I know that this is not really a movie most people think of when they think of holiday films, but it is one of my favorites to watch around Christmastime. Especially when I’m at home. And especially with my sisters and my mom. Watching it now as a young woman is still amazing and I can look back and understand why I loved it so much as a young girl. I can also see how this film has shaped me in some ways to be the woman I am today. read more »
A few weekends ago I ventured out to one of my favorite streets in San Francisco (Valencia St) to visit this amazing zine show that I read about in SF Weekly at Goteblud, You Are Her: Riot Grrrl and Underground Female Zines of the 1990s. I was way too excited about this show. I know I say that a lot, but this time I mean it times 20. To be able to be surrounded by the zines and writings and manifestos that created a small yet extremely significant movement in the world and in my life… I was beside myself. Seriously out of body HOLY SHIT I CAN MAKE COPIES! AND TOUCH EVERYTHING?! experience. read more »
Miss Chicago and the California Girls, 1971
Poster produced by the Feminist Art Program, Fresno State College, Calif.
(Scanned from The Power of Feminist Art: The American Movement of the 1970s, History and Impact)
The above poster is from the beginning of the Feminist Art Program which was established by Judy Chicago when she accepted a teaching position at Fresno State. Chicago chose Fresno State because it was so isolated from the art world. She also decided that the program should operate off campus so her students could function in a space free from patriarchy. Chicago’s motivation was to help her students find a sense of self in their work, feel comfortable to create art, be open to formulate their own ideas and feel understood; all things that she felt she did not receive from her own arts education. As the story goes, finding a studio was incredibly difficult for the women, as landlords were ambivalent to rent space to them because they couldn’t understand why a group of women needed a space to do “work.” Chicago’s program at Fresno only lasted one year, since she was hired to co direct the Feminist Art Program at the California Institute of the Arts.
In related news, the Health Care Reform Bill was passed yesterday. Unfortunately the House included an amendment which would ban federal funding of abortion in the public option. This is lame and incredibly upsetting. If you are also upset by this decision, voice your opinion by sending a message to the President here: http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/hcr09bse_af?rk=g7z2JR1q7qDyE
In other maybe sort of not really related news, Miss Marissa (aka my fabulous roommate) has established a new blog that focuses on the San Francisco art scene, her favorite films, and photos that she takes around the city. I love it so far, you should check it out: http://artinthefog.wordpress.com/
‘History I’ and ‘History II’ posters by Tony Robertson (Earthworks Poster Collective),
Sydney, Australia 1977
**Scanned from Suffragettes to She-Devils: Women’s Liberation and Beyond by Liz McQuiston**
So, yesterday, Feministing asked the following question:
“I wonder what your personal take is. Why do you think adolescent girls, in particular, but women, in general, resort to competition, body snark, and passive aggressive manipulation? And most importantly, how can we stop it?”
This is something I have ALWAYS questioned, particularly recently. Why is it that girls who already, more often than we would like, find themselves in oppressive situations, feel the need to oppress and degrade other girls? My 17-year-old self contemplated this a lot my last year in high school. It was that year that I decided that drama with other girls for the sake of being dramatic was never ever worth it. I was never really competitive in that way in the first place. Who would think it was worth it anyway? Perhaps girls who don’t have enough self confidence to not care? I have no clue. I think those types of behaviors really reveal the core of one’s character, to go out of one’s way to intentionally afflict mental harm on another person for means of personal gain or gratification. But, I guess this is how the world works? Ay ay ay.
But I was really happy to see this brought up on the Feministing blog yesterday. It makes me feel like my attitude regarding these catty and often immature behaviors has been validated. 
) That makes me happy. I totally want to pick up the book they talk about in their post, Rachel Simmon’s Odd Girl Out.
I’ll end this post with a great excerpt from Kathleen Hanna’s Riot Grrl Manifesto:
“BECAUSE we are unwilling to let our real and valid anger be diffused and/or turned against us via the internalization of sexism as witnessed in girl/girl jealousism and self defeating girltype behaviors.”
