Fashioning Manipulation

 I am engaging in what Jess calls Monogomous Dressing, which I do frequently.  I am once again wearing The Most Versatile Dress I've Ever Owned because I wore it last week when I visited my mom in Kansas City and promised myself that that would be the last time I wore it before I got it dry cleaned.  Well, what's one more time? Especially since I'll just be spending my afternoon in the library writing and students aren't exactly known for smelling great.  But that's what the Chanel No. Five is for.

dress - Corey Lynn Calter/Anthro (remixed)

cardi - GAP (giftcarded  & remixed)

tights - Assets/Target

boots - Plenty by Tracy Reese via Piperlime (remixed)

necklace - Urban Outfitters (remixed)

earrings - Anthro (remixed)

scarf and sunglasses - H&M (remixed)

 I'm at least a month overdue for a trim and because I have an important interview and a conference coming up I'm freaking out about the length of my hair again.  In the fall, I contemplated cutting a lot of it off because longer hair makes me look younger and generally connotes youth.  I tend to place a lot of anxiety on my hair because its changeable and I can't change my height, which has the biggest impact about the perception of my age and academic authority upon seeing me (as opposed to conversing with me).  For a few days last week I was convinced that I needed to cut off at least five inches otherwise my paper will not be well received and I will bomb the interview.  Then, Sara linked to a hair-do-how-to and since I saw that I've calmed down a bit and decided that I will continue to keep it long but start experimenting more with ways of putting it up that aren't a haphazard ponytail tuck thingie, i.e. Gym Hair.

Had I not been visiting my mom last Friday I would also have participated in Modly Chic's Friend Friday on Feminism. Many thanks to Katy for her questions and to the participating bloggers who took them on (and also, a congrats to Katy on the DIY publication of her YA novel, Aurora Undefined.) As it's Tuesday, I'm not going to respond to this now, but I was especially delighted to see questions 1 and 4, which were "Do you think there is an incompatibility between feminism and a love for fashion?" and "How is your self-image and the way you carry yourself informed by your beliefs?" All I will say is that there must be some critical navigation and self-introspection when it comes to feminism and fashion, even fashion is a verb and has a DIY quality to it. 

And I liked the other question even better because it cast a wide net about the intersection of fashion and our beliefs, convictions, politics, and ethics and about the place of visible public subjectivit(ies)y.  It's something I think a lot about as an academic and as an instructor, both in terms of research and self-fashioning.  My research into spectatorship and visual culture can also make me hyper aware of how things are "read" by others and how little control we have over reception and perception, hence my apprehension about my height, hair, and age in academic settings.  I think our knowledge of the wide variety of ways in which our appearances can be received actually causes more manipulation and dissembling through fashion than it does "authentic self-expression."  Not that that's necessarily a negative thing.  I wear pearls in the university classroom but have never worn them to teach  ESL (English as as Second Language).  Alternatively, I often forgo wearing a Miraculous Medal, which I wear on a nearly daily basis, in high stakes situations when I am initially meeting others (interviews, conferences, first day of class), but I've never taken it off for ESL.  I would be incredibly naive and self-deceiving if I said that the difference is simply accessorizing preferences from one day and time to the next.

What sartorial or accessorizing choices do you find yourself manipulating?  Do you have a "neutral" outfit that you wear when you want the focus off of yourself? Academics, is there anything you took off or put on for job talks or interviews?

What a Feminist Looks Like: A Fashionable Academics Virtual Conference

Back in January we issued a call for submissions to a virtual conference on "what a feminist looks like" and we got a number of really fantastic responses to our CFP.  In the past month, we here at Fashionable Academics we have posted some of the reasons that we're feminists, explored the origins of our feminism and the role of feminism in our scholarship and teaching, and discussed some of our feminist style icons.

To see what a feminist looks like and to read some of the amazing panelists' thoughts on feminism click through the jump.  (It's long but well worth the read!) Thanks to all who submitted!

1. JoAnn of Sidewalk Chic

"The word "feminist" is too often thought of as a pejorative, almost always associated with other meant-to-be derogatory words: abrasive, non-traditional and radical. It's unfortunate, because to me, that negative association tries to unravel the hard work of women and men for equal rights.
To me, feminism has always been about one thing: equality. The equality of pay, opportunities, freedom from harassment, and the ability to work and live without deferring to the whims of bias and prejudice against my gender. Being a feminist means that I don't let anyone define me by their idea of what a woman should be."

