Magazine Posts
Table of ContentsThe Master's Tools: #BodyPositivity and Patriarchal Structures of Complicity
Creator's Note:
This zine grew from the knowledge that I have. It grew from the experiences, the privileges, the memories, the lessons, the courses, the mistakes, and the pains that make up my life. In many ways this is per-zine, or personal zine. Not because is it about my own lived experiences but because none of my creations are neutral or divisible from who I am. Therefore, I make no attempt to present unbiased information.
Someone else would produce something different.
I present a version of an opinion that is unique to me and a consequence of all my previous moments, in attempts to learn.
Yours,
isabelle
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PATRIARCHY
A selfie of... myself
The far reaching, ever present, all consuming, aggresively dictating force that drives, decides, moves, and jostles my life.
As a white heterosexual cis middle class woman, the force and presence of patriarchy in my life is a constant, but barely audible hum.
It manifests itself in off hand comments from male peers, co workers and family members that degrade or undermine me.
It shows itself when I am yelled at on the street, on the metro, at a bar, or sitting in a park.
It rears its ugly head when I am forming male friendships or relationships, applying for jobs, wanting to be heard, dressing certain ways, cutting my hair short, not cutting my hair short, laughing too loud, working too hard, not smiling enough, not being willing enough, not saying no loud enough... It exists in almost all moments I interact with the public, and sometimes in my private life, and most definitely online.
Top left: (rapist) Brock Turner, Bottom left: (misogynist, gun enthusiast, poker star) Dan Bilzerian, Top right: (domestic abuser, "pop star") Chris Brown
These three men represent how the justice system, the court of public opinion, and social media all allow for the continuation and hardening of the patriarchy
“We have to constantly critique imperialist white supremacist patriarchal culture because it is normalized by mass media and rendered unproblematic.” - bell hooks
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SOCIAL MEDIA
How does the rise, the take over, and the complete normalization of these sites and apps change how we interact with injustice?
My positive outlook on social media:
- Social media allows for transnational feminism to flourish and grow exponentially.
- Social media allows women to empower themselves by choosing what they post and share. They become active agents in their identity.
- Social media erases the boundaries of class, sex, gender, race, ability, and age.
- Social media creates more media literate individuals, creating opportunity in the tech field for women especially.
My negative outlook on social media:
- Social media is a place to show only the best parts of ones lives, in turn misguiding others and perhaps oneself.
- Social media is addictive and can be competitive.
- Social media is a distorted version of human interaction and connection.
- Social media does not take into account the techno-bias inherent in all technologies today.
- Social media is not accessible to those without technology.
- Social media has become a capitalist venture for companies and individuals alike.
- Social media psychologically rewards women for the sexualization of their bodies online.
How can someone reconcile the positives and the negatives of social media? In my life, I have been impacted by it, insofar as I am constantly comparing my life to the lives of those I see online.
How do the positives manifest themselves more clearly?
Kim Kardashian advertising a product on her Instagram
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#BodyPositivity
Is the #BodyPositivity movement emblematic of the positive possibilities of social media? Or does it take existing social issues and transfer them into a different medium?
The #BodyPositivity movement has been spearheaded by individuals like Tess Holliday (pictured on the right and at the top). Her hashtag #effyourbeautystandards has over a million linked images on Instagram alone.
Encouraging plus size women to flaunt and love their bodies, despite what they have been taught, is the goal of these movements. The widespread success of the hashtag points to the need many felt, both online and in real life, for this type of empowerment.
Initially, I felt so too.
#effyourbeautystandards #honourmycurves #celebratemysize #daretowear #plusisequal #fatgirlsbewinning #allbodiesaregoodbodies
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dismantling The Master's House
Audre Lorde
"It is learning how to take our differences and make them strengths. For
the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house. They may allow us
temporarily to beat him at his own game, but they will never enable us to bring about genuine change. And this fact is only threatening to those women who still define the
master's house as their only source of support." Lorde, The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle The Master's House. 1984.
And what is the difference between "plus size women and women who are considered attractive by Western standards?
If the difference is that "beautiful" and "thin" women are objectified, sexualized, degraded and humiliated by men and "plus size" women are not- the answer is not to bring some of those standards onto "plus size" women. (*important to state that all women, regardless of size, experience these things).
Lorde notes that it may temporarily beat him at his own game; Instagram as a stand in patriarchal structure might be temporarily dislodged... but when it reclaims power and control over the bodies of "plus size" women, the hierarchy is re-established and women are once more disenfranchised.
How can we build a house from our own tools?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ideas on Complicity
Creating happy, safe environments for women (trans, femme identified, etc) to feel happy, sexy, empowered.
Nudity, nakedness, happiness and self love can all happen simultaneously or at different times.
Ideas of the happy woman, who loves herself, her appearance, her life and everyone around her is a myth.
By devaluing perfection and good looks, we can move away from sexualization as validation. By un-commodifying female liberation, we can seek true freedom.
Being sexy and sexual is important. It is not the only thing. Social media does not highlight the nuance and distinction that is inherent in understanding the separation.
Social media is not the answer, yet.
Social media is not ready to solve our problems because we are not ready to solve our problems.
Technology will not save us from institutions like patriarchy.
Beth Ditto Plus Size Clothing Line
Sincerely,
isabelle
Back Next