Born in [[El Paso, Texas]], Marcotte (rhymes with far-caught, according to her<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.salon.com/2016/03/08/sorry_fox_business_network_but_feminists_shouldnt_see_nancy_reagan_as_a_role_model/|title=Sorry, Fox Business Network, but feminists shouldn't see Nancy Reagan as a "role model"|first=Amanda|last=Marcotte|date=March 8, 2016|website=Salon}}</ref>) was raised in the small town of [[Alpine, Texas]] in the [[Trans-Pecos]] region in a Jewish household. She graduated summa cum laude from [[St. Edward's University]] in [[Austin, Texas]] with a degree in [[English literature]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Book details: Get opinionated: a progressive's guide to finding your voice (and taking a little action) | url = http://www.sealpress.com/book.php?isbn=9781580053020 | website = sealpress.com | publisher = Seal Press | access-date = 2012-05-31 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101128162627/http://sealpress.com/book.php?isbn=9781580053020 | archive-date = 2010-11-28 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Around 2004, she began writing for the liberal blog Pandagon.net, then later for ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'' and ''[[The Guardian]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.doublex.com/users/amanda-marcotte|title=Amanda Marcotte at Slate|access-date=2011-03-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090923212214/http://www.doublex.com/users/amanda-marcotte|archive-date=2009-09-23|url-status=dead}}
