Thank you, Tonya Krouse for the wonderful post. It sparked a lot of thoughts and ideas, which some of the other guest post have not done. I would like to start by saying I especially liked the section where Tonya talked about Woolf's essay, A Room of One's Own, and the section on anti-pornography feminists. Virginia Woolf is one of my favorie writers. I read a few of her books over the summer and a published journal of hers and found her writing style very captivating, so I was excited when Tonya mentioned her in her post. I have not yet read A Room of One's Own, so I cannot say much about it, but this post have definitely inspired me to read it soon.
I also enjoyed reading the section on anti-pornography feminists because I share similiar feelings about pornography, yet have not been able to articulate myself as well as Tonya did in her post when asked to argue my opinion. I definitely see it as an objectification of women, and the real-life consequences of rape and violence it may inspire. When a woman's body is reduced to an object, it loses power.
I see the same idea in advertising. In commercials, especially food commericals, it may show a woman cooking for her husband and family, yet there is nevr a man cooking for his family. If he is shown cooking, the kitchen is either in flames, or he is making a cup of CHUNKY soup, advertised by strong athletes. The woman is shown as a dainty image, cooking for her family. When a woman is shown in a role of "power" it is a Victoria's Secret ad or some flashy image of a half-exposed body. This is ironic because I don't believe that showing a woman as a sex object is empowering.
To answer one of your questions, I think anyone can "do" feminist theory or be a feminist if they stand for an equality among genders. I do not think there should be discrimination of male or females or anything in between and beyond. To be a feminist to encourage a society of equality, to raise an awareness of issues and discrimination.
Thank you for your post, Tonya, I greatly enjoyed reading it.
1 comment:
I agree with you in the fact that by women exposing their bodies so much, the female body loses its power. Whenever something is over-done, no one cares for it anymore. When you talked about the Victoria Secret ad's, I always find those types of things interesting. Just like the new Mariah Carey ad of her new fragerence. Half naked women showing all of these body fragments, and yet the thing that they are selling is for women. How is that supposed to appeal to women when the ad is through the male gaze?
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