by Niagara
I’ve been dating. (more…)
Tag Archives: Identity
The Spice Girls: A Personal Initiation into Sex & Sexuality
6 Dec
If you wannabe my lover/you gotta get with my friends
The Spice Girls initiated me in to sex and sexuality.
I remember how excited I was when my dad (yes, my dad) bought me the first Spice Girls cd. I opened it and studied the lyrics inside immediately. I gazed at the pretty pictures of Posh, Baby, Sporty, Ginger and Scary. I wanted to be Posh. She seemed sexy, confident, and classy, “V doesn’t come for free/She’s a real lady.”
I knew the words to all their songs and I constantly made up dances to their music. I would watch them perform on tv, wearing next to nothing. I remember thinking how beautiful, sexy, and large these women seemed. They were bigger than the world, and everyone wanted a piece of them. I wanted people to feel that way about me.
I suppose that’s how it works. The media introduces young girls to these larger-than-life images so that they can fantasize about being wanted so intensely; to feel desired. Even as a kid, I understood why the Spice Girls (and other groups like them) were desired by (predominantly) straight men: these women honored the societal stereotype of sexiness in our culture, all the way down to their platform shoes (hey, it was stylish at the time, remember?)
I wanted to be them. I wanted to be beautiful and thin and busty and fiery and sexy. That word, “sexy”… even at a young age, I knew what it meant, and I knew it was something (some) girls became once they reached womanhood. I wanted to be sexy. A very fucked up thought to have as a pre-teen, but damnit, that’s what I thought/felt/lived.
Of course, after years of studying feminism, women’s and gender studies, and having received my Master’s in Women’s & Gender Studies, my good feelings towards the the all-mighty Spice Girls has waned. After a while, it all just seemed to tired; so overdone; so contrived, and shit, I grew up.
As I got older, I saw through their sparkling costumes. I saw through their smiles and their demand for “girl power.” Was it about equality? Was it about society? Was it about…anything?
I do think the Spice Girls’ “girl power” message was pretty rad at the time, even if it was just a producer-contrived idea that basically co-opted Riot Grrrl, and their version of “Grrrl Power”; even though it also set women up to be judged, poked, prodded; even though it was just a white-washed version of feminism. It still was something special at the time. Head of Policy & Parliamentary Affairs at the Fawcett Society, Geethika Jayatilaka said, “…whatever you think about the Spice Girls, they showed that feminism could be repackaged and sold. Instead of looking down our noses at this phenomenon we need to think about how to harness and use it.” If you can’t bring people to feminism (which has shown to be quite difficult), you bring feminism to the people.
Sure, the Spice Girls’ version of “girl power” may have been a tad misguided and more so watered-down, we-won’t-upset-anyone feminism, but at least it was out there–at least it got people talking.
Afterall, “Girl Power” always was feminism’s little sister, but shhh! You weren’t supposed to know that 
Red Lipstick: The Experiment
18 Sep
Day 1
For the next 7 days, or 1 week, I will be wearing red lipstick. “What brand?”, you ask. Well, it will be Revlon’s Matte Lipstick in Really Red. I thought I would do this for a couple of reasons:
1. I’m bored
2. Red Lipstick connotes sexuality for many people–I want to see if this rings true.
3. I’m interested in seeing whether I get “hit on” or looked at more than usual–which is what I suspect will happen, because of reason 2.
My hypothesis is this: I will get looked at more by all people, and possibly even talked about for being “a fast and easy girl.” That last part is meant to be sarcastic, of course.
What does our society say about red lipstick? To me, it seems that wearing red lipstick is something “older,” “sexy” women wear. I remember playing dress up with friends when I was around 8, and putting on red lipstick made me feel powerful and more “in color.” Red lipstick was always described to me as a “grown-up” thing–something I couldn’t possibly do (or handle?) until I was of age.
Well, mamma is now of age, bitches. Look out.
An Ode to Blossom Ruby Russo/Mayim Bialik
11 Sep
Mayim Bialik, "Blossom"
Bad-ass feminist, and fictional tv character of the 90s, Blossom Russo, has been a staple in my retro tv watching recently, and it’s reminded me just how awesome she, and the show in general, really was, especially for the time period. (more…)
Friday Feminist Profiles: Ryan R.
