Flower Crown Magazine: Issue 2

Table of Contents
Letter from the editor
celebrity skin mixtape by shanice brim
from afropunk w/love by shanice brim
black girls do rock by tionni warren
baby won’t you hold on to me by marissa zimmerman
where are all the disabled women by katrina vargas
we should all be watching misspelled by jean trujillo
AN interview with shuga henry by tionni warren
an interview with april hogue by shanice brim
an affair with myself by dominque aizpurua
The Fix complex by Sara geiger
merpunx by Natlie reitz
not your china doll by kaylee dolloff
suzanne by glenda villalon
so your fave is problematic by shanice brim
feminist read of the month by shanice brim
monthly 101: rape culture by michelle emile
an interview with jane elliott by michelle emile
feminist blogger of the month by matlaleng o. babatunde
red summer by matlaleng o. babatunde
credits
Page 3
page 4
page 5
page 11
page 13
Page 19
page 20
page 21
page 23
page 27
page 37
page 40
Page 44
page 45
page 46
Page 49
Page 50
Page 53
Page 56
Page 60
Page 62

Letter from
Editor
the
Hello everyone!
First, I’d like to thank everyone for their positive
feedback on the first issue and, of course, for sharing it and
spreading the word! When I first started the magazine I had
this intense fear that no one read it. It was sort of like when
you’re doing a play and you have a dream that no one
shows up opening night. I was tossing and turning hoping I
didn’t do all this work and get so many people involved for
no one to see it. But then you all showed up and shared
our work and I’m so beyond grateful!
This month our theme is Celebrity Skin. We’re focusing
on media driven images of women, body image, media
representation and more. So much of our societal views
on women are written in how we depict them in media. The
songs we write about women, the women we feature in mainstream
magazines, the women we leave out of the conversation
altogether, it’s all tied so closely to how women are
treated in the everyday. In some cases it even informs how
we treat women in real life. I hope this issue makes you think
and I hope you find something that speaks to you!
Thanks so much,
Shanice
2

Click Here To Listen

From Afropunk
with
Love
Some of our girls went to afropunk
this year and had a ball.

Outfits

Program
Me and Michelle
we both bought kitten ears.
what’s cuter than bestie kitten
ears?
Left:editor, Michelle
Right: Contributor, Tionni
Flag Dancing

Performances
Lianne La Havas
The Internet
Waiting for D’Angelo. . .for 45 min.

Booth’s and food
Michelle’s Buys

Waiting for the train home
both nights.
Fin

Black Girls Do Rock!
A Book review by tionni warren
What Are You
Doing Here?: A
Black Woman’s
Life and Liberation
in Heavy Metal
written by Laina
Dawes is a celebration
of individuality
but also discusses
the importance of
community and the
effects it has on a
person’s identity. I
initially picked up
the book at this
year’s Afropunk
festival because it
immediately stood
out to me. I am a
young, black woman
who has always seemed to like things that I was told
by my black peers as being “too white” i.e. any kind of
rock music. Although I’m not a huge fan of heavy metal
per se, loving Soundgarden, Incubus, Deftones, and Red
Hot Chili Peppers is hardly a “normal” thing to listen to for
any person of color. Needless to say, the title of the book
spoke to me.
Dawes has a “lifelong love” of metal and has
attended numerous heavy metal shows both as a fan
and a journalist. In her book, she shares her experiences
of being a black woman in the heavy metal, hard rock,
and punk scenes. She also interviewed black female rock
musicians and fans to give their take on why the love
the music, racism, stereotypes, female body image, and
obstacles they’ve had to face in those scenes.
The book starts off with Dawes explaining what
it was like growing up liking something that was thought
of as strange in the black community; the battle within
herself to understand why she likes something that she is
told she shouldn’t. She uses a quote from Camille Atkinson
to explain what many of us feel. “You have people
on both sides of your life...telling you that you are not
black enough because you listen to this music. So you
do question yourself. What ends up happening is that
you create for yourself an identity of what a black person
should be.” As a rock fan, I was constantly told by my
relatives and black friends that I was weird for loving it.
“They’re screaming, not singing. There’s too much spotlight
on the guitar. The music is too loud. How could you
like that music?” All of these things I’ve heard from other
black people are ridiculous and Dawes explains it like this
in a chapter of her book: “I’m Here Because We Started
It.” If you anything about music history, you would know
that what we know as rock and roll today was inspired by
black musicians. A lot of bands like The Rolling Stones,
Led Zeppelin, and The Doors were influenced by blues
singers and bands. So, there really is no logical reason
why it is crazy for people to understand why some black
people may be drawn to the music.
As much as my black friends in the past have
been shocked to learn that I love rock music, some white
people that I have met over the years have expressed
their shock as well. Dawes talks about a time she met her
friend’s white boyfriend and she expressed her love for
punk and metal bands to him. He asked her where her
family was from and she explained that she was adopted
into a white family. His response? “So that explains it.
You’re really white.” What Dawes is saying here is a lot of
the time, people want an explanation as to why they like
the music. You couldn’t possibly have started to liking it
on your own. You’re black. It is almost seen as you are
admitting to committing a crime when you admit that
you like something that is not seen as being normal for
black people. You are seen as denying your people and
your culture. Thank God I love rap music because when
I say I don’t really like R&B, people look at me like I’m crazy.
Dawes and many of black women she talks to do not
want to be
perceived
as wanting
to distance
themselves
from their
black
culture just
because
they like
what they
like.
Writer, Laina Dawes