2. Maureen

"I consider myself a feminist. Being a feminist means having control of your body and embracing being a woman. Some people do a double take when I say that I am a feminist. I am your typical girl. I hate wearing pants, I am a teacher and I love to cook. I love my woman-ly figure. As a feminist I am highly educated and knows my rights. I am passionate and unstoppable. I have emotions and I am not afraid to hide them from the world. I don't let people take advantage of me just because I am a short, petite woman. Being a feminist means standing up for what you believe and not letting someone silence you.  This is what a feminist looks like."

3. Allison of Tall Girl Blogging

"I definitely think of myself as a feminist. One example of what feminism means to me?  I'm a social worker and practice from a feminist counselling perspective. This means that I work to address and equalize power differentials in the client/therapist relationship, that I focus on strengths versus deficits, and that I highlight the structural barriers and forces that continue to marginalize many people."

4. Sally McGraw of Already Pretty

"A few months ago, I was chatting with a new girlfriend and she said, "I'm not a feminist or anything, but ..."

I wish I could remember what followed that sentence fragment, but I can't. Mostly because I was so shocked by her statement that my brain got stuck. Our conversation had centered on female body image, empowerment, and the importance of self-care, so I'd assumed my own feminist leanings were pretty clear. But she chose quite specifically to dissociate herself from the ideology.
I didn't confront her about it at the time because my guess was that she meant, "I don't hate men, I don't feel the need to criticize my fellow women for making non-feminist choices, and I don't hold the patriarchy responsible for all the evils of the world." My guess was that she wasn't thinking of feminism in the same way that I do, and that tabling the conversation for another time when we could poke and prod at the topic at leisure would be more informative for both of us.
As for me, I stick to the basics. I'm a feminist because I believe that women are equal to men, equally important in the world to men, and deserve equal opportunities and equal respect to men. Feminism is a vast, complex movement with a long history, and I acknowledge that there are levels of belief and battle that I may never engage. That doesn't make me any less of a feminist. And although many of my life choices draw the fire of other feminists - wearing heels and short skirts, doling out figure flattery advice, sporting a wedding band - my core belief in equality is what aligns me with this ideology.
There's no one right way to be a feminist. Hopefully, I can help my friend find her own way someday."

5. Grace of What If No one's Watching?

6. Sadie of Knitting up the ravelled sleeve of care

"I don't believe that gender (or any other arbitrary accidents of birth) should affect people's chances in life or the way they are treated. So I am a feminist. I believe feminism is about equality and making sure that everyone gets the same chances in life regardless of whether they're male or female; it's as important that men have the chance to be the primary carers for their children as that women can become CEOs of global corporations. I also think that we are a still very long way from that equality, that inequality hurts men as much as it does women, and that anyone who says we don't need feminism any more needs hitting about the head with the clue stick a few times."

7. Martha of Ef for Effort

"I have considered myself a feminist since...well, for as long as I can remember.  In my family there was never any question that women are equal to men, that women deserve the same opportunities, rights and responsibilities as men, that women should be allowed to have choices: in school, in work, in making their lives, in friends, in lovers, and, maybe most importantly because it can make all the other choice possible, in having or not having children when and if they are ready.  Access to birth control, sex education, and abortion are paramount."

8. Ariana of Feministified

"To me feminism is about being conscious and aware of everything you say and every action you make. It is about watching your language, and not shaming any group of people, regardless of gender, class, ethnicity, weight, ability, religion, etc.  It is about more than knowing your own fight against the heterosexual-white-man in power; that is, being aware that there are others who also struggle, if not more so, than yourself. It is about teaching and spreading knowledge and consciousness. It is about being active and proactive. Feminism is about taking a stand for humanity and calling bullshit where bullshit deserves to be called. Feminism is about finding your inner strength and power. It is about accepting and embracing every part of yourself, even if it takes baby-steps. Once you find your power through feminism, there is no one who can hold you back or tell you that you are incapable of anything. Feminism was my lifesaver. It taught me to be fearless. It taught me to be rowdy and unruly. It taught me to think for myself, and to take others into consideration. Feminism has opened my world to some of the most amazing people I would not have met through any other avenue. And to that I say thank you, feminism."

