[lesley|third|wave]
[2014|Zine] “Why Are You a Feminist?”
Lesley Third Wave is Lesley University’s undergraduate club that focuses on creating a safe space for people to discuss women’s rights and gender-related issues. We strive to maintain intersectional values and welcome anyone to our meetings, which are held in the Women’s Center (in White Hall).
Editor’s Note: This is Lesley Third Wave’s first zine. We are very proud of it and hope this will become an annual tradition. Our club has always been an intimate group of people who are passionate about feminism. We wanted to curate a zine that would reflect feminist ideas not only in our club--but on the Lesley campus. Thank you to everyone who submitted! -Lindsay Theirl Contributors: (In order of apperance) Jamie Glass Ivy Maiorino Jenny Levine Lindsay Theirl Karen Briggs Elyse Gilbert Regina Bell Harrison Ford Emma Bernard
By Jamie Glass
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Feminist Rants
By Ivy Mariorino
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That fact that many men on the street feel they have the right to talk to me about my body makes me profoundly uncomfortable and reinforces the fact that I will always be valued in society by my physical attributes rather than my personality or intellect. And quite frankly, that is some patriarchal bullshit that I’ve had just about enough of. 2. I find it funny whenever some jerk tries to say “Just get over it, fat isn’t attractive, thin is.” Because you only have to know a little bit about history to know that beauty is entirely socially constructed. Remember all of those paintings of nude buxom women? Remember those ads in the 1930s that advertised products to help women gain weight, in order to be more appealing to men? It’s so obvious that standards of beauty are determined by the culture we live in, so don’t try and tell me that it’s human nature to find thinner women attractive. 3. I’ve noticed a trend On facebook, when a woman is talking about sexual assault, she often is talking about something that actually happened. Often, male commenters will start talking about hypothetical situations. These hypotheticals aren’t based in reality and just distract from the conversation at hand. Not to mention, for a lot of women, sexual assault isn’t hypothetical. We don’t have to think about it like that, because if we personally haven’t been assaulted, we sure know a lot of women who have.So dudes, when a lady is talking about assault on facebook, and you come in playing devil’s advocate and giving these hypothetical situations, think about the message you are sending.
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Example: Lady: This is a sexual assault that happened. This is upsetting. This represents a trend. Dude: Not to play devil’s advocate but, *hypothetical situation that distracts from the original topic” 4. The other day my boyfriend and I were talking about what animal we would want to be if we could turn into one at will. I immediately said “I would want to be a cat, that way, when some guy was harassing me on my way home, I could sneak away….also it would be nice to curl up and sleep in the sun and stuff”I just think it is interesting that my first instinct was “How can I avoid street harassment?”
Feminist Haikus for YOU!
Feminism is Learning to work together Big small short tall us. All ages unite Stand fight for equality Together we thrive Don’t have to burn bras Don’t have to stop shaving legs We are all different We are all equal That is all there is to say Come play come play YAY
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By Jenny Levine
Lindsay Does Jenny Holzer: Third Wave “Truisms”
I’M WORKING TO FIGHT ALL OPPRESSION NOT JUST THE KIND THAT LADIES SECRETLY DRESSED IN BUNNY COSTUMES FIGHT FOR. THE KIND THAT GETS PEOPLE KILLED. THE KIND THAT IS DANGEROUS. I DON’T CARE IF THIS IS NOT PLEASANT. BEING MURDERED IS NOT PLEASANT. BEING UNSAFE, SEXUALLY HARASSED/ ASSAULTED, DEGRADED, OUTTED, REDUCED, CURSED AT, OR UNDER PAID AND REPRESENTED IS NOT PLEASANT. PUT THE CLAWS BACK IN OR COME BACK WHEN YOU’RE READY. “Intersectionality” by Lindsay Theirl
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STOP IT RIGHT NOW. DO NOT DO THIS, DON’T YOU KNOW THAT IS DEHUMANIZING? HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT IF SOMEONE MADE YOU FEEL THAT WAY? FLATTERED? NO. NOT EVEN CLOSE, YOU HAVE NO IDEA. YOUR EYES ARE BURNING HOLES IN MY LEGS LIKE A CIGARETTE BUTT. WHEN YOUR CAR SLOWS DOWN, MY HEART SPEEDS UP. THIS IS IT, THIS IS THE END. YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED WHATEVER IT IS YOU SET OUT TO DO. I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY. “Street Harassment” by Lindsay Theirl
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“Shaving is a Personal Choice”
by Karen Briggs
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Gertrude By Elyse Gilbert Introduction: As a high school senior in AP English, I read Hamlet and could not un-see the gross sexism involved in the character of Gertrude, and how she is interpreted. Through Hamlet’s perspective, his mother is an adulterous whore because she married his uncle Claudius after her husband, the King’s, death. He also suspects that Claudius murdered his own brother for the throne. The Ghost of the King confirms this suspicion. Gertrude is portrayed throughout the play as selfish and shallow, again through Hamlet’s very resentful perspective. But her actions tell a completely different story, based on the reality of the danger she was in as a widow queen in medieval Europe, particularly one being pursued by a fratricidal, insane king. Gertrude’s actions throughout the play show a woman fighting to preserve herself, her son and her queendom. If Gertrude had her own voice in the story of Hamlet, she would have meaningful internal conflict and character development, and preform the most selfless act of love imaginable in the end. Arguments in class about Gertrude’s motivation made my blood boil, and then we were given the assignment to write or re-write a soliloquy for any character besides Hamlet. Of course, I chose Gertrude and made what I felt was her true story into my reality. This was my most visceral introduction to pervasive sexism, through a fictional character, and giving her a voice was my first act of feminist rebellion. Enjoy.