Alexis Brown of
straight line
They don’t want to “shed
their blackness” they just
want to be individuals
within their communities.
The author interviews
many different black female
metal artists and fans that
give their take on being
black and doing this type
of music. She speaks to
artists like Skin from Skunk
Anansie, Tamar-kali, Alexis
Brown from Straight Line
Stich, and Militia Vox who
fronts a cover band called
Judas Priestess. They all
have interesting experiences.
Skin talks about record
stitch
labels trying to categorize her band as R&B. Other talk
about the pressure to be ten times more excellent than
any white, male band - because if you’re going to come
into a territory that is not seen as black woman territory
then you really have to shred.
Fronting a metal band and being a lead guitarist is seen
as white male territory, so when you see a black woman
doing these things, they command respect which black
women have to fight for everyday.
Racism in these scenes are a common thing even today.
Dawes discusses scary experiences she and others had
being one of the few black women at metal concerts. Experiences
ranged from being shoved into walls, punched
in the face to being called nigger after a show. It is still
so strange for some people to see black people at these
concerts that don’t know how to act or react to their
presence there. They sometimes become very territorial.
Although I’ve never experienced anything so extreme
and I have never attended a heavy metal concert, I’ve
had similar experiences. When I went to a Soundgarden
concert a couple years ago, people looked at like I had
six heads. Not only was I black and female but I loved
Soundgarden so much I came alone. This year I went to
see the Red Hot Chili Peppers with my best friend, who
is also black
and female,
and before the
concert started
to wandered
around to find
some beer.
We got so
many looks
like, “What?
You guys like
them?” from
white fans.
And the black
people that
worked there
looked at us
Tamar Kali
like we were
new alien lifeforms. These two white guys that looked
like they were forty years old tried to get us to sit with
them because of their amazement that we were the
only two black girls at the concert. I was really surprised.
I just thought New York City would be a little bit more
open-minded and not care so much about us being
there.
Dawes’ book is a great in-depth look into the
struggles and joy that us black female rock fans experience.
She talks about the obstacles, but throughout the
book her love for metal, hard rock, and punk emanates
off the pages. The book makes me remember that there
are others out there like me who love this wonderful and
beautifully crazy and chaotic music - that find the beauty
and musical virtuosity in the screams and growls of the
lead singer and the whine of the electric guitar. She says
in the final chapter of her book, “To me, hard rock, metal,
and punk music seemed like the the perfect soundtrack
to letting go and letting inhibitions that had stifled black
women from expressing themselves as sexual, beautiful,
and more importantly, normal women, free.”
This book is a must-read for any black female rock fan.
But its also a great book to read to be more informed on
the subject for all races!
Skin from Skunk Anansi
Militia Vox of Judas
Priestess

BABY WON’T YOU HOLD
ON TO ME
As you know this month we're focusing on media representation, when Marisa Zimmerman sent in these beautiful
photos of her and her daughter we were delighted. Search through Instagram and Twitter and you will
find a bevy of jokes about Black mothers that depict them as harsh, uncaring, and illogical. Black mothers
have been used as a scapegoat for the ills of society for decades now. These photos remind us that Black
women have the same hopes and share the same tenderness for their loved ones as any other group. When we
look at these photos let’s also take a moment to apprecitate the diversity and wonder of women’s bodies. They
come in so many forms and do so much for us all. When we see the photos of Marisa's adorable daughter we
are reminded of why representation is so so important. Young Black women are rarely given depictions of
themselves that feed their inner girl. Black girlhood is so rarely depicted accurately and just as rarely protected
and cherished. Flower Crown is proud to take a moment to appreciate Black mothers and the humanity of
Black girls.

