I think it aptly fits her definition of the word Thick, being “too much here, too little there”. I believe her usage of the idea of being problematic in the eyes of the privileged demonstrates the limitations that are placed on her for simply being herself. Cottom speaks a lot about the death of the personal essay, and quite often uses the word “problem”. Some write, as Cottom references, as “the self”, represented through the personal essay, because that is the only medium throughout society she has a safe space. This quote personally moved me as an aspiring writer and English teacher. We were writing personal essays because as far as the authoritative voices go, the self as the only subject men and white people would cede to us,” (Cottom, 22). I find it powerful that Cottom states, “For us, the personal essay genre became a contested point of entry into a low margin form of public discourse where we could at least appeal to the politics of white feminist inclusion for nominal representation. Because of the saturation of the personal essay, they are largely unheard, which is a shame.

I wholeheartedly agree with the premise that the difference within the people who can write about a car, a movie, and the people writing about their struggles is privilege. Rather, the “cat hair in the vagina”, or an essay about remedial personal interests is what has robbed many people an opportunity to share their stories and find a living doing so.

The space for many women of color, queer, and trans women had no longer become a place for anything of value. Cottom’s words on the personal essay are profound.

Tressie mcmillan cottom thick