9. Jean of Jean of all Trades

“Feminism is about equality, opportunity, and choice. I believe all people should have access to the same opportunities: jobs, healthcare, education. Everyone should have the choice to pursue a career, raise a family, do both, or neither. I believe that one’s gender shouldn’t preclude one from a job, and that men and women performing the same jobs deserve the same pay. I believe anyone, regardless of gender, can be a feminist. Feminism is not a four-letter word; I’m proud to call myself one.”

10. Jesspgh of Consume or Consumed

"Feminism has been the guiding philosophical thread of my academic career. And for me it means embodying and championing bell hooks’ notion that feminism is for everybody. Students are often reluctant to self-identify as feminists, shying away from the much-maligned word. My role is to reframe their definition of feminism, moving it away from wounds left by backlash but also refusing to dilute or disempower its potential. I begin with the concept of reflexivity. A feminist outlook includes reflexivity and gratitude in addition to the space for frustration and anger. Feminism encourages thoughtful reflections about privilege. It fosters the idea that privileges come in many forms. Feminism interrogates not only gendered privilege but class privilege, racial privilege, intellectual privilege, ethnic privilege, national privilege, able privileges, sexual identity privileges, faith/spiritually situated privileges, etc. It takes seriously the idea that class privileges do not only connect with wealth. Pierre Bourdieu’s notion of non-financial forms of capital couples with Patricia Hill Collins’ belief that power functioning in matrices. Add Kimberle Crenshaw’s theory about intersectionality, (i.e. that is not productive to look only at one aspect of identity in isolation from others), and you can shed light on how to become more reflexive about privilege. These ideas help students understand relationships of power and the systemic marginalizations that can result.  My hope is that our conversations inspire not only gratitude and frustration, and a sense of feminist inclusion, but also I strive to cultivate a shared feeling of civic obligation. Together we should do what we can to ameliorate privilege discrepancies on local, national, and global scales. For me that is what it means to be a feminist."

11. Elly of Adventures in Refashioning

"I am a female computer scientist: to me, feminism means pushing for a world where the description of myself as "female" does not affect others' perception of my skill as a "computer scientist."  To me, feminism means equality of pay and equality of opportunity for men and women, without labeling either men or women as inherently, stereotypically, "better" at particular things.  I believe we can recognize and be comfortable with differences (both societal and biological) between the genders while primarily supporting and honoring the unique abilities of each person regardless of their gender.  If a person performs behaviors currently associated more with men or with women (or anywhere in between), I believe that performance should not reflect on that person's overall capabilities or their relationship to feminism.  I am not more of a feminist when I wear a little mascara, or red lipstick, or no makeup at all.  I am not more of a feminist when I wear sneakers or stilettos or boots.  I am not more of a feminist when I study costume design or computer science or physics or cooking. In my ideal world, one's behaviors and ways of presenting oneself to the world are primarily expressions of self rather than expressions of a fixed or stereotyped gender."

12. Sara of Orchids in Buttonholes

"The only way for me to put into words what I believe is to borrow those of someone far more bold, far more adventurous, far more articulate:From the beginning the distinct feature of our Association has been the right of individual opinion for every member.  We have been beset at every step with the cry that somebody was injuring the cause. . . .  The question is whether you will sit in judgment on a woman that has written views different from yours. If she had written your views you would not object . . .  When this platform is too narrow for people of all creeds to stand on, I shall not be on it.  You had better organize one woman on a broad platform than 10,000 on a narrow platform of intolerance and bigotry. — Susan B. Anthony, 1896"

13. Veshoevius of The Taxonomy of My Wardrobe

"Being a feminist to me has meant:

-taking responsibility to become well educated, to do well at school and university, to commit to continue learning all my life and seek excellence in all that I do.  I do this in the recognition that had I been born in another era or culture the life changing opportunity of getting an education and a career would have not have been available to me;

-I have not allowed social stereotypes and the fact that certain industries continue to be male dominated to deter me from working in them;

-fighting in ways I can to ensure that opportunities are equal in the workplace for women;

-continuing to object to the sexual objectification of women in society and how it demeans all of us;

-continuing to support efforts by politicians or social groups to improve the safety of women in society by reducing the incidence and acceptance of sexual assualt and domestic violence.