Where Are All the Disabled Women?
By Katrina Vargas
Nobody can really applaud the representation of
women in mass media; if we are actually ever shown, it’s
usually as the supporting side character for an aloof, ill
qualified, generically attractive man who fumbles through
life under our care, as the public laughs along while we
roll our eyes and wonder just what we’re going to do with
this rascal. These women are almost always seen, and filed
under, the non-threatening “norm”: white, heterosexual,
cisgender, well-educated, upwardly mobile women whose
lives fill only the blank spaces that need a little noise; women
who don’t take up much room, don’t feel their bodies
failing them, don’t overlap into
spaces they’re supposed to be
hidden away from; these women
never feel lost in, or denied entrance
to, a society that makes
clear they’re not welcome. Oh,
and one thing I forgot to mention
about these women that
would otherwise throw a wrench
into the lives of all these characters?
None of them are disabled.
This sounds nearly
impossible. No disabled
characters? That can’t be. It’s
true, if you run through some
characters in your mind, you’ll
eventually land on a few pretty
significant characters who are disabled; Tyrion Lannister
from Game of Thrones, Walter White, Jr. from Breaking
Bad, Professor Xavier from X-Men - even Hiccup from
How to Train Your Dragon. Listen, I think these characters
are wonderful. I love that they’re all complex people who
are each shown to have their own lives, who aren’t simply
there for the consumption of abled viewers. I love it, I do.
But, these men all fall into the same illusory representation
that these women do, of an ideal reserved for only
so many people; an ideal that doesn’t represent the rich
diversity of the people they’re portraying, falling flat on
the issues surrounding disabled people - who are, by and
large, in poverty, and as such, are often women, people of
color, and members of the LGBTQIAP+ community
(and just forget representation at all if you fall into more
than one of these identities). In the media’s slapdash representation
of marginalized people, disabled characters are
simply a decorated copy of the normalization of people in
power.
Image by Ellen Havasy
So, what do we do with disabled women? How
do we treat them? How do we understand women who
take up space - or who don’t fall into the small corner of
normalized beauty and ability? It’s quite a daunting question.
Perhaps, then, we should start looking at it as “Why?”
rather than “How?”, then. Why are we not seeing disabled
women? Why do we hide disabled women away, rather
than celebrate them? Why do we refuse to tell disabled
women’s stories?
I, alone, of course, cannot answer that any more
than I could answer the silencing of so many other women.
I can only tell you that disabled
women - all disabled women -
deserve to see themselves and
have their stories told. I want to
see media bring attention to the
injustices disabled women face,
especially when their identities
intersect with different systems
of oppression. I want to see the
stories of autistic black girls, who
are often diagnosed years after
white children - or are misdiagnosed
entirely. I want to see the
stories of transgender women
in wheelchairs who struggle to
find housing due to lawful ability
to deny them a home because
of their gender, and absence of accessibility throughout
society.
I want to see the stories of older, deaf bisexual
women who only learn to sign later in life, because of oralism’s
prevalence in her adolescence, excitedly learning the
sign for ‘bisexual’ for the first time. I want to see the stories
of intellectually disabled indigenous girls who struggle
for their reproductive rights, as both an indigenous and
disabled person, and the ability to sterilize them against
their will, at as young as five years of age. I want disabled
women and girls to see themselves, to know themselves
and love who they are.
Write about us. Write about us as you would abled
women and girls. Write about us as our own people, good
and bad, not as a tale of inspiration, or a learning experience
for abled characters and the abled audience. Listen
to us. Think about us. It’s time we came out of your shadows.

