The Attractive Feminist
Posted in Uncategorized on Jan 4th, 2007
The word “feminist” carries a lot of negative connotations. A lot of people associate it with lesbianism (and not the “hot” kind found in pornography produced by and for men), unshaven armpits, and anger. It’s also associated with ugly.
I worry that, by labeling myself a feminist in such a public manner, I’m hurting my marketability as a model- who wants to work with a feminist? Even if you look at my extensive portfolio, and read positive testimonials of photographers who have worked with me before, it’s probably impossible to get rid of the residual “ew” that some people connect with feminism.
When I first started this blog, I thought I was helping to break down stereotypes. While I like to think that I show a view of a feminist that’s different from what most people think of when they hear the word, I’ve also helped to uphold others- this blog does very little to promote a wide spectrum of feminist views and opinions, not to mention different feminists themselves.
This isn’t necessarily wrong or bad; Feminism Without Clothes is a personal, one-woman blog. I’m under no obligation to present anyone’s viewpoint other than my own.
I’m not the exception to the rule, nor am I representitive of a new brand of feminism. I just am. There is no rule, and there is no one new brand.
Photography by Vincent Smith, October 2006.
nice post. of course you’re a feminist, because you say so. who knows more about your thoughts and beliefs, and the core of who you are, than you do? everyone else gets to figure their own selves out. (and if they don’t, then they get to find a way to be either a) satisfied with being spoon-fed someone else’s beliefs or b) angry enough about the stuff they’re being spoon-fed to seek out better ways to see the world.
if they care enough to find knowledge beyond the “spoon,” people will take in what you have to say and see how it resonates (or even clashes) with their own opinions and experiences. but that’s all up to them - not your job.
as for the label “feminist” hurting your career, well it certainly hasn’t hindered you so far! be you, and the interesting people will want to work with you.
but… when i first saw the title i thought it was gonna be a gleeful treatise on your recent lingerie purchases (even if they were out of the black-lace-on-red one).
:)
You can be anybody you want to be.
Who cares what people think?
David-
I care what people think because I want money.
Well if you just “are” why do you need to label yourself? Does the feminist title bring anything to the table when you are going for a paycheck? Personally, I find it a hinderence. I would never shoot with a model that called herself a feminist first and a model second. When I hear the word feminist, I think ..man hater ..bitch..and not someone that I would want to employ. But that is just me.
Buddy-
I don’t call myself a feminist when I’m endorsing myself as a model. There is nothing about me being a feminist on my online portfolio pages except for a link to this blog. I call myself a feminist when I’m blogging about feminism. Like, for example, now. Your statement about how you don’t want to employ feminists because of what you associate the term with perfectly describes my dilema- by announcing I’m a feminist by keeping this blog, I limit my marketability.
However, I don’t consider modeling to be my identity. Neither do I consider being a feminist my identity.
However, one day I will retire from modeling. While I’m postive my views on some things will change, I hope that I never stop considering myself a feminist. And if that makes people, despite the fact that I’m not a man-hater or a bitch(well, it depends on who you ask regarding that one), not want to work with me, so be it.