The first time I encountered Caitlin Moran was in my first year of high school, my mum had picked up a copy of her non-fiction work ‘How to be a Woman’, an account of her experiences as a woman from growing up as a teenager to her mid-thirties. It also happened to be the first piece of non-fictional feminist writing I had ever read; women can talk about their bodies and periods without being embarrassed? This was news to me at the time. Self-deprecating humour mixed with raw honesty about the truths of what it is like to grow up as a girl and the questions we have as women about the experiences only our gender experience produced what I believe is an essential read for the female-kind everywhere. Moran is an absolutely positive female idol…show more content… Surprisingly, however, that was not how our encounter occurred; ‘Abi, wait, I think that’s Caitlin Moran!’ I called to my friend as I stood continuing to stare, which could have been definitely interpreted as creepy. My friend replied ‘Who’s Caitlin Moran?’ to which I gave an essay-length response about which of her books she NEEDED to read first, and after which she finally convinced me to go and speak to her; somehow unable to speak I very gratefully stood as my friend introduced us and told her what a fan of her work I was. I have to clarify she was just as lovely and pleasant in reality and continued to ask me about my festival experience to which I replied ‘good thanks, not too many drugged people’ a seemingly illiterate comment to which I gave myself a mental slap. I cannot possibly explain how dumbstruck I felt having met someone who I had idolized for so long. I am forever grateful for the inspiration she has given me as both a young feminist and aspiring writer, and am able to say circumstance allowed me to meet her on my birthday – an unlikely situation in which I unfortunately definitely embarrassed myself. So, that is the time I met
