feminism is in.
in Commission April 2011
Marco! Polo! I often feel I am playing a big game of marco polo with other feminists on campus. Besides a handful of feminists I am close with, others on campus are few and far between. So where are you at? I am tired of the apathy that comes along with NIU’s “suitcase school” reputation. I know feminists exist. I’ve seen you in classes speaking out against offhand sexist comments. I’ve heard you filter in gender-conscious vocabulary. I know you exist. I see you, other feminists probably see you, but does the campus at large see you? Probably not. And doesn’t that bother you? There are issues on campus that need a feminist response, your feminist input: Sexual assault prevention; policies regarding pregnant women and mothers; and overall sexism and misogyny. So what gives? Too busy with homework? Don’t live near campus? Too thirsty on Thursdays? Being a full time student is more than a full time job, and adding one more thing to do in a week is implausible. I know. But being as activism and feminism just go so well together, it’s time to get off your ass. A local feminist zine Contact incommission@gmail.com Editor: Bird Commission Co-Editor: Pepper Submissions: We excitedly accept: articles, rants, personal narratives, short fiction, poems, prose, photographs, events to advertise, artwork, comics, cartoons, comments, anything really.
Organized feminists are powerful, are a force to be reckoned with. But when not in synch, can be easily dismissed. It’s like the old adage of “my one vote isn’t important, so I won’t vote” turns into “I won’t get involved because my involvement isn’t important.” But that’s just lazy, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Maybe it appears there aren’t many opportunities to get involved. But there are. There are student groups that need larger memberships. There are feminist events to attend. This zine would love your articles, events to advertise, short stories, prose or artwork. Or even just a comment: incommission@gmail.com
In hard economic times, everyone feels the strain in his or her bank account. Though everyone was hit by the recession in some way, there are still negative stereotypes about those who use government aid: they’re fat, lazy, greedy, bad parents, the “welfare queen,” etc. A website playspent.org attempts to personalize the experience of living in a low socioeconomic bracket. The interactive website challenges negative connotations about those who use government aid to make ends meet. “The challenge” is a choose-your-own-adventure in the life of someone who barely makes minimum wage. Over the span of 30 days you’re presented with “what would you do?” scenarios, trying to make it through the month on minimum wage with utility bills, medical bills, rent to pay, and children to support. It starts with applying for jobs: a restaurant server, warehouse worker, and an office temp. Whatever your job, you make $9 / hr, which comes out to $306 a week. After you start your job, you need a place to live and decide which is worse: paying more in rent and living closer, or living further and paying more in transportation costs. An shocking statistic playspent.org provided: for every dollar working class families save by living further away from their job, they spend an extra $.77 in transportation. Besides bills, how involved you are in your child’s life is dependent on your socio-economic status. For example do you attend your child’s play, or do you skip it to make $50 helping a friend move? Or, your child is falling behind in math. So do you hire a tutor for $20 or do you tutor him/her yourself (They presented a math question, that I, a college student wasn’t able to remember how to do), or do you let them fall behind? It’s a real experience parents of low-incomes face. Juggling all of your demands on minimum wage is no easy task, often having to decide which is more important, when everything is important. I made it through the month with $22 in the bank. But I was reminded my rent was due tomorrow. I was faced with hardships and tough situations with a tight budget. It’s a perfect teaching tool for someone who has high socioeconomic privilege and has never had to live paycheck to paycheck and doesn’t have a nest egg to fall back on. Someone who whole-heartedly believes those stereotypes, and someone who has never considered what it is like below the poverty line.
What the hell is this feminism stuff? I’m an individual (this includes men) who believes:
I’m so glad you asked! Take the quiz below: check all statements you agree with to see if you’re a feminist.
o Women deserve the same occupational/educational opportunities as men. o In a woman’s right to choose. o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people deserve equal rights as straight and cis (non-trans) people. o A woman should be able to dress however she wants, whenever she wants, and should not be fearful for her safety. o There is a double standard when it comes to male and female sexuality/promiscuity: “he’s a stud if he sleeps with ten women. But she’s a skank if she sleeps with ten men.” o Men have unattainable expectations to be a “manly man” and not ever show softer qualities. o All buildings (and rooms) should be accessible to all people who are differently-abled. o Racism is still an epidemic that needs to be abolished.