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Gertrude: Grief should pierce this heart like poisoned daggers; Please, burrow away at the faithless flesh. The soil fresh o’er my one true paramour, And I already annexed with another. Pray thee, comprehend, my lost love, my King; In your hereafter, glean from my tainted soul The reasons for my actions and my choice. I feel the sweet caress of love ne’ermore, But perils of this station strike relentless, Cleaving the sable armor of my grief, Granting Craft and Wit their alloted regard To assess the situation and react accordingly. They found the hasty marriage necessary, For in the darkest circle of my soul I knew the rightful agent of your ruin And feared a kindred fate for mine own self. But, please, think me not selfish! I did fear for my life But the self-preserving thought passed in a moment For an infinitely graver fear o’ershadowed it; My fratricidal consort would surely stop at nothing To clear away all brambles ensnaring his throne, Already gilded in blood. What stays him now? Another is at far greater risk than I: My child, my lifeblood, my Prince born of my womb, So lost in grief; distant, ambivalent, and thus vulnerable, His only safeguard being his uncle’s appeasement. Thus I complied, and granted my cold hand To the treacherous scoundrel who so lusted for me. I face the scorn and scandal ‘round the union With my stone-carved visage held aloft, For though the junction leaves me deadened to the core A warm consolation rises through my ever-grieving soul: All sacrifices are granted humbly for salvation of my son.
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Self-Portrait
By Regina Bell
This is a blind contour self-portrait that I did in 2010. I went to The Cambridge School of Weston, a private arts school in which I took a wide range of intensive art classes, one of which called Self Portrait. This drawing I did in roughly 2 minutes by simply looking at myself in a mirror and blindly drawing what I saw. In only 2 minutes, I created one of my favorite pieces of artwork I have ever created. Not only does the drawing capture my looks, but I feel as if the loose, flowy lines capture the easy going, free spirited person I am. I have been a part of Girlhood, Identity, and Girl Culture (part of The Girlhood Project at Lesley University) for two years. Through this program, I have discovered a lot about myself as a feminist. By working closely with other college students and middle school girls from Cambridge, I have grown as a woman. I have discovered the power I hold as an individual to make an impact in the world. I believe strongly in the power we all hold and in the power of our voices. To connect and build knowledge together in a safe space - a major piece of relational-cultural feminist pedagogy - is incredibly powerful, and I plan to take this knowledge and power with me throughout my teaching career.
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Catwoman > Batman: Confessions of a Femme Boy by Harrison Ford Femme (fĕm) adj. Exhibiting stereotypical or exaggerated feminine traits. Used especially of lesbians and gay men.
All my life I have been a femme boy. This is not uncommon for gay boys. The innate femininity of my personality and behavior was evident at age five when I saw Batman Returns and decided that I wanted to emulate Catwoman, whip and all. Not Batman, Catwoman. My parents bought me sets of Batman action figures and my favorites were Catwoman and (to a lesser degree) Poison Ivy. They were female and fabulous and I loved it. Though I was told as a child I couldn’t play with Barbies, Catwoman and Poison Ivy were allowed. Throughout elementary school, my femininity manifested in writing assignments, performances, and social interactions. I was often told that I sounded like a girl when I spoke. Though this bothered me and other children, I had many friends who thought I was fabulous. The majority of my close friends were male at the time. Though my male friends didn’t question my lack of masculinity, aversion to sports, or love of Madonna at age 8, it was often a concern for other boys at school. As children are curious and blunt, I was often asked why I acted and spoke the way I did. This is where my femme-shame began. It wasn’t until fifth grade that somebody gave me a new label: “gay”. Femininity and male homosexuality are often thought of as interchangeable by people of all ages. At ten years old with no sexual realization, I didn’t know what to make of being called “gay”. All I knew was that it deeply hurt me. It made me feel uncomfortable. There was suddenly something wrong with me and I desperately wanted to fix it. Alas, there was little I could do to change anyone’s mind. In middle school, kids became more mean and vulgar. Aware of my femininity, I tried my very best to stifle it in order to fit in with all the other boys. Despite my efforts, I couldn’t always control my feminine mannerisms. Among the most notable were my voice (a constant), the way I walked (still), the way I held my bike handles, and my crippling fear of contact sports. I’m not sure exactly how many times I was called “faggot” in middle school but it was enough to make me hate myself. 7th grade was the last time I can distinctly remember being ashamed about the way I am. Many gay men experience a shame or harassment struggle sometime between middle and high school. As mentioned, the worst of mine occurred in 7th grade. Though I was never physically assaulted because of my femininity or perceived (soon to be known) sexuality, I felt extremely threatened and vulnerable in public spaces. Male counterparts who spoke against my girlish ways made me fear for my safety and my reputation. Being harassed in hallways, parks, and classrooms embarrassed me to the point of isolation and self-loathing.
