Your Own Naked Body Could Ruin Your Life
It’s very, very strange how your own body can ruin your life. Who you show it to. How…
I wrote this.
I love you, Gaby Dunn.
Fantastic.
real women have curves, real sharks disguise themselves as women so they can get close to their prey
Drawn by Jo B. [tumblr | deviantART] for We All Draw
These Women Are About To Tell You Some Things That Are Absolutely None Of Your Business
Holy shit women on fire. This video gave me chills. If you do nothing at all today - watch this!
ask one more time why we need feminism
I’m in tears. This is amazing.
Such an incredibly powerful video [TW for mention of rape]
A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO NOT TELLING PEOPLE HOW TO LOOK
(six pages, half-sheet sized, drawings + writing)
My first zine is available
for freeeee! You can just message me with your name & address & I promise I won’t stalk you but I will mail you a copy!It’s a handy dandy manual to stop trying to control other people’s appearances. I’d like to think everyone can learn from giving it a read, but I can’t deny it also makes an excellent passive-aggressive Christmas gift.
I do ship all over the world, just let me know if you’d like a copy!! :)edit: due to an overwhelming response I am no longer sending out free copies: you can still order a copy here (on etsy, still worldwide shipping) or read a free online version here. I also might be up for a trade.
When documentary filmmaker Ellie Land saw reports in the national press about an increasing trend in women undergoing labia surgery to neaten the appearance of their genitals, she set out to make a documentary exploring the subject.
Funded by the Wellcome Trust, and partnered with leading clinicians Sarah Creighton and Lih-Mei Liao from University College Hospitals London, Centrefold is an award-winning animated documentary presenting the personal accounts of three women who have had a labiaplasty.
Is labiaplasty anti- pornification or an empowering choice? Tell us what you think….
thecentrefoldproject.org
According to One Comic Book Publisher, this Batwoman “looks fat”
Over on the Escher Girls blog, which does an amazingly consistent and good job of slicing and dicing comic book art featuring women, a submission was posted which blew my already cynical mind.
It was about a Batwoman piece that artist submitted for a portfolio review. The artist freely admits to not being the best artist in the world but wanted to get some feedback from portfolio reviews during SDCC.
I’ve stood and watched some portfolio reviews at conventions, and I’ve seen all levels of artists’ stuff - from penciled images that makes your jaw drop with “you’ve got to be kidding me” to work that you can see real potential in.
You can check out more of her work on her DA page, but let’s focus on the comments she received in regard to this sketch of Batwoman.
I’d say that is fine portrait of Batwoman and, bonus, that no backs were broken in the production of it. Gail Simone said, “I like that Batwoman piece very much. I don’t know what the rest of the portfolio is like, but if you can tell a story as well, I would work with you any time.”
And now on to the feedback. You can read the whole thing over at Escher Girls but essentially the general feedback from the publishers was that it “wasn’t industry standard”. One company was more specific. Brace yourself: (Bolding mine.)
“Her breasts are much too small and do not have the lift that superhero women should have. Her jawline is fat and her neck much too long. The style of her hair is clunky and does not flow in a sense that a super human would. Her hips, waist and thighs are too big and she honestly looks fat. No one is going to want to read a comic with a fat female protagonist. I honestly recommend looking at issues of Sport’s Illustrated to get the right anatomy. Those women are the peak of human perfection, and that is what we want in this industry.”
You know I could post a few recent covers that show off female characters and their lack of anatomy (and backs and normal size asses) but I don’t even think I have too. And the fat comment? Look at the waist — does that look anyone who could be reasonably considered overweight?
And remember we don’t know which comic company this is. Could be a big two, could be an indie.
That said I am not the least bit surprised. Not when I was told by an artist who works at a big two company that an another artist was not given a gig on a female led book because a senior executive didn’t think the artist “drew women ‘sexy enough’”
And there are other tales I’ve been told. But I’ll save them for another day.
The debate about how women are drawn in comics seems to never end. And each time it comes up I am heartened by the folks who get it and then brought down to earth by the amazingly cluelessness of others - both men and women. Kelly’s column on the topic over on CBR practically broke the internet but if you haven’t read it you should. But prepare yourself for some of the comments.
And look this post isn’t about having artists who aren’t ready for the big time getting a pass. This isn’t about female artists and comics. This isn’t about disagreeing that there is a hyper-realism in comics. Of course there is, I know absolutely no one is real life who flies or has the ability to stop a missile with their bare hands. This is about how there is a fundamental disconnect by some people in comics when it comes to the depiction of women. Not by all. But even one like the person who commented on the Batwoman piece is too much.
[Trigger warning: sizism, inappropriate use of ED, overall douche-baggery]
In one of the bathroom stalls at the university I attend there was this huge message, it started with “It’s true, everyone is born and built differently, but being big-boned or big-hipped is no excuse for being fat.” It continued, but was very hard to read, as was the rebuttal. The original writer, self-proclaimed “sexy biatch”, then wrote how “not all men want a girl that’s skinny or anorexic looking but being fat shows your lack of control and your unwillingness to care for yourself” and here’s the kicker, “If you don’t care for yourself you can’t expect someone else to” - because we’re all just waiting to be cared for, right?
I yanked out my pen, popped of the lid and with rebellious exhilaration fuelling me, I wrote:
“Change the society that perpetuates this ignorance, not your body.”
I keep seeing this picture.
I keep seeing it.
I don’t think my friends understand how much I let slide on Facebook.
But for some reason everyone has been sharing this picture, and it is driving me insane because STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO WITH MY BOOBS.If someone wants to wear a mega push up bra with a see through shirt and super low v-neck, what’s it to ya?
If someone wants to wear a sports bra, binder, and turtle neck, What’s. It. To. Ya?
IT IS THEIR/MY BODY. STOP TELLING THEM/ME WHAT TO DO WITH IT.
Live by your own standards of appropriateness, and leave other people to theirs!
Let’s Talk About Body Hair
I get a lot of questions about having body hair, especially in public. It’s one thing in the winter, I’m told, when we can hide our legs under pants and our pits under sleeves. It’s different now, when you want to wear tank-tops and short dresses! So here is my response and my advice to those questioning whether to shave/wax this summer: Do what makes you happy, and comfortable. Do what makes you feel beautiful. Love your body and embrace the choices you make with it. Whether that means shaving all the hair of your body or throwing out all your razors, as long as you’re happy with your body that is truly what’s important.
Body Hair in public
Despite all our feminist ideologies, it can be a bit frightening to face off – your body against the world. I’ve been there, and I’m here to tell you not to be afraid. First it’s important to recognize why you feel weird/embarrassed…
