“Why, in the long run, would being amateurish be a bad thing for feminist blogs? Why couldn’t it be a choice – even an implicitly political choice – and not a weakness? If Judy Chicago’s installation artwork “The Dinner Party” is any indication, feminists have no problem with craftiness. We have celebrated amateurism in music – what else was the riot grrrl punk rock movement? – and in publishing. The zines of Third Wave feminism were self-published; so were the mimeographed newsletters of the Second Wave. The ungroomed, the untrained and the unprofessional are celebrated in feminist writing. As they should be: A movement can hardly encourage women to reach their untapped potential if it doesn’t recognize and value potential that has been, you know, untapped.”
So, hey! I have gotten really kind feedback for this piece on the aesthetics of feminist blogging. Which is nice. The piece sort of sets out to vindicate the bits of the genre that other people (including myself!) have taken issue with; the lack of grooming in the prose, the aggressiveness and earnestness, our tendency to sit down and process and/or argue with each other rather than cultivating archness or detachment. I hope I made a convincing argument for it? If not, I am sure you will let me know! (via sadybusiness)
“Lack of grooming” among feminist (prose)? Unheard of! Hah! But this is really good. Well-groomed, I think. Definitely well-argued.
