At the Intersection of Police and Protect

from Art Department Weekly | Issue 106 Vol. 13

THE TIME IS RIPE

When schools argue they cannot regulate anyone wearing masks, some of us laugh. T-shirts are turned inside out and girls are sent home for exposing bra straps or thighs. Clothing, makeup, and hair are thoroughly policed. We can’t defend society from a virus with a layer of fabric the way we try to protect against sexual urges?

**In the early 1900s, women’s swimming costumes included high necks, long sleeves, skirts, and pants. As suits changed, women received tickets.**

Comments sections quickly go off the rails to attack appearances and equate them with intelligence and health—or how much value we can assign an individual. Janeane Garofalo once talked about how, as people fawned over her in the ’90s, all she could think was she’d lost so much weight her teeth were loose. Margaret Cho had a whole routine about being hospitalized after losing 30 pounds to play basically herself on All-American Girl. Now Lena Dunham is using her platform to talk about the differences between being a size 4 and size 14 and how that shouldn’t determine value. We won’t stop valuing appearance, but it seems healthier to accept a whole range.

**Annette Kellerman was arrested in 1907 for indecent exposure. The Australian professional swimmer started her own swimwear line.**
U.S. Library of Congress

**Jes Baker responds to Abercrombie & Fitch limiting women's sizes in 2013 because fat kids are "uncool."**
themilitantbaker.com

**When magazines take the idea that there isn’t one perfect woman and then create her based on polling, it really misses the point.**

COMPLIMENTARY?

The debate around whether catcalls are friendly and bring joy ends up with one side assuming women want male attention. If we focus on yelling “nice tits” at a kid, we miss the bigger picture. Are females only here to be pleasing? Can she just go about her life? How am I too sensitive if you stop your car to yell at me about the scowl on my face? —MV

Enjoy the cold, emotionless embrace of Robot Hugs and learn to be an ally https://www.robot-hugs.com/comic/harassment/

HOW TO HAVE IT ALL

A favorite question to introduce something like this themed issue is to ask, “Can women have it all?” No. As author Nora Roberts once explained, you’re constantly juggling balls. Know which are plastic and which are glass. Some balls shatter and some bounce, and that’s okay. The goal is to be able to decide and then accept what you can. The other day I saw an interview with Lucille Ball’s granddaughter where she talked about how Ball spent so much time doting on her because she hadn’t had that opportunity as a mother—she’d been so busy trailblazing in the entertainment industry. When asked if Ball was a feminist, her granddaughter was quick to say no, she was just an all-American girl trying to live her life. Um...

A guy from my hometown posted that he was at a coffee shop and 12 women were all holding babies, talking about babies, looking at babies... “Mom, do you regret missing out on this and getting your PhD instead?” Right away loads of female friends showed up to ask if he was being sarcastic. Then his mom publicly reminded him that she fussed over babies for years and didn’t start her doctorate until he was in junior high. The poster said he’s worked with quite a few moms who kick ass, comment below, unfriend above... I don’t think he meant to be malicious. Like the cartoon at the left, sometimes these aren’t real people coming for you. Inner critics find fodder everywhere. Would women finally feel like they have it all if all life paths were supported? —MV