On Women and Visual Culture

(originally published May 8, 2012)
Allow me to preface this short essay by stating that I am no expert on gender, women's, or feminist studies.  I've studied feminist historical disciplinary methodology for a term last year in my course at Brussia, Elizabeth: The Virgin Queen. I also took a North American Women's History course at main over both previous terms.  In both these classes, I was understandably the only guy.

I've always been fascinated by women, due to both previous sexual attraction as well as my general appreciation of humanity.  For a while in high school I was even a bit of a "man whore."

As a Social Justice and Peace Studies (SJPS) student, I had some exposure to the academic study of women, gender, and feminism because arguably 1/5 of SJPS is women's studies.  This reality is a result of the values proselytized in the program as well as the gender break down of most SJPS classes.  All compulsory classes I took in SJPS had at least 4 females for every male.
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In sum, I'm used to being surrounded by women in almost all my undergraduate classes.  Under such circumstances, I find myself on edge every time a discussion makes its way to an evaluation of the status, identity, or actions of women.  In a discussion of Elizabeth I's political prowess, especially her inability to reign in much of the male English nobility, I found myself chanting in my head: "I'm walking on egg shells, woh-oh" to the tune of Katrina and the Wave's I'm Walking on Sunshine.

In fact, I've desired to write this Facebook note for a while, I just lacked the courage and the balls.  Now I just don't give a damn.

I've set this note aside to discuss Women and Visual Culture.  Why?  They're symbiotic - interdependent.  Visual culture shapes the feelings and actions of many women.  Many women value the visual (being seen and seeing) above and beyond all their other values - even they're own lives occasionally.

The evidence of this relationship between women and visual culture is everywhere.  Much of women's self-worth is based on what they think other people think about how they look.  That's why much of society has taken to consistently reassuring women that they are aesthetically pleasing.  If certain women don't have this reassurance, they feel "valueless" and turn to coping methods, such as drugs, anorexia, bulimia, and even deliberate self-harm.

For far too many women, how they think they look negatively affects how they feel. Now, this is not to say that this  relationship is exclusive to women.  Of course most men care how they look, but this value is no where near as high a value for men as it is for many women.
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Women's relationship with visual culture is extraordinary in its lack of documentation.  In an entire year of study of North American Women's History, we never once touched the topic of women's relationship with the visual.  I - as the only guy - had a unique sensitivity to this relationship - I think most women take it for granted.  For example, my self-proclaimed radical feminist professor wore (extensive?) make-up to every class - and never once talked about it.

I believe people need to talk about this.  Especially academics.

I write this note, because I'm a bit disgusted by many of my female friends' and acquaintances' wide-spread use of the term "free spirit" when describing their female peers' actions.  As with arguing with defenders of free will, my first question to those using this description would be "Free from what?"  Many of these same women would be quick to respond "free from patriarchy," or "free from gendered stereotypes."  How can you be free from patriarchy or gendered stereotypes if you submit to male demands for you to look and, by consequence of values, feel, a certain way?  I'm sorry, but this is hypocrisy of a high order.

[February 2021 addendum: I don't edit these posts in order to preserve my development as a writer.  However, the above paragraph merits some clarification.  A few amazing women with whom I grew up were kicked out of their homes/disowned from their families for being bi, gay, or even non-binary.  Members of my community most often referred to these young women by the label "free spirit."  My anger when I wrote the above paragraph could be attributed in part to my witnessing the appropriation of that term.  It takes guts to be true to yourself despite your family, friends, and community.]

The professor for my North American Women's History class once stated that women, when it comes to heterosexual relationships, "have the choice between being right and being happy."  She argued that as an outspoken feminist she had to give in a little in order to be happy in her personal life.  I'm sorry, but I'll never be happy if I know I'm wrong.
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Due to the nature of women's relationship with visual culture, there's a plethora of relevant images I could attach to this note: from magazine covers, to weight loss ads, to wedding pictures (weddings representing the arguable apotheosis of this relationship).  Here's a few. [top]