The power of Adrienne Rich's poetry is undeniable. Taking on gender constraints and militarism, including the Vietnam War, Diving into the Wreck was a revolutionary collection when it won the National Book Award in 1974. In today's global political and climate instability, it still feels relevant. Even if it didn't, the words themselves are profoundly moving.

Still, I feel uncomfortable praising Rich's work without an acknowledgement of her influence on trans-exclusionary radical feminism, although she was certainly not the only second-wave radical feminist who held these views. I recommend this article by Jennifer Finney Boylan about being a trans woman who found meaning in Rich's poetry in spite of this. It's only one opinion but I think it's part of a necessary conversation.