We should all be watching Misspelled
by Jean Trujillo
When watching tv it is easy to see that there are many shows
for people with different interests. There are shows filled with
comedy, suspense, intrigue, and mystery. What is often found
lacking in these shows, however, is a diverse cast of well written
women. The web series “MisSpelled” is not one of those shows.
It features a cast of women of color whose characters are
thrown together after discovering they all have mysteriously
acquired magical powers. They are forced to work together to
try to learn how to master their new powers and deal with the
consequences of those powers. As if that wasn’t hard enough,
they also have to learn how to work with each other. This
web series is bursting with funny, dramatic, and suspenseful
moments. The best part is that the series is written by African-American
actress and writer Lindsey McDowell! The web
series’ first season has come to an end and left their viewers
with a dramatic cliffhanger. Lindsey and the cast are currently
working to raise enough money film their second season. All
off their episodes and information about the show and cast can
be found here.
Check out their
tumblr!

An interview with Shuga Henry
by Tionni Warren
always being seen as the matriarch, but that’s how it goes
sometimes I guess.
What are you currently working on/acting in/auditioning
for?
I am always on the audition train. lol. That’s the life of a
performer. I am currently in rehearsal for “Thoroughly
Modern Millie.” I play Muzzy in the show. That is the
same role Sheryl Lee Ralph played on Broadway. It’s a
fun role and the costumes are amazing. It’s going to be a
wonderful time.
How long have you been acting?
I have been acting since childhood. When I came to this
country from Jamaica, it was something I fell in love with.
I don’t think at my young age I knew I was acting…lol.
However, I knew I loved putting on performances and
entertaining people.
Name of some of your past production/films/ What
was your favorite?
Chicago, Hairspray, Aesop’s Fables, A Funny thing Happened
on the Way to the Forum,
The Amazing Spiderman 2, The Sound of Music just to
name a few. Some of my faves are The Sound of Music,
Forum and The Wiz, which I did this summer and had an
absolute blast! It was truly an amazing experience.
Why do you want to be an actor?
I call myself a performing artist. I am not one thing. I act,
sing, write, direct. I am many facets of the drama field. I
do this because I feel compelled to. I enjoy the energy
I give to the audience. I enjoy the energy the audience
gives to me.
What specific area do you want to focus on?
Film, TV, Plays, Musical Theatre? I am open to all areas.
What have you been successful in thus far?
Musical Theatre has been the area that has provided the
most success
How frequently do you get a gig?
LOL... well this year has been the most successful. In the
past it was scattered. I frequently had to create work for
myself. Most of that came in the form of producing my
own shows. Last year the ball began to roll and this year
so far it’s been a steady stream of work.
What kind of character do you usually play? So far I
always get the matriarch or the diva role. I don’t enjoy
What is it like being a black actress in 2014?
It can be quite rough being a black actor or actress. You
are always questioning, “where is there a role for me?”
You go to auditions knowing that it will be you and four
other black persons there b/c it’s not a black show. You
get stereotypical roles at times and you wish many theatre
companies would do multicultural casting. However,
the winds of change are blowing. From theatre greats like
Audra MacDonald playing Mother Abbess in Sound of
Music, to Norman Lewis playing The Phantom in Phantom
of the Opera, to most recently Keke Palmer playing
Cinderella in Cinderella, you can observe a slight shift.

