Pod Save America Roxane Gay on the Myth of Civility
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Oct 5, 2025 
Roxane Gay, a New York Times bestselling author and cultural critic, dives into the complexities of civility in political discourse. She argues that calls for civility often serve to protect the privileged, contrasting it with the urgency of incivility in advocating for accountability. Roxane examines the dangers of the manosphere and emphasizes the need for men to hold each other accountable. She discusses the ongoing importance of feminism and warns about disinformation and authoritarianism in the U.S., advocating for bolder political action to effect change.
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Political Performances Of Mourning
- Gay views politicians' rapid calls for "civility" after Charlie Kirk's assassination as performative.
- She rejects mourning someone whose politics actively harm marginalized people while still condemning murder.
Own The Fight Publicly
- Gay urges Democrats to own principled fights publicly instead of hedging responsibility.
- She suggests framing actions as necessary leadership to force accountability and clarity.
Go On The Offensive
- Gay tells Democrats to stop always defending and start going on offense with clear messaging.
- She advises they use obvious failures of the administration as direct political ammunition.