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With the help of some new friends I made in 8th grade, I began to confront who I really was. After all, the age at which a boy reaches puberty is often his golden age of sexual desire discovery. When I had wet dreams, they weren’t about girls. I knew exactly what I wanted and I had the urge to experience it. By the time I began high school at age thirteen I had come out to many peers as gay. The need to act straight and “manly” disappeared and there was no turning back. Gaining control of my identity helped me to accept and embrace my innate femininity as a teenager. About 90% of my close friends in high school were girls. I confided with these girls on a regular basis, giving them an intimate look at my funny, frantic, and FEMININE self. Less boys harassed me in high school than in middle school, and in the few instances that they did I knew I valued myself too much to let the “fag” label get to me. The comfort that I felt with myself both queer and femme is one that many gay men don’t experience before graduating high school. I was very fortunate to have the support of friends, teachers, and my family as I femininely fumbled through adolescence. At 21, I am as comfortable with my feminine self as ever. That being said, there are still aspects of everyday life that make me want to tone it down. Within the gay community, being femme is commonly considered unattractive in favor of muscular, athletic, “straight-acting” masculine man. Users of the gay hookup app Grindr often specify in their profiles that they are not interested in feminine guys, using indicators like “mas4masc” or “no femme”. This leads to femmes like me questioning our value in our own sexual category. How any member of the gay community-a group that has endured so much oppression, discrimination, and social exclusion-can tell fellow gays that they are not worthy is truly baffling. Outside of Grindr, gay men are often wary of being femme because they view femininity as a burden and don’t want to resonate with a “sissy” or “bitchy” stereotype. If you call a gay guy feminine to his face with no Butch gays are often favored over femme gays, whether it be in the context of sexual preference, social acceptance, or simply fitting in. This is why we have the word “queen” to describe certain gay men in a pejorative sense. A queen is female and a king is male. When a male is feminine he is a queen and language implies that there is something wrong with him. Men who exhibit the same behavioral characteristics as women are still something of a taboo in contemporary mainstream society. In my experience the link between femininity and homosexuality is at the root of the harassment and discrimination that surrounding effeminate men regardless of sexual orientation. Femininity itself is not what others have an issue with. Women can be feminine and it is lusted after and therefore celebrated, while men who are feminine are ostracized and shamed. When men exhibit behaviors that are culturally assigned to women and embedded in the public psyche, they breed disgust and disapproval.
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Though I’ve tried to cover it up, I can honestly say that I am proud of being feminine. All my life I’ve idolized women, hoping to adopt their most empowering qualities and make them my own. Being openly femme takes a lot of guts, and I salute my femme brethren who choose to fearlessly flaunt their femininity no matter where they are or who they’re in front of. Weakness is hiding your true self because of haters and gender norms. Strength is embracing who you are and strutting in the face of adversity.
Is it Okay
Is it okay To wish I could be different To wish the world could be different
By Emma Bernard
To dream about him, then her Then question and question I DON’T KNOW I DON’T KNOW But I do
My Village, Emma Bernard
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To right click save as A photo on my bright desktop screen of someone more beautiful Then I think I am Could ever be To feel grateful for whoever holds the door open no matter what To twist the fat of my stomach Until I remember my mom’s voice You don’t have to look at your body BUT I WISH I COULD I WISH I COULD Look, a reflection Feel the subtle movements of my body as I walk Feel them Let them be To scream in my mind to shout louder than a thousand airplanes For love for peace for equality for fresh air For home To look forward to the seconds of silence on the street When the cars are stopped at the lights and the scratching Of the tires for a moment do not mark the road with scars To not have time To have time but not enough time To have time To change the world To ask questions To ask If it is okay
Thank you to everyone who submitted work, you guys are the best! 13