I submitted an old collage of outfit photos precisely because I don't think me being a feminist should limit what I wear.  I should be able to wear what I want and still be able to call myself a feminist."

14. S. of Narrowly Tailored


15. Millie of Interrobangs Anonymous

"It's difficult to draw borders around my feminism and succinctly state what it means to me, because my feminism infuses so much of my perspective.  In broad terms, my feminism is centered on critical thought, challenging traditional social norms, and (most importantly) making the world a safer and more equitable place for women and men to live.  In style blogging terms, feminism gives me a framework to evaluate how clothes and style construct and present and image of me to my community and the world at large.   I'm a grad student in the physical sciences, which unfortunately is not a corner of academia known for snappy dressing, and my feminism, which insists that I don't just fall into the socially sanctioned line without critical thought, helps me navigate my visual identity through often poorly charted territory.  I'm proud to call myself a feminist, and do publicly whenever it's relevant (no hedging around with it!)."

16. Katie of Interrobangs Anonymous

"I am a feminist because I believe in absolute and equal rights for all people of all ages, abilities, cultures, sexual orientations and faiths. And I am a feminist because I believe it is the right of every individual to decide who they will be, how they will behave, and what they will believe. And I will happily agree and/or disagree with any other person on the smaller points of defining, interpreting and acting as a feminist as long as we can place our ideas on that foundation of equality."

17. Terri and Keith of Rags Against the Machine

"A feminist has a head, a heart, a brain, two hands, two legs, and reproductive capability.  A feminist makes conscious choices about his/her gender identity and challenges the status quo when & where necessary.  A feminist assumes a freedom of movement within his/her world.  A feminist champions human rights.

My husband and I, for our ages, could easily be classified as second-wave feminists.  I have submitted a photo of my husband, Keith, because he survived his mother's attempt to abort him in 1954.  Many years later, he fought for custody of his four children and raised them for many years on his own.  Then, he married me and assisted in the confusion of rearing of three third-wave feminists.  He is a working class carpenter.  Like any other human being, he has had to negotiate a variety of inequities in our modern world."

18. L., S., E., and A. of Academichic

"We are (from top left to right bottom) L, S, E, and A. We are friends and self-described feminists. We are Asian, Eastern European, Anglo-American, white, mixed, straight, lesbian, ally, queer, mother, soon-to-be mother, questioning motherhood,married, single, questioning marriage, Christian, atheist, professional, teacher, and student. We claim a range of identities, and our politics, activism, service, and scholarship take different forms. Yet, our feminism shares one common ground: we all believe in gender equality and fair treatment for individuals of all races, ages, cultures, religions, sexualities, and classes. That is what feminism means to us."

19. Franca of Oranges and Apples

"For me, being a feminist is about trying to create a world where people are not constrained by gender roles. Where things, behaviours and emotions are no longer socially coded as masculine and feminine, or as for men and for women. Where anyone has access to the full range of behaviours and social positions without being labelled unmanly or unfeminine. As such, I see feminism now to be as much about men as about women, as much about men's rights to express emotions freely and care for their newborn children, as about the rights of women to lead corporations and to be recognised for their brains not their bodies. In my mind, the ultimate outcome would be a society where 'male' and 'female' are purely descriptiors of physical differences along the lines of 'short' or 'tall', and not the determinants of power relations."

20. Chelsea of Dearilou

"Do I consider myself a feminist? I never knew there was another way to be, quite frankly. My mother was not a hardcore feminist, I grew up in a small logging community, and feminism was an F word in school. But I had books. My mother gave me a love of reading, where I found strong women characters. I had Madeline and Eloise, Anne Shirley and Jo March, Alanna the Lioness and Julie of the Wolves, Hermione Granger and Weetzie Bat. I learned from these heroines of fiction that feminine and feminism are not mutually exclusive. I can wear a skirt and speak my mind, too. The skirt doesn't change that."

