Buffy Tyler

Buffy Tyler is the pseudonym of British author Sally Wainwright who chose the name after Buffy Summers, the iconic protagonist of the groundbreaking television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Wainwright writes mainly about strong female characters and issues such as body positivity and feminism. She has stated in interviews that she wants to write a book that will “stick in people’s minds” and that her work is often inspired by real-life events.

Body Positivity

The first novel, The Summer of ’69, was inspired by Wainwright’s experiences of growing up during the early years of the feminist movement in the 1960s. It follows the story of 18-year-old college student Tina Winter as she confronts sexism and challenges society’s traditional views on women’s bodies. In an interview with Elle magazine, Wainwright said:

“When I was growing up in the 60s, there were just so many rules regarding what you could and couldn’t do with your body…You couldn’t play sports, you couldn’t go to war, you couldn’t appear in public with your hair uncovered. So, being a girl in those days was really quite awful.”

The main character Tina is a strong, independent woman who doesn’t suffer fools gladly and isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in. She is also very much aware of her own body and doesn’t let society’s stereotypes about plus size bodies get in the way of her enjoying herself.

“Tina doesn’t fit the usual small-busted/curvy archetype and that’s something that both fascinates and repulses me. I want to write a book where women aren’t defined by their size but by their character.”

Feminism

Another theme that runs through Buffy Tyler’s work is feminism. This is evident in her 2006 book, The Slutty Pumpkin, which was inspired by the Halloween character of the same name. In the book, which is set in the 1960s, feminist Mabel Whitehead clashes with the patriarchy as she leads a campaign to decriminalize premarital sex. Whitehead is a feisty, independent-minded character who takes no shit from men and refuses to be bound by society’s expectations and rules. She is a role model for young women who want to be bold and assertive.

Whitehead is portrayed by actress Emma Thompson in the 2005 film adaptation of the same name. The role earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress and is widely considered one of the greatest performances in the history of cinema.

In an interview with Elle magazine in 2016, Wainwright said:

“One thing I noticed while researching The Slutty Pumpkin was that there are a lot of parallels between the stories of Emma [Thompson] and Mabel [Whitehead]. They’re such incredible, strong women who refuse to be bound by society’s expectations and don’t let any man come between them and their ambitions.”

Wainwright has also written two other books about strong women who defy traditional gender roles, namely, 2015’s The Midnight Club and 2017’s The Cut-Throat Woman. Interestingly, all of Wainwright’s books feature a prominent female character who refuses to conform to conventional ideas of beauty and attractiveness, leading her to question whether she should write more in this genre.

On the topic of gender, Wainwright said in an interview with the Huffington Post in 2017:

“I’ve noticed that many brilliant sci-fi/fantasy stories feature strong, independent women who don’t bother with men. So, I think it’s quite interesting that people are starting to see that there’s more than one type of woman that deserves attention.”

While Wainwright’s books are a great source of inspiration for readers, it is important not to become too dependent on fiction. After all, it’s only stories that we allow ourselves to escape into when reality gets a little too much. In 2018, it’s imperative that we keep reality close and guard against all threats, whether they come from within or without. Luckily for us, the world is full of wondrous stories and songs that remind us of what is important in life. Perhaps one of these stories will inspire you to write your own.