Some Feminist writings lately:
Of Posters and Politics
ASFA Promotions Spark Controversy Online and In Chocolate
An incredibly charged viral dialogue developed over the last week, concerning representations of women on Arts and Science Federation of Association’s campaign and event posters.
The ASFA Pageant
An incident concerning some ASFA hopefuls in an otherwise quiet election period involved an article published in The Concordian last week, entitled “ASFA candidates look like beauty pageant contestants,” that asked: “Are these individuals running for student government positions or the chance to don a sparkly crown and sash?”
The article sparked a viral backlash on Facebook and in comment forums all over the web after the feminist blog Jezebel came across the article and called it out Feb. 9 for setting a double standard on female politicians.
The Jezebel post garnered 30,000 views in its first 12 hours online. It was then picked up by the Yahoo! News Canada blog The Daily Brew and The Yale Herald’s Bullblog, who ran with it, bringing unprecedented attention to the ASFA website and election in the process.
Christina Gentile and Diana Sitoianu, who are both currently running for VP Academic and Loyola, said they were both “in utter shock” when the article in The Concordian came out, but even more surprised at the viral attention that has befallen them as a result.
“[The layout of our posters] was the last thing I expected them to comment on,” said Gentile. “I didn’t know how to respond to it, […] but my disappointment was that they took my [contact] information but didn’t set up a chance to talk to us about our platforms in depth.”
Sitoianu—who wasn’t singled-out in The Concordian article, but found her platform poster all over the web last week anyways—was also stunned by the online attention.
“I’m [campaigning] to try to understand and fight for students needs, not dress up and broadcast my smile. That’s not what I’m here for—we’re here for students,” Sitoianu told The Link. “I would rather be on Yahoo! News for my platform points and what I have to offer as an intellectual—not as someone who looks like a beauty pagent contestant. […] It’s a disgusting double-standard that’s been brought up, focusing on superficial aspects that have nothing to do with the campaign.”
The article made the top three most viewed news pieces on the Yahoo! website Thursday, something briefly celebrated at the ASFA council meeting that night.
Editor-in-Chief of The Concordian Sarah Deshaies also said she didn’t expect the article to “explode” like it did, but added that “people at Concordia seem to be more amused [than upset about it].” She said she hadn’t been confronted with any complaints at school about the opinions piece, as most criticism was launched on the web.
“In retrospect, I think the language it was couched in was very negative and it slipped through,” she said. “The Concordian is sorry that it does come across as extremely anti-woman,” she continued, adding that she’s always “hated it when female politicians get skewered for really silly things.”
It was later revealed that in the original version of the piece, the author—19-year-old, first-year journalism student Kelsey Pudloski—included a critique of male candidates as well, but it didn’t make the final edit.
”Chicks” and Chocolate
The second ASFA poster-related scandal was the consequence of the initial poster design for a fundraising event called the “Ultimate Chocolate Wrestling Party.”
Originally showcasing two scantily-clad women wrestling in chocolate with various limbs in the air, the posters were changed Feb. 3—just over a week before the event took place—due to complaints from students, ASFA Member Associates and eventually the Dean of Students. Posters of the event were also removed from hallways by concerned individuals.
Jessica Young, an internal member of the Concordia Association of English Students who initiated the dialogue as “a concerned student,” spoke with the ASFA executive over the course of the month about her issues with the poster and its implications.
“What I did say, and what I will maintain, is that this event and its promotion uphold and encourage a culture that allows for certain types of sexual violence, reductionism and essentialism to remain in play at Concordia,” she told The Link. “I think it is well within ASFA’s mandate to keep these kinds of things in mind when putting out event posters and information.”
Young said ASFA should recognize that the sexist posters are part of a much larger and more systemic problem at and beyond the university.
“I’m all for having sexy, provocative events, but do them in a way that is working to reduce the amount of harm they could do,” Young suggested. “If you’re advertising, communicating or promoting, you should have a very clear understanding of what the implications of the messages you’re disseminating are.”
ASFA VP Communications Natasha Launi, who created the posters, said she was “really shocked” that the original image ignited such strong debate, saying that the images went through various committees and executive bodies without comment before being put up around campus.
She also said the event wasn’t hindered by the controversy and was a “huge success,” hosting over 700 people and raising $4,000 for various volunteer initiatives.
“I really want to continue to do creative parties,” she said. “[Opponents of the posters] were calling me sexist towards women, and I am a woman and I don’t understand, because I made sure that both guys and girls were both wrestling. […] I think the biggest problem was communication between everybody.”
Launi and the ASFA executive also took it upon themselves to create the “ASFA Safe Zone Policy”—the organization’s first official policy guaranteeing LGBT-friendly space for their events.
Created for the chocolate wrestling event, Launi described the policy as a means for the lesbian, gay, queer, bisexual and transgendered community “to feel comfortable and safe at the party because no one’s going to be commenting that things are ‘gay’ or anything like that.”
