Remember the personal essay industrial complex? The 2010s era of Jezebel and xoJane where feminist writers put every raw, messy, private part of themselves on the internet? Lindy West was its brightest star.

Her new memoir, Adult Braces, reckons with what that cost her, and with a marriage that turned out to be more complicated than the happy ending she sold us in her first memoir, Shrill. 

Her book sent the internet into a spiral, enraged conservatives, disappointed some feminists, divided the polyamory community, and inspired her husband to send a very intense email to a Slate writer.

Writer and comedian Ashley Ray joins Bridget to talk about the book, the discourse, and what all of it says about feminist writing, parasocial fandom, and whether the personal essay industrial complex of the 2010s has run its course.

Ashley’s Harper’s piece - Lindy West and the Trap of Perfect Polyamory: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/art-books-music/a70801519/lindy-west-adult-braces/

 

Scaachi’s Slate piece - Lindy West’s How-Not-To Guide to Polyamory: https://slate.com/life/2026/03/lindy-west-polyamory-open-marriage-husband-roya.html

 

She Had a Cat Hair Ball in Her Vagina — or Did She? https://www.thecut.com/2015/09/she-had-cat-hair-in-her-vagina-or-did-she.html 

 

 

Check out Ashley’s Substack Deep Trouble: https://www.deeptrouble.net/ 

 

Let us know what you think by emailing hello@tangoti.com or leaving a comment on Spotify. 

 

Pre-order Bridget's forthcoming audiobook about AI and intimate relationships at LoveAtFirstPrompt.com ! 

 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet || bsky.app/profile/tangoti.bsky.social

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Remember the personal essay industrial complex? The 2010s era of Jezebel and xoJane where feminist writers put every raw, messy, private part of themselves on the internet? Lindy West was its brightest star.
Her new memoir, Adult Braces, reckons with what that cost her, and with a marriage that turned out to be more complicated than the happy ending she sold us in her first memoir, Shrill.&nbsp;
Her book sent the internet into a spiral, enraged conservatives, disappointed some feminists, divided the polyamory community, and inspired her husband to send a very intense email to a Slate writer.
Writer and comedian Ashley Ray joins Bridget to talk about the book, the discourse, and what all of it says about feminist writing, parasocial fandom, and whether the personal essay industrial complex of the 2010s has run its course.
Ashley&rsquo;s Harper&rsquo;s piece - Lindy West and the Trap of Perfect Polyamory: <a href="https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/art-books-music/a70801519/lindy-west-adult-braces/">https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/art-books-music/a70801519/lindy-west-adult-braces/</a>
&nbsp;
Scaachi&rsquo;s Slate piece - Lindy West&rsquo;s How-Not-To Guide to Polyamory: <a href="https://slate.com/life/2026/03/lindy-west-polyamory-open-marriage-husband-roya.html">https://slate.com/life/2026/03/lindy-west-polyamory-open-marriage-husband-roya.html</a>
&nbsp;
She Had a Cat Hair Ball in Her Vagina &mdash; or Did She? <a href="https://www.thecut.com/2015/09/she-had-cat-hair-in-her-vagina-or-did-she.html">https://www.thecut.com/2015/09/she-had-cat-hair-in-her-vagina-or-did-she.html</a>&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Check out Ashley&rsquo;s Substack Deep Trouble: <a href="https://www.deeptrouble.net/">https://www.deeptrouble.net/</a>&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Let us know what you think by emailing <a href="mailto:hello@tangoti.com">hello@tangoti.com</a> or leaving a comment on Spotify.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Pre-order Bridget's forthcoming audiobook about AI and intimate relationships at <a href="http://loveatfirstprompt.com">LoveAtFirstPrompt.com</a> !&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!&nbsp; ||&nbsp; instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||&nbsp; youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet || bsky.app/profile/tangoti.bsky.social
&nbsp;
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marginalized voices have always been at the forefront of the internet, yet our stories often go overlooked. Bridget Todd chronicles our experiences online, and the ways marginalized voices have shaped the internet from the very beginning. We need monuments to all of the identities that make being online what it is. So let’s build them.

There Are No Girls on the Internet

Lindy West Told Us Everything in Adult Braces. Was It a Mistake?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/29e7bfd4-4016-4760-9f3f-b417013b8d20/transcript