In Defense Of Bitches

This is about Martha Stewart.

Welcome to Cheaper Than Therapy, a newsletter for 80s babies by Shani Silver.

If you haven’t watched Martha, Netflix’s new documentary on Martha Stewart, for heaven’s sake stop reading me and get to work. This rock-solid doc doesn’t waste a minute, doesn’t spare its subject, and doesn’t care if you like this woman or not; the point is that you get to know her. While there was most certainly a heavy element of hot blonde at play in Martha’s life (I was genuinely amazed at how many opportunities simply found her, literally her future sister-in-law walked up to her and said, “Would you like to go out with my tall, handsome, incredibly rich brother?”), her pretty privilege wasn’t really the focus. Being a controlling bitch seemed to feature more heavily.

I have a soft spot for people who aren’t soft enough for society. Women who are direct, relentless, and most often really fucking talented—I don’t like to hear people criticize them just because they don’t communicate with enough honey in their tone. I think it takes a bitch to know a bitch, and I’m entirely confident that Martha Stewart is among our highest ranking officials. People who think the world should exist tailor-made for them at all times should clean up their own ruffled feathers and stop expecting us to whip out a broom. A bitch is a woman who doesn’t do what you want her to, have you noticed?