A Resolution

There has been a huge controversy in the feminist blogosphere involving allegations of plagiarism/appropriation of a woman of color's work by a white woman. I am not posting this to engage the debate. I am very sad to see brownfemipower deleted her blog La Chola.

This recent event must be understood in a context of issues of feminism and race. You can read various perspectives and contextual understanding (and attempts at discussion) from:

Alas, A Blog
Feministe
The Curvature

Melissa at Shakesville posted a terrific set of resolutions arising from the situation that I am citing here to show my full agreement with and commitment to them as a feminist blogger:

We will write about, discuss, advocate, and recognize as integral to the central tenets of feminism/womanism issues our sisters of color bring to our attention.

We will link to our sisters of color—in the blogroll, in the blogarounds, and in posts—and will welcome them as commenters, guest posters, and contributors at Shakesville.

We will not appropriate their work, but amplify their work and integrate their ideas with attribution.

We will endeavor always to be aware of our privilege, and, in moments of failure, will remain open to criticisms and suggestions, resolve to think twice before responding defensively, and apologize when we fuck up.

We resolve to listen to you.

And I agree wholeheartedly.

Sincerely,
LindaBeth

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Did those crazy rad-fems really burn their bras? Telling women's history right

So I hear in passing all the time people mentioning "bra-burning feminists" in the '60's. If I'm in any way involved in the conversation, I try to correct or at least clarify the story where that (in)famous image of second-wave feminists comes from.

Huff-Po has a good "let's get the story straight" article just in time for Women's History Month to be...over. Read it. If nothing else than then you can allude to the historical event without sounding like an idiot. The Cliff's notes version is below:

Women's underthings used to be ridiculously uncomfortable. In fact, the concept of comfort is a pretty new idea. So when feminism came along and suggested going au natural over being in pain to achieve the perfect hourglass figure, it was a pretty strong argument. And what better place to state your distaste for sexist undergarments than the Miss. America. Beauty. Pageant.
...

Back on the sidewalk outside Atlantic City Hall, hundreds of women filled a trash can with girdles, high-heeled shoes, false eyelashes, makeup and bras.

And in fairness to the myth, the desire to light a fire was there, but there was just one problem. No one could get permission to do it. Since the boardwalk was wooden, the fire would be unsafe. So, these radical women were left with a trash can full of the cast-aways of womanhood. But instead of a fiery protest, it was just a big trash can full of junk.

...

Let's be clear here. These women in 1968 did burn. They burned with the desire for change, for equal rights, for comfort, for being free from the pressure of making their bodies mold to ridiculous looks that had nothing to do with an actual woman's body. But they did not burn bras.

You know, it irritates me pretty good when I hear the "bra-burning feminists" label because it is usually said with contempt or at least annoyance--as in, "here go those man-hating feminists, complaining about femininity." To be clear, feminists hate the ubiquitous compulsory, restrictive, male-centered expectations of femininity. It doesn't mean a feminist can't want to or enjoy putting on pretty underwear every once in a while, or that she won't even indulge in any "feminine" pleasures. And if you don't think a male-centered idea of femininity (and sexuality) is compulsory and not wholly "chosen"--which is really a topic for a post of its own--at least chew on this.

If you ask me, would could use a little more public trashings of high-heeled shoes, bras, makeup, and fake eyelashes...not to mention hot wax, anal bleach, dresses that only look good if you don't move, a bunch of mainstream porn, diet pills, laxatives, and all that silicone we inject in our breasts, lips, butt, and what not...

But that's just me.

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Musings: Struggling to Share What/Who Feminism is For

Salon's Broadsheet has this recent article: "Welcome to the 'Menaissance'", which, I have to say, struck me kinda funny...but also sad. It also struck a chord for me in light my recent thoughts pondering how people can take feminism so...wrong, especially when it's something I have lived and breathed for the past 10 years, and what has fundamental to my understanding my experiences, others' experiences, and the world around me.