The results: If you checked… 0 – Start paying attention. Seriously. 1 – 3: You may be a feminist, and prone to correcting your friends if they make sexist comments. 4 – 6: You’re probably a feminist, and you probably already knew that. 7 – 8: You’re most definitely a feminist, and didn’t need to take this quiz.
“I am the Third Wave” By Pepper
Zines radically transformed the way young women experienced and incorporated feminism into their everyday lives, they equipped women with the tools to make their voices heard, to create community, and to challenge the status quo.
A look at the beginning Feminist Zines.
Zines are about: feminism storytelling activism music patriarchy identity creativity body image sexism, racism, classism, ableism, homophobia sex queerness
The early 1990s was a colorful, rich, and exciting time for feminism. Across the US and Europe, young women grew increasingly frustrated with the ways in which women were treated, represented, and valued in punk rock and society as a whole. Because of this, Riot Grrrl, a radical, grassroots, youthcentered movement began. Riot Grrrl was the radical collective of women who exclaimed, “We are not post-feminism feminists, we are the third wave!” Paired with the musical revolution of the Riot Grrrl era, homemade, do-it-yourself media spread like wildfire, giving anyone with access to a copier and a sharpie a newfound voice. These grassroots publications or ‘zines’, were, in many ways, a media revolution of unprecedented proportion and became central to the third wave. Zines were the perfect outlet for expressing anger, discontent, and new ideas and thousands, yes thousands, of them materialized alongside the Riot Grrrl juggernaut.
Feminist zines are everywhere, I mean everywhere: at the House, the library, in the city, online, in Reavis. Women are still writing, still photocopying, and still publishing. Join us! Check ‘em out: www.wemakezines.ning.com
Street Harassment
who barked at me probably expected high-fives all around when he was done degrading me. Street harassment is often about socializing.
I was walking down Normal Rd on my way to class. It wasn’t a passing period, but about thirty minutes before my next class and the sidewalks were mostly empty. I was walking near the psych building when a red sedan drives by me, and some asshole sticks his head out the window and barks at me. He barked at me. It didn’t sound like an imitation bark – it sounded like he was keeping a pit bull in his backseat. He then got back into the car and I hear an eruption of laughter from about four men in the car.
Men have more bargaining abilities with other men as compared to women. Men listen to what other men much more than they listen to women. Besides that, men have VIP access to lockerroom talk, which women never overhear, much less are apart of.
I’m not writing this to give negotiate this (do I say because that really job. I’m not framing it as bear, and her problem insulting. It should be assholes whose favorite harassment to grow up and women as humans, not as allowed to intimidate,
advice to women on how to something or ignore it?), shouldn’t be a woman’s a woman’s burden to to solve. That’s just the responsibility of past time is street start looking at public property you’re comment upon, and harass.
While I wish a repeat offender reading this would have a sudden change of heart, and vow to only treat women with the utmost respect – I’m not stupid. I’m not writing this for the offenders. I’m writing it for the male bystanders. I hope hope hope at least one man in that red sedan knew it was wrong to treat me that way. The bystander. I’m writing this for the male bystander, because, you know, street harassment is an interesting social phenomenon. The men in the car were bonding with one another, hence the laughter. They were socializing. And it’s like any other social event: watching a game, going to a bar, or playing flag football. But unlike those harmless past times, street harassment degrades women. Let me say that again: Some men bond over degrading women. Some. Men. Bond. Over. Degrading. Women. Men are so hung up on getting praise from other men. The man
Even if a friend is just relaying a story of street harassment to you, say something. I can’t guarantee it will dissuade him from ever harassing again, but it will make him think twice. And if you say something, another friend says something, and another, then it creates an environment where street harassment isn’t acceptable anymore. Currently, street harassment is acceptable – at least street harassers feel safe talking about it in their group of friends. I know it’s hard to speak out: you don’t want to be blacklisted, or seen as the “sissy” in the group. But it probably won’t be seen as criticism if it comes from another man. I think all people are fairly reasonable people, even those who seem like they’re a real hardass. You would be surprised how one non-aggressive comment can make a big impact. Because street harassment is male bonding, if you let the street harasser know that you’re not having a good time, then you’re not bonding together – which is the goal. All you have to say is: “Dude, that’s not cool. My sister/aunt/ mother/girlfriend/best friend was harassed like that once, and it really upset her.” Bystanders have the ability to intervene more than you would think.