The policy outlined a zero-tolerance rule for homophobic, aggressive or derogatory remarks from participants and patrons of the chocolate wrestling event, and the policy will ostensibly be used on parties in the future. But the policy is a gesture Young called “static.”
“It’s completely insufficient to say we’re going to put a ‘safe zone’ policy into ASFA bylaws, because it doesn’t accomplish what safe space really is, or what it takes to foster,” she said. “It brings up a safer space mandate, which is great, but these things just can’t be put down in point form. It’s not about achieving points one, two, three and then you have safer space—a dialogue needs to be had. This needs to be an active, ongoing process.
“It’s important to question what you’re seeing around you, and what it’s motivating,” she said. “What thought, or lack of thought, was behind those posters?”
This article originally appeared in The Link volume 31, Issue 23, published February 15, 2011.
dimanche 20 février 2011
The Edgy Woman
Hey!
I hate it when people aren't good to their word. You know, they say one thing and invariably do another. I looked at this blog with a critical eye today (last post Dec. 19?! wtf!?), thinking about what it should and could be, and decided that 2011 is when I get real. REAL. I mean it, this time.
Another reason I need to start flexing the ol' blogging muscle is because I have somehow landed this loose-definition-project with the AMAZING Edgy Women Festival to help organize and run their bloggo and I can't fuck this one up, it's just too special.
This is the amazing event before my eyes, and I can't wait to start interviewing and documenting all the amazing performances and artists!
yay.
So stay tuned, I am good to my word,
Laura Bee
I hate it when people aren't good to their word. You know, they say one thing and invariably do another. I looked at this blog with a critical eye today (last post Dec. 19?! wtf!?), thinking about what it should and could be, and decided that 2011 is when I get real. REAL. I mean it, this time.
Another reason I need to start flexing the ol' blogging muscle is because I have somehow landed this loose-definition-project with the AMAZING Edgy Women Festival to help organize and run their bloggo and I can't fuck this one up, it's just too special.
This is the amazing event before my eyes, and I can't wait to start interviewing and documenting all the amazing performances and artists!
yay.
So stay tuned, I am good to my word,
Laura Bee
mercredi 15 décembre 2010
Breakup and Mistletoe
I don't know what it is about media and the holiday season, but all I keep reading about in the "life" section of press these days is
1) Christmas
2) Break ups
What? What? What? So 2010.
Weird...
LBB
ps: New Years Resolution - write on this dang thang. way more.
1) Christmas
2) Break ups
What? What? What? So 2010.
Weird...
LBB
ps: New Years Resolution - write on this dang thang. way more.
mardi 16 novembre 2010
ConU Inc.
---
According to Concordia’s administration, David Bernans is a risk to be assessed.
Making headlines after the university’s Risk Assessment Committee banned him from holding a book reading on campus in 2006, the author of Con U Inc. and North of 9/11 will speak on Wednesday as part of a week-long “Ask Why” awareness campaign organized by various student groups.
Bernans caught up with The Link to talk about the university’s senior administration, the changing role of the Concordia Student Union and how students can—and should—mobilize to reclaim space.
When asked what students should demand of the administration in a time where the tuition freeze has thawed and corporate interests trump ethical purchasing in private/public contracts, Bernans said it all comes down to access.
“Why aren’t [students] given public space to promote and hold events, to organize, to question established truths, to be critical of the relationships between ConU and the corporate powers that be and to encourage independent, critical thought?” he asked in an interview on Nov. 14. “Moreover, why is our administration and Board of Governors dominated by corporate interests with secret exclusivity agreements in a supposedly-public institution?”
Closely following the events surrounding the recently renewed PepsiCo. contract, Bernans said he wasn’t surprised that the administration went ahead with the deal in spite of promises of student consultation.
“It’s to be expected in the current context,” he said. “[The administration] is a structure that has been set up to run—even thought it’s a public institution—like a private corporation.”
With competing visions for Concordia’s future, Bernans explained that, “at some points historically students have made gains, and at others, the corporations and administration get what they want. Now it’s clear students want to swing the pendulum the other way.”
Bernans also said student powerlessness and apathy is part of a problem with the way the student union has evolved over the years, in terms of prompting “general assembly and direct democracy” as a way to make decisions and mobilize the student body.
Back in his day, Bernans said, the CSU would challenge the administration—and would actually win sometimes.
In 1999, before Tim Hortons was a fixture in the Hall Building, altercations between security and the CSU over tabling space exemplified “the leadership students should be looking to put in place today.”
As student groups were distributing information about a general assembly—that eventually led to a three-day student strike—security attempted to evict them from the premises on the ground floor of the Hall Building.
“We just called the student executives down, who sat with us,” recounted Bernans. “The CSU told the security at the time to arrest us if they needed us to move. And then they basically told the administration, ‘you have two choices: let us do the mobilizing ourselves, or do it for us—if you arrest us for tabling, students will mobilize around that. The choice is yours.’”
Being a student leader is not just about representing students on a board somewhere, he continued.
“That’s not an effective way of dealing with bureaucracy or making any kind of significant gains,” he explained. “You need to elect student leaders who will actually encourage activism, who get students organized and behind them when they say to the administration ‘these are student interests, you can follow through or face the consequences.’ With this approach, the university will listen. They have to.”
When asked if there was anything students should know about university space before speaking on Wednesday—security risk assessment pending—Bernans was very direct.
“My advice is to take it. Take the space. I mean that quite literally,” he said. “That’s how student space was won in the past. The reason students don’t have [space] anymore is because they didn’t fight to keep it. Fight for it.
“Hopefully, the CSU will follow and realize their role is not to represent students to the administration but to mobilize and to reinvigorate the institution of direct democracy.”
Catch David Bernans on the 7th floor of the Hall Building this Wednesday, Nov. 17 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. To read the entire interview, check out thelinknewspaper.ca
This article originally appeared in The Link volume 31, Issue 14, published November 16, 2010.
According to Concordia’s administration, David Bernans is a risk to be assessed.
Making headlines after the university’s Risk Assessment Committee banned him from holding a book reading on campus in 2006, the author of Con U Inc. and North of 9/11 will speak on Wednesday as part of a week-long “Ask Why” awareness campaign organized by various student groups.
Bernans caught up with The Link to talk about the university’s senior administration, the changing role of the Concordia Student Union and how students can—and should—mobilize to reclaim space.
When asked what students should demand of the administration in a time where the tuition freeze has thawed and corporate interests trump ethical purchasing in private/public contracts, Bernans said it all comes down to access.
“Why aren’t [students] given public space to promote and hold events, to organize, to question established truths, to be critical of the relationships between ConU and the corporate powers that be and to encourage independent, critical thought?” he asked in an interview on Nov. 14. “Moreover, why is our administration and Board of Governors dominated by corporate interests with secret exclusivity agreements in a supposedly-public institution?”
Closely following the events surrounding the recently renewed PepsiCo. contract, Bernans said he wasn’t surprised that the administration went ahead with the deal in spite of promises of student consultation.
“It’s to be expected in the current context,” he said. “[The administration] is a structure that has been set up to run—even thought it’s a public institution—like a private corporation.”
With competing visions for Concordia’s future, Bernans explained that, “at some points historically students have made gains, and at others, the corporations and administration get what they want. Now it’s clear students want to swing the pendulum the other way.”
Bernans also said student powerlessness and apathy is part of a problem with the way the student union has evolved over the years, in terms of prompting “general assembly and direct democracy” as a way to make decisions and mobilize the student body.
Back in his day, Bernans said, the CSU would challenge the administration—and would actually win sometimes.
In 1999, before Tim Hortons was a fixture in the Hall Building, altercations between security and the CSU over tabling space exemplified “the leadership students should be looking to put in place today.”
As student groups were distributing information about a general assembly—that eventually led to a three-day student strike—security attempted to evict them from the premises on the ground floor of the Hall Building.
“We just called the student executives down, who sat with us,” recounted Bernans. “The CSU told the security at the time to arrest us if they needed us to move. And then they basically told the administration, ‘you have two choices: let us do the mobilizing ourselves, or do it for us—if you arrest us for tabling, students will mobilize around that. The choice is yours.’”
Being a student leader is not just about representing students on a board somewhere, he continued.
“That’s not an effective way of dealing with bureaucracy or making any kind of significant gains,” he explained. “You need to elect student leaders who will actually encourage activism, who get students organized and behind them when they say to the administration ‘these are student interests, you can follow through or face the consequences.’ With this approach, the university will listen. They have to.”
When asked if there was anything students should know about university space before speaking on Wednesday—security risk assessment pending—Bernans was very direct.
“My advice is to take it. Take the space. I mean that quite literally,” he said. “That’s how student space was won in the past. The reason students don’t have [space] anymore is because they didn’t fight to keep it. Fight for it.
“Hopefully, the CSU will follow and realize their role is not to represent students to the administration but to mobilize and to reinvigorate the institution of direct democracy.”
Catch David Bernans on the 7th floor of the Hall Building this Wednesday, Nov. 17 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. To read the entire interview, check out thelinknewspaper.ca
This article originally appeared in The Link volume 31, Issue 14, published November 16, 2010.
mardi 16 février 2010
mercredi 10 février 2010
back in action?
I fucked the dog for awhile there, sorry.
You all know this expression, I assume? I didn't. I figured it was one of those random Quebec things where you just don't ask why tsé? But I'm back, & I'm busy, but I didn't forget about the manstream or feminism since taking up the oath of paper, I swear.
I really do like "new" technology as much as the next guy, even if I have to defend my lack of cell phone on a regular basis. So I'm going to make a concerted effort to blog more and hopefully some time diversifyin' with Artistic Things (where I swiped this lovely graphic, btw) will help me keep current here, too.
But outside of cyberspace, here's what I've been up to for the last couple of weeks:
Good art at a good place
- Lots of Canadian press. Go student jobs?
- & this interview made me want to do a wing-stretching ceremony. holy shit.
mardi 19 janvier 2010
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