21. Rad in BK of The Cohabitating Closet

"So far, I've read such great entries from other bloggers about what feminism means to them.  I don't know how much I have to add to this discussion, but I will say something that I've been thinking about for a long time.  I understand myself as a feminist, and I believe this can mean a diversity of things.  I don't, however, believe that "feminism means choice," which is something I read in discussions at Jezebel or other feminist-themed websites.  On the contrary, capitalism provides us with "freedom of choice."  Feminism, however, seeks to investigate and deconstruct our choices-whether they concern our style, our life styles, our politics, our words, and our beliefs. While I agree that we all have the right to our opinions, choices, and other individual expressions, feminism has taught me to recognize that some choices are privileged and some are not.  Some choices reflect the dominant norms and result in social benefits, while some result in social sanction.  To paraphrase George Orwell, all choices are equal, but some choices are more equal than others.  While my age has taught me to have compassion and empathy (and to try not to judge) a broad range of women's life choices, I continue to shudder when marketers attempt to couch consumption choices as feminist "freedom of choice." So for me, feminism is as much about the limitations and oppressions of capitalism as patriarchy on our lives."

22. Claire of My Illustrative Life

"To me, feminism means examining things to see if they are fair and positive, and making choices that point me towards a "yes" on both."

23. Chrissy of The New Me

"My name is Chrissy. I'm 28 years old, I live in Texas, and I am proud to call myself a feminist. 

I believe that every person, regardless of gender, class and race, deserves to be treated with respect and kindness. I believe that we still have a long way to go until this is a reality. Until then, I do my best to support women and minorities and the organizations that help the under-served and oft-attacked. I donate to Planned Parenthood every month. I read books written by diverse authors. I think about how my actions affect other people, from the clothing I buy to the food I eat. I'm not always perfect, but I'm always trying. 

Feminism, to me, means trying. It means working for a better world, even when it seems like the world is working against you. Feminism is believing that the world can and should be better, and using my time on earth to help make it so."

24. K. Bean of Kelly in Beantown


25. E. Jo of In Professorial Fashion

26. Lisa of Techie Style

"What does feminism mean to me?

'I knew that, in a group of 14 Oberlin students, that at least one of you would be able to set up a wireless network. I just didn’t expect you to be so small... and girly.'

I’ve heard a lot of things like that over the years, and that particular quote is the most amusing.  It helps a lot that the person it came from thought the fact I was ‘small and girly’ was great.  However, being ‘small and girly’ is not always an asset when you work in technology.  I’ve been told that I know too much about computers to be a girl, and once when I corrected a male coworker’s actions (in an admittedly high pressure situation), he simply told me that I didn’t ‘understand the pressures of being a man.’  It’s ridiculous.  I should be able to be small, girly, and technically savvy without anyone questioning any of these things.  To me, feminism is about making sure that future generations of women in technology hear these things less, or, dare I dream it, not at all.  It’s about the freedom to be who you are and do what you love without anyone questioning if you can actually do it, especially if you are, in fact, doing it.  Dreams are for everyone, and nobody should be able to tell you what yours ought to be."

27. Cynthia of Be Fabulous Daily 


28. Kate C.

"In the toxic waters of discussions of women’s dress, there are safe islands here and there of style discourse and clothing conversation.  But, as much as I would like them to be the norm, as assiduously as I avoid the toxins, I know they are rare.  The dominant narratives, when I focus on clothes and the female body make me, to say the least, annoyed.   

In the last six months or so, I have had a number of moments of real frustration when it comes to clothes and my (body) politics.  I listened to the discussion going on in Quebec about banning the niqab, the all-encompassing garment worn by some Muslim women, in municipal buildings.  Then an acquaintance at a party made some comment about how her late-adolescent female students “vamped” and “distracted the boys” by wearing tight clothes in the classes she teaches....

Stay. Out. Of. Women's. Wardrobes.

Here is my primary style rule, and a statement of my feminism.

Unless it is absolutely necessary, such as when a person is dressing as a form of sexual harassment in the workplace.  Unless an explicit invitation to come in is issued.  Unless a woman comes and brings her wardrobe to you. Stay out. The only wardrobe you have the unlimited right to enter is your own.  Otherwise, stay out of women's wardrobes.   Stay out, stay out.  Stay the heck out." 

29. Courtney of Those Graces

"Feminism is equality between women and men in every facet of life.  That being said, feminism influences everything."