What Privilege?
This is what a feminist looks like
I happened upon this insanely perfect tumblr blog a while back: Privilege Denying Dude (PDD). The blog used memes that covered all different types of privilege with a satirical tonguein-cheek manner: gender, race, ability, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc.
Reese Witherspoon: feminist Margaret Cho: feminist
Some favorites: “I can’t be homophobic – I love lesbian porn.” “I’m post-racial – I listen to rap music.” “I can’t be ableist – I was on crutches once.” It was an insightful and hilarious teaching tool for those who are new to privilege, and might struggle to even recognize their own privilege. After a couple months of being up, the account was yanked by tumblr for “extensive copyright infringement” due to the background image PDD was using. PDD bought the rights to the photo it used from a stock-photo website. Apparently, the model in the photo was harassed by individuals who thought he supported the literal message.
Angela Davis: Feminist
The memes are now back, under a new tumblr account (fyeahpdd) with a man who volunteered to be the model. Meet the new privilege denying dude!
This is Not what feminist looks like: Monster: not a feminist
My White Privilege. White privilege: A right, advantage, or immunity granted to or enjoyed by white persons beyond the common advantage of all others, usually at a disadvantage of people of color. 1 I carry my white privilege everywhere I go. To the movies, to the store, to the restaurant, everywhere. My white privilege saves me a lot of hassle: no one follows me around a store; I don’t have to worry about racial profiling; I can use a band aid and it will be close to my skin color; and I don’t even have to be aware of my race. My whiteness can be invisible to me if I wish.
All right, All right. This whole feminism thing sounds okay. Where can I get some more? BITCH MAGAZINE Available at most bookstores, or through subscription, Bitch delivers a “feminist response to pop culture.” Insightful, snarky, and thoughtful articles fill Bitch’s pages with a feminist perspective on pop culture.
I can be in Arizona and no police officer will doubt my US citizenship, even if I were to be an undocumented citizen from Europe. If I look white, that’s good enough - my whiteness is equated with American. I’m saved from scathing comments that start out with, “no offense, but…” and are followed by a racist remark. People can’t draw racial stereotypes off my skin because white people are “diverse.” And individuals of other races are not? I’ll never have to be the token white person or the spokesperson for “my people.” I can choose to surround myself with other white people, and can usually get by without ever having to the only white person in a room. And if I ever were to be the only white person in the room, I would feel uncomfortable. Not ever having to recognize that frequently people of color are the only person of color in the room. But it’s something most people of color are used to, but to me it’s foreign. When I read a history textbook in school I won’t see anything but white faces, except for a few people of color. In literature courses, I’ll mostly read books by white males – My race will be thoroughly represented. One of my very privileges is not even having to recognize I have white privilege. Ironic, isn’t it. White privilege exists at the expense of people of color being disadvantaged. Just as we must promote gender equality, and equalize male privilege, we must do the same with white privilege. Feminism can’t exist without also working against white privilege and racism. 1
Definition provided by Kendall Clark from University of Dayton
Fun fact: Bitch magazine started out as a zine! JEZEBEL.COM Jezebel is a great blog (and procrastination tool) that has such a large writing staff that they are able to post about every ten minutes. They write about serious feminist issues and pop culture in equal measure – it’s addicting.
THE LIBRARY
Founders has a great (although sometimes outdated) feminist book collection. If you love browsing, call number HQ1426 might be of interest.
Tip: The call number (on the bottom of the spine) has the year the book was published – it’s the last four digits. So scanning the year books were published might help you avoid outdated material.
This zine was tethered together with love on: