pantryslut | (no subject)

Post-Femme Con thought for the day:

"However, the success of early female punk performers' attempts to desexualize the clothes they wore in such a parodic fashion is debatable. Whereas punk women intended to present these garments in such a way as to discredit their effect as fetishistic, sexually titillating items, the overriding cultural view of women as sex objects may have worked at cross-purposes with their intent. Thus, Laing argues that "an attempt to parody 'sexiness' may simply miss its mark and be read by the omnivorous male gaze as the 'real thing'." Their attempt at resistance, when contained within the subculture's private code, could be, and was, often read by the mainstream press and by observers more in terms of its accomodation, rather than resistance, to feminine sexual stereotypes. While striving to counter stereotypes of women in rock, punk women were repeatedly described as sluts, perverts, whores, and junkies by those outside the subculture."

-- Lauraine Leblanc, Pretty in Punk

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The omnivorous male gaze has a way of sexualizing and objectifying a lump of shit on one's shoe

Oh man, that is the truth. I don't know that it's just "the male gaze" however. I think it is the privileged gaze, the white gaze, the gaze of anyone who is not "other" on the "other". But yeah, reclamation is madly tricky and unfortunately I don't see a lot of reclamation going on that is truly subversive or reclamatory... I mostly see imitation, or the idea that by women objectifying eachother (for example) we are reclaiming our bodies and the gaze. This is one of many reasons why I no longer work in the sex industry.

Good point. It is over simplifying to say it's just the male gaze. It's the privileged gaze. (I'm also aware of the privilege inherent in even being able to have this sort of discussion online.) But imitation is so very human. All our lives we mimic, alter to make our own, relate to one another through perceived similarities and differences, but how far outside the spectrum do our imaginations, fears, hopes and desires allow us/inspire us to go? When I was younger, I put on the punk and goth trappings as a way to differentiate myself as not buying into the fashion/look this way machine... but I was still just part of another agreed upon subset with its own rules. I was just imitating a smaller sector of humanity. I wasn't truly departing and being individual. When you can buy your rebellion at Hot Topic in the local mall, you're not really departing all that far from anything, are you? So do we run around naked or make our own clothes? And do we ostracize ourselves in order to make a point in our appearance or are there other ways to challenge the power/oppression/objectification dynamic?

When you can buy your rebellion at Hot Topic in the local mall, you're not really departing all that far from anything, are you?

Ha.. I know, the commodification of punk rock culture is so sad but was so inevitable. What is the new punk rock, I wonder? I mean, what is the new rebellion? If I was 14 years old in 2006, what would I be doing to stand out from the crowd? Certainly not dying my hair funky colors, wearing ball-chain necklaces and studded belts. Oh wait, I am butch which means I "get" to be a rebel even in a golf outfit. Nice.