30. Carrie of La Rizada

"The other day one of my Facebook friends posted this status update: Worst feminist ever: cooking for my man. This woman is a really intelligent, active and vehement feminist in our community, so I couldn't believe that she thought cooking for her boyfriend was a less-than-feminist act. Personally, I believe that feminism should allow women the freedom and opportunity to pursue the lives they want and need, the freedom to pursue political, sexual, economic, intellectual and personal fulfillment. That's what feminism is, to me, in 2011 (feminism here in the first world, at least).

It doesn't make a difference to me whether you gain personal fulfillment from cooking for your boyfriend or from marching for reproductive rights; the feminists that have come before us worked hard to ensure that those of us living today have greater rights and options than in any other time in history. We are indebted to those women for the myriad of choices we have today. I am lucky that I can choose to go to school and pursue a graduate degree, while still choosing to enjoy cooking and dressing up, while still choosing to eventually have a child someday, while still choosing to have an active career and an active intellect. I have to agree with Katha Pollitt, who said on Slate.com this past October: "Feminism is a social justice movement dedicated to the social, political, economic, and cultural equality of women and men, and to the right of every woman to set her own course in life." This is what a feminist looks like: me, a woman determined and lucky to be able to set my own course in life, whether that course consists of cooking for my boyfriend or becoming the president of a university."

Many thanks are due to all the participants in this virtual conference!  

SFE's Feminist Style Iconography: Tori Amos, Anne Shirley, and American Girl

I missed out on Feminist Style Icon day, organized by the fabulous Franca of Oranges and Apples, on account of getting that stupid essay out to a journal yesterday as well as the fact that I was wracking my brains trying to figure out who my Feminist Style Icons are.  Franca and LHdM had great ones.  And it was especially hard to think of which feminists influenced me in terms of style as opposed to challenging how I think, act, and interact. This was so difficult for me that I could only think of works of fiction, which I will get to in a minute. But, really, the biggest and most overwhelming influence on me since the age of 12 has been Tori Amos. Perhaps it's cliche, but it's true.

 I remember the exact moment I first heard Tori Amos--I was in the living room of family friends in Ohio and a 10-second clip of her playing "Caught a Lite Sneeze" on the harpsichord came on the TV to advertise for her MTV Unplugged appearance.  It was the Spring of 1996. There was something about the combination of her voice, the orchestration of her music, and that baroque instrument. Boys for Pele is her most difficult album for most listeners, but is and always will be my favorite. Without getting too analytical, it is everything that feminist revisionist art should be.  Not mention that her feminism didn't stop with her music, but also founded RAINN.

 

Both her music and her style combine elements from different periods and they purposefully play with iconography.  Even in her deconstruction there is a playfulness to it. And whenever I lecture on Mary Stuart, I always show this photo, which might be my favorite:

But prior to my sudden enrapture by a single song, my feminist style icons as a girl were Anne of Green Gables and the American Girl characters.  Maybe the young women in these books never actually articulated a feminist stance, but they fought for what they believed in and they didn't reject thinking about social and political conflict.  And I loved Anne's self-fashioning.  She was feisty, intelligent, a competitive student, and an eventual educator, but she still insisted on puffed sleeves and organza should the occasion call for it.

And while I did NOT have a desire to get married or have children when I was a girl or a teenager (again, these were not positive associations for me), I knew if I did, I must find a Gilbert Blythe--a partner whose love for me is rooted in friendship and comedy as much as it is in eros.

Like Katie, I am a military brat and the American Girl books were big on the bases when I was young.  Although I am conflicted about the brand now, I loved and will always love those books.  I credit the narratives of historical fiction through the gaze of single young woman combined with the "Looking Back," section at the end of the books for encouraging my academic interest in history as well as my political commitments. As a girl, I was deeply affected by the "Looking Back" section of Samantha Learns A Lesson, which discussed child labor practices during and after the industrial revolution.  For some of us, the books that force us to attend to issues of capitalism, labor, and social justice are the works of Dickens; for me I needed to see Samantha's boots, jackets, and sailor suit along with them. 

