Reclamation
Feminists have long used a rhetorical tool to pry themselves from 2000 years of patriarchy that involves taking a derisive word and turning it into an empowering one. "Bitch" and "Cunt" have been the most popular, but if Sarah O'Brien has her way, it won't stop there.
In her new paper, "Beyond 'Bitch' and 'Cunt:' Empowering Women Through Anachrony and More," sahe proposes a two-pronged attack in the next step of rhetorical feminism. The first is to take even the most innocuous of insults and use them as empowerment tools.
"There's a lot of terrible words out there but what about the ones that are just insulting? 'Gams' may be something my grandfather used to describe a nice set of legs, but it's still offensive to women... We have to make them all our own before men can accept us at their equals," O'Brien said in a phone interview.
She also said she was setting up a website where people can purchase her new line of feminist clothing. (www.filthyslut.org) She claims slogans like, "I am a classy dame," "Yes, I smell like tuna" and "Hooters are more than a chain of restaurants" are just one more step to the end of the subjugation of women.
O'Brian, who changed her name from Erykah Springlove to match her Irish background, said the second step was more important than the first, claiming insulting terms of other minorities.
"Nigger may be too far, but I think kike would be all right," she said.
She also claimed to be wearing a shirt "proudly proclaiming" being a midget. "I'm not a midget, but until these words mean nothing they'll be insulting to midgets, wetbacks, slanty-eyes and huns everywhere." She maintains that the groups will not find this claiming offensive.
"Once they see I'm a minority just like everyone else, they'll understand."
A line of clothing for the second wave of her idea is planned and will probably be out at the beginning of next year.
In her new paper, "Beyond 'Bitch' and 'Cunt:' Empowering Women Through Anachrony and More," sahe proposes a two-pronged attack in the next step of rhetorical feminism. The first is to take even the most innocuous of insults and use them as empowerment tools.
"There's a lot of terrible words out there but what about the ones that are just insulting? 'Gams' may be something my grandfather used to describe a nice set of legs, but it's still offensive to women... We have to make them all our own before men can accept us at their equals," O'Brien said in a phone interview.
She also said she was setting up a website where people can purchase her new line of feminist clothing. (www.filthyslut.org) She claims slogans like, "I am a classy dame," "Yes, I smell like tuna" and "Hooters are more than a chain of restaurants" are just one more step to the end of the subjugation of women.
O'Brian, who changed her name from Erykah Springlove to match her Irish background, said the second step was more important than the first, claiming insulting terms of other minorities.
"Nigger may be too far, but I think kike would be all right," she said.
She also claimed to be wearing a shirt "proudly proclaiming" being a midget. "I'm not a midget, but until these words mean nothing they'll be insulting to midgets, wetbacks, slanty-eyes and huns everywhere." She maintains that the groups will not find this claiming offensive.
"Once they see I'm a minority just like everyone else, they'll understand."
A line of clothing for the second wave of her idea is planned and will probably be out at the beginning of next year.
posted by Turn The Heaton at 2:30 p.m.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home