19 Aug
Name: Ryan
Age:26
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Occupation: Artist
Do you identify as a feminist? Why?
Yes, I identify as a feminist because I believe that the individual (myself) can not be free unless all others are free from oppression as well. To me feminism in the 21st century is about intersectionality and with that in mind, I am deeply effected by (and effect) the feminist movement. In order for feminism to move beyond the barriers of its first few waves men MUST become involved, people of all genders must become involved and share their voice of liberation.
What is your definition of feminism?
Feminism is the multi-faceted stance that claims that all beings deserve to be free, to be loved, to have the choice over their own lives and bodies. Feminists stand for the uncensored agency of the individuals’ empowerment and voice in society. Feminism demands complexity, and holds no universal claims except for the right to liberation of all beings.
How does feminism factor into your life decisions/everyday life? Is this part of your own feminist activism? Feminist activism these days is SO much different than in the 1960′s, 1970′s, etc…We have no authority figure who leads the movement, we are all engaged in the process of positive change. Each individual shares their voice with their peers and community in hopes of creating a larger understanding of social issues and empowerment. Feminism factors into my everyday behavior whether its what I choose to eat, or what I buy (which is mostly nothing, as I scavenged for used /thrown out material to avoid feeding capitalism where I can). As an artist, much of my material challenges what it is to be a male making art, much of my work deals with intimate encounters with the object or idea(s) and this complicates the hyper-masculine ideal of men in the US. As an arts instructor at the university level I have to pay attention to and be critical of my student body, and I try to lay the ground work for those who are younger than me when it comes to larger social issues, that including feminism. I believe in bell hooks philosophy of “engaged pedagogy” which tries to create a communal learning experience and take away a dominate or central authority figure in the classroom.
What feminists have influenced you? How and why?
Gloria Anzaldua has deeply effected my spiritual understanding of the world, what it means to be connected to a greater cosmos and what it means to be alienated from your society/community/history. Donna Haraway taught (and challenged) me to reconsider what it means to be “human” in the 20th-21st century, she challenges our collective understanding of history/origin and what we mean by the use of words like “nature” or “natural”. There are so many more, but I keep coming back to these two individuals as bold and ongoing influences in my life.
Can you tell me about a time when you felt someone was being sexist, racist, homophobic, and/or transphobic, etc. towards you? How did you handle this?
In your experience, has feminism been inclusive or exclusive to you? Its an interesting problem/conversation being a white male. As an artist and musical performer I dress in female drag sometimes as an exclamation of my stance against binary gender roles and my pleasure in performing femininity. I’ve had friends who discouraged this behavior or flat out told me I was disgusting. Throughout high school I was called faggot by different straight male peers because I was thin, or had longer hair, talked a certain way, or my behavior was “too soft”–I wasn’t masculine enough. At the time, I just tried to ignore it, I would walk away as quickly as possible or feel embarrassed because I was out numbered and didn’t have the language yet to defend myself. It is because of feminism that I was able to gain a better understanding of who I was and who I wanted to be. Feminism allowed me to develop a language that made sense to me, and gave me a community that I felt I could belong to.
Why do you think many people are resistant to calling themselves feminists?
The mainstream media/history makers intentionally undermine and pigeon-hole feminism because it serves as a threat to dominate society. Because of the repetitious derogatory framework that mediated culture has placed on feminism it has become hard for folks to understand what feminism is ACTUALLY about, or for those who stand up as a feminist to not be stereotyped and dismissed as well. I don’t know how many times I have heard the statement ”I’m consider myself a feminist, but….” or the statement, “I don’t really consider myself a feminist, however…” both marking the speaker as hesitant to take a stance. This is why I thinks its so important to take a stance, especially as a man, to break those stereotypes to reclaim it, to show that feminism is way more complex (and beneficial) than mainstream America believes.
What do you think are the biggest obstacles women face today?
Agency over their bodies, healthcare for themselves and their children, sex-positive education, rape-victim advocacy.
Lachrista Greco