 

SFE channels her childhood and styles it up for a Volunteer Appreciation party

dress - Anthro/Girls from Savoy (remixed)

cardi - GAP (remixed)

gold glass earrings - Anthro (remixed)

floret necklace - gifted/MIL (remixed)

navy tights - LOFT (remixed)

gold shoes - Steve Madden

And I knew the moment I first saw it that I loved the cut and print of the Twinkle Twinkle dress because of Molly McIntire's Miss Victory costume from Changes for Molly. It was the vintage '40s cut plus the stars that had me at hello. What do you think?

Or, am I the only one who sees it? What about you?  Any feminist style icons from fiction?

Granola, Class, and Feminism: A Reply to Anonymous

dress - Corey Lynn Calter/Anthro (remixed)

cardi - GAP

tights - LOFT (remixed)

boots - LOFT (remixed)

earrings & hairpin - Anthro (gifted & remixed)

necklace - Target (remixed)

Yesterday, in reply to my feminist manifesto of sorts, in which I said, "I am a feminist, but not because it is a marker of consumer-driven identity like granola-girl (no meat; tofu; organic peanut butter; organic cotton);  I am a feminist because it is an ethical stance,"Anonymous wrote the following:

Why do you assume "granola girls" automatically only identify in terms of consumption? What makes it impossible for the choices they make to be motivated by an ethical stance, as you say your feminism is? (For example, people who don't eat meat often choose this in an attempt to avoid the "systematic oppression of others" that you mention...) And is it impossible for a "granola girl" to also be a feminist? 

This is an excellent question, Anonymous.  Allow me to clarify (in between posting outfit photos in which I added brighter colors to the Most Versatile Dress I've Ever Owned) because my reply to you was really just too long for the comments section.

Before I respond, however, I must ask:  Are you sure you're not one of my friends that's screwing with me under an anonymous moniker? I say that because I used the "granola girl" example because I and others have used that term to describes myself even though"look" far less granola now than I have in the past.

 

I don't think that granola girls "automatically only identify in terms of consumption" if they identify in terms of consumption at all. For the most part, we tend not to think of ourselves in this way. Nor do I think being granola precludes feminism. Obviously. But I also don't think that analyzing something through production/consumption/non-consumption categories has a negative valence--in my work it is a common way that I analyze historical records. 

While there are various approaches and debates about what feminism is and what a feminist ought to do, it would be difficult for me to hear someone say that she identifies or stands in solidarity with granola/crunchiness but also drove a hummer, ate imported red meat everyday, never recycled, and would rather die than change in the locker room at the gym if she hasn't shaved/waxed recently. I would think that the speaker misunderstood the common usage of the term because so much of what is understood by granola has to do with outward habits of consumption/nonconsumption. I would also assume that someone misunderstood feminism if he called himself a feminist but found traditional gender roles personally "nice" and so he wished everyone else would conform to them. 

In common speech, "granola" tends to refer to a lifestyle.  That lifestyle might be the result of ethical decisions, habit, preference, or necessity (or some combination of the above). The term might be used to describe a college feminist, a large Catholic or Mormon family, or the habits of young urban people with disposable income who start shopping at Whole Foods because it's closer to their apartment, find that they actually prefer the taste of organic peanut butter, look into why it tastes better, and conclude that that method of farming is the best one, and then eventually join a co-op. Habits and values are often intertwined, but they are not the same thing. 

The same has been said about feminism and this is why I chose this example.  For you, being granola might be an ethical stance; for others, it might be about class taste or desire.  Some see feminism as a by-product of middle class education and experiences or as an equation that is completed when a number of a la carte issues, class formed norms, and consumptive habits are added up:  subscribing to BUST, donating to domestic violence shelters, and purchasing and affixing a PFLAG sticker to your Mac or your car. I don't see feminism this way.  I see it as a coherent paradigm and an ethical stance outward from which stem actions, habits, and consumptive choices. Others might advocate for crunchiness to be understood as a coherent ethical stance, but that is not my project--neither as a feminist or a granola girl.