I have been cruising around the blogosphere lately, and seen in abundance the incredibly angst that many men feel toward feminism. Clearly, feminism has ruined their life. It took away their housekeeper, it has subjected them to sexual activity that doesn't revolve around their needs, it has meant legislation and social policy that doesn't take men's experiences for human experience; women's economic independence has meant they men can no longer expect to be able to provide for a woman in exchange for control over her body and labor, and it has also meant that economic security is not enough to gain access to women at all.

And let me tell you, some men are really pissed. And say it's feminism's fault. And when women behave badly? Also feminism's fault. They fail to see that an analysis of gender as a hierarchical institutional system of oppression is not just about women's rights, but about analyzing society to reveal how the structure is harmful to all involved, but that equality often also means giving up some privileges. Women's rights, however, often get rewritten as "special rights and advantages," because from a man's perspective, it might look that way because they are accustomed to seeing male-centered society as just "society." The work structure that follows from men's needs is seen as just "the workplace." Men then end up resisting feminism, viewing it as advocating female dominance rather than see it as liberating masculinity as well as femininity.

I suppose I'm rambling on a bit and being vague, but I'm doing that a bit on purpose because I'm not trying to accuse or blame any particular individuals or websites. But I have had an interesting few days observing the way that many men perceive feminism-they perceive it as threatening (which is it-to structural male privilege), but in articulating their frustrations (and often rightly so) about their masculine gender role/expectation, feminism, and not patriarchy, is blamed. And it really is too bad. I've tried interacting with some of them, and let me tell you it's really tough to break all these assumptions about what feminism is and what it isn't, and articulating bad behavior that some women exhibit toward some men vs patriarchy as a cultural system of privilege. Not to mention that feminism does not advocate women's bad behavior-women, for example, lying about being raped! Yet feminism gets blamed for this (because feminism created rape, I suppose, since it suggests women can say no if they don't want sex. Or because feminism I guess teaches women to use whatever they can to their advantage).

We're all concerned with young women not wanting to embrace the term 'feminist' because of much cultural misunderstanding. I think that problem is easier to address (by tangibly addressing real-life issues like Jessica Valenti does in her book) than how do we show men that feminism is their friend? That much of what they attribute to feminism is really a result of patriarchy? How do we convince them that it is worth it to give up some privilege in order to live safer and more meaningful lives?

Back to the Broadsheet article:

More than half of the men believe society is turning them into "waxed and coiffed metrosexuals."

Fifty-two percent say they are forced to live by women's rules.

Four out of 10 men are scared of spiders, while a third are scared of "bossy women."

Many men feel they have to play too many roles.

For a sample of men allegedly enamored with stereotypical masculinity, they're awfully whiny. Women are fairly familiar with the pressure to be "waxed and coiffed," living by men's rules and struggling to balance family with work. These men do, indeed, seem burdened and resentful, but to them, I say: Welcome to the party!

While I don't necessarily say welcome (although in some cases I do), it's funny how these struggles are seen to be a result of feminism's challenge to gender roles, therefore a reversion to traditional masculinity is seen as the solution, rather than the problem. I think men's anxieties are very real and are surfacing now because the way we typically think about gender and sexuality has changed as a result of feminism and queer movements, and these changes and challenges bring into relief how traditional masculinity was predicated on a particular form of femininity and organization of sexuality.

So I don't want to welcome men into women's struggles with patriarchy, except to hope their struggles might become the ground on which to be able to say, "I advocate feminism."

(the inclusion of this video is not to imply that The Feminist Majority speaks for all feminisms or all women)

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"Can There Be Feminist Porn?" A Great Open-Thread Over at Feminism 101

There's a great open thread at Finally, a Feminism 101 Blog, "Can there Be Feminist Porn?" inspired by Good for Her's Feminist Porn Awards. Some good discussion going on-check it out and add your voice to the discussion there!

The blog itself is also really great, so check it out too.

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Why We Still Need Women's History Month, and other things that remind us that patriarchy isn't over

I mean, [sarcasticly] "Isn't Feminism Irrelevant?"

AfterEllen has a great posting using recent events about why feminism is still needed. And what a great line from one commenter:

We have Come a Long Way Baby, but it's a short journey back.

Spot-on!

Check out the full post here.

Also goes along with this great comic via feministing:



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