As a feminist blogger, she had to learn to “not take the haters too seriously.”

 Question: What's the biggest obstacle you've ever had to overcome?

Jessica Valenti: The biggest obstacle I ever had to overcome. I think the biggest obstacle I still have to overcome is myself, and just kind of struggling every day with what to do with the work and where to go next. I think that we're our own worst enemies in a lot of ways, especially when it comes to doing work where you're criticized a lot or doing work where there's a lot of hater directed at you; and to not constantly second-guess yourself. And so I think just getting over that and recognizing that I actually do know what's best for me, that I do know what's best for the community that I'm helping foster with other people, that we do know what's best for the people in our lives, and to not take the haters too seriously.

December 11, 2009