Tweed For Simone: SFE is a feminist

Simone de Beauvoir favored blouses and tweed pants for young feminists.  I've modified de Beauvoir's tweed and am happy to say that my general preference for skirts and dresses is only that:  preference.

new teal cardi - GAP (gift-carded)

skirt - Express, ages ago (remixed)

tights - Assets/Target (remixed)

gold floret earrings - gift from in-laws (remixed)

green beaded necklace - target (remixed)

pumps - Faryl Robin (remixed)

Feminism is a dynamic emancipatory movement that has historically been dedicated to freeing women from social, cultural, economic, and legal oppression.  I am grateful for the hard work and sacrifice of first and second wave feminists (including ye olde punching bag, Catharine MacKinnon) and I am also grateful to come of age during the third wave. The feminism I identify with is defined in broader terms: It seeks to eradicate and destroy what Adrienne Rich, Monique Wittig, and Judith Butler have identified as a matrix of "compulsory heterosexuality."

Compulsory heterosexuality effects all of us, men and women, queer or straight.  It describes the workings of a patriarchal system in which men have a "natural" and "normal" dominant sexual relationship to and only with women.  This asymmetrical and hierarchical relationship has a prescribed set of gendered roles, behaviors, and performances that also must be followed, although the particulars of them might change over time. Expressions, behaviors, or relationships that deviate from that structure are punished in order to reinforce and maintain norms.  This system requires that, at all times, men and women fit (or contort or distort) their selves into a prefabricated template of gender-appropriate behaviors, wants, desires, and expectations.

Compulsory heterosexuality makes heterosexual couples question how it will be received if a mother goes to work and her husband stays home with the children instead of asking, What is best for our family? Compulsory heterosexuality requires that men act in the role of provider; it denigrates the man who undertakes a caretaker role. Yes, even if he coaches Little League on the weekends. 

Compulsory heterosexuality says that there's something wrong with women like LHdM who freely expresses that she doesn't think she wants to have children; compulsory heterosexuality colors my desire for children as "natural" rather than the conclusions of a reflective woman. 

We see compulsory heterosexuality expressed in everyday linguistic use:  "There are two doctors and a lady doctor eating lunch over there" or "Last week I had lunch with my gay friend, Matthew." Not a doctor, a lady doctor; not a friend, a gay friend.  A marker of difference and deviance: a tomboy, a career woman.

Of course, those are fairly benign examples, but they are examples, nonetheless, of how the matrix is maintained. If you would like to see the more powerful force of socio-cultural regulation then perhaps you'd like to catch up on a short list of acts of violence against LGBT people? Of course, that list doesn't include the everyday verbal abuse, harassment, bullying, sham legal proceedings, and continued denial of rights to homosexuals.  It doesn't include the shameful utterance, "Don't be a homo." Or the frumpy woman who called a friend of mine "Fag!" on the street of a "progressive" metropolis last week.

 

SFE is greeted by the dark shadow of the Abominable Patriarchy

I am a feminist, but not because it is a marker of consumer-driven identity like granola-girl (no meat; tofu; organic peanut butter; organic cotton);  I am a feminist because it is an ethical stance. Due to natural inclinations of my own temperament I tend towards the philosophical: What is it to live a good life? What is necessary for the Other to live a good life? What is the Common Good?  It is difficult to live a good life when it is an oppressed life, but is it impossible to live a good life if you involve yourself in the systematic oppression of others.  Upholding the aforementioned system of oppression does that. There is no Great Patriarchy Abominable Snowman out there who's out to get us all. Individual social actors either choose to uphold or resist/topple this structure through our everyday interpersonal, political, and extraordinary acts.

That said, a few particulars about me: My parents expected me to excel academically in all areas, to stand on my own two feet, and not be socially or economically dependent on anyone.  But they both have deeply rooted gender-normative ideas.  Had I wanted to change my surname when I married, it would have been difficult for me because it's not a positive association. Women who grew up in more feminist households seem more apt to consider name-changing in terms of preference, desire, and choice--in other words, how I consider wearing pants v. skirts.

I'm wearier of the assumptions of liberal feminism (also see here) than most women my age.  I have a libertarian streak and worry that when government funding is involved then so is politically motivated government regulation, which can infringe on certain freedoms.

I admire those who make bold judgments and actually make statements about gender and sexuality, even if I disagree with them on some major points. This includes Camille Paglia, Caitlin Flanagan, and Neil LaBute.  Worse than seeming "judgie" is never making judgments.

Words matter and so does representation; visibility and circulation can do wonders to change and challenge perceived norms.  Learning to say "fuck off" is an underrated virtue.

Post-feminism pisses me off.