh, Wild Thorns – A powerful exploration of Palestinian resistance and the existential questions of living under occupation.

• Clarice Lispector, The Hour of the Star – A haunting meditation on invisibility, poverty, and the search for meaning.

• James Baldwin, Go Tell It on the Mountain – A deeply personal and universal story of identity, faith, and freedom.

• Audre Lorde, Sister Outsider – Essays that challenge us to embrace our differences as sources of strength.

• Gloria Anzaldúa, Borderlands/La Frontera – A groundbreaking work on identity, culture, and the power of the in-between.

• Chandra Talpade Mohanty, Feminism Without Borders – A decolonial critique of Western feminist theory.

• Valeria Luiselli, Lost Children Archive – A contemporary existential novel that explores displacement, storytelling, and the borders we construct.

Moving Beyond the Trend

The trending "lit girl" aesthetic is not inherently harmful, but it becomes limiting when it excludes the breadth of voices that make literature transformative. By engaging with feminist and existential works from diverse traditions, we resist the commodification of art and thought, choosing instead to honor the complexity of human experience.

What are the books that have reshaped your understanding of existence, identity, or freedom? I’d love to hear your recommendations.

Warmly,

Christina