So if it is happening on Broadway, then other theatre
companies will follow. That however, I feel that will take a
few more years. In the meantime, I will keep showing up
and doing what I do best and maybe the creative team
will look past my color and truly see the talent.
you lose faith. It is during these times that I remind myself
of the successes I have had, pray and try my best to work
things out to the best of my ability.
What is your most sought after goal in respects to
working in the entertainment industry?
I would love to be a constant working artist. The goal is
to live comfortably through the craft. I’m not saying this
field will bring me millions. I’m saying that, I would like
to live a good life doing the work I love. That’s the main
goal. If I get my 15 - 150min of fame in the midst of that,
well that’s just frosting and the strawberry on my life’s
cupcake.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years as an actress?
In what ways has it been a positive experience?
My experience as a performer has been positive b/c I
can meet so many different talented people. I get to
laugh and jump around all day and be paid..lol. I have
the opportunity to create something magical ( I know
that sounds cliche) but it is a magical experience. You
can travel to a foreign land, or back in time or out of this
world. What’s more amazing is that you can take a truck
load of people with you to share in the experience. This
business can be very rough, uncertain at times, discouraging
and exhausting. However, I wouldn’t leave it. The
rewards are too great. I truly love what I do; and b/c I
do I teach the craft as well. During my down times from
shows, I teach musical theatre, acting, and voice to young
children to senior citizens. I enjoy teaching very much.
It gives me the opportunity to take the craft beyond
the stage. My long term goal, after I cross my many red
carpets, is to teach on the collegiate level. I would love to
help guide and cultivate a new generation of performers.
Talk specifically about the challenges you have
faced. Financial challenges are the worst.
You have to audition and take enrichment classes, those
are a must. However, you need to survive - pay bills,
eat! The struggle is finding a survival job that will aid
you along until you are blessed with the consistence of
work. Many times you have to piece jobs together. God
bless the people that find the perfect situation. Also, you
have to stay encouraged. As time goes by and you are
not seeing the progress you hope for, you can lose faith.
When the bills are piling up and there is no money in site,
I plan to be a successful stage actress, with a home in
Louisiana and Jamaica, W.I, commuting often to New
York to perform on stage. I know that’s a big dream. My
dear departed pastor, Rev. A.W.C. Kerr always taught me
to aim high. He would say, “aim for the sun, so if you miss
the sun at least you will land on the moon.” And I would
add, “either way you’ll be out of this world”.
What is your advice to young actors of color dreaming
to make it big or have steady work? Aim high
and hold your dreams close. Do not give the power to
anyone to destroy it. Anything in life is possible. Take
calculated risks and don’t let anything stop you.
What area of entertainment do you think is more
open minded when casting black females in production?
Why?
I’m not sure how to answer this question, b/c the problem
exist in all areas of entertainment. However, if I was
to choose, maybe television. There are so many new
concepts. With internet tv on the rise thanks to Youtube
and Netflix, I feel the possibilities are endless.

Meet Aprill Hogue:
Artist, Designer, writer.
Fashion is all about representation.
What you wear represents who you
are but women of color have for far
too long been unable to recognize
themselves in this form expression.
Aprill Hogue is here to change that.
Interview by Shanice Brim
When did you start illustrations?
I’ve always loved drawing, painting, and creating art
with my hands, ever since I was a young child. I began
to take my career as an artist more seriously in high
school as I developed a comprehensive portfolio and
applied for college to further my studies. My career as
an illustrator soon began after graduating college in
2012 with a BFA and concentration in illustration.
The art world is still very segregated and it’s still
hard for artists of color to break into that scene.
What do you think can be done to get young girls
of color interested in art? And how do we break
the barrier in the art world.
I think in order to get young girls of color interested
in the arts, we have to make a conscious effort to not
only include them visually, giving them positive representation
in the art world. In addition, we have to
include intersectional subject matters that they care
about and can relate to. I think a great way to start
that process and conversation is by providing the general
public with a better knowledge of existing press/
and or media, safe spaces, and artists, that make an
effort to include more representation of people of color.
For example, more public spaces like the MoCADA
Museum in Brooklyn NY, featuring more artists of color
such as Mickalene Thomas, and media/ press such as
on www.upworthy.com
You have a children’s book called Margret’s Mane.
It’s about a young girl’s natural hair journey. What
inspired this and can you talk about your own
journey with your hair?
Margret’s Mane is a children’s book not only about a
young girl’s natural hair journey, it’s also a tale about
a young girl’s journey to love and fully accept herself
as she is. Hair can be a controversial topic in the black
community, so I wrote and illustrated this book in
hopes that it would inspire other girls from all walks of
life to love whatever hair type they’ve got.

Thus empowering them to have more confidence to just
be themselves, to embrace who they are, and most importantly
love who they are. Regarding my personal hair
journey, I’ve always worn my hair natural. I decided to loc
my hair in 2008 before leaving off for college because I
wanted a change, but still wanted to keep in it’s natural
state. I’ve always admired locs, so I just took the plunge--
and when my hair journey first started out, I didn’t always
receive kind words from friends and family members.
Some thought that I was ruining my hair, as I transitioned
into the ugly duckling stage, allowing my locs to fully
mature. Now, six years later, I love my hair even more,
it’s very much a part of my identity and it’s my favorite
accessory. I love to change my hairstyles, trying new colors
every now and then, and dress it up with fun bows,
decorative pins, and colorful scarves. Now, those same
people that were uncertain about my new hair venture
love it too. I’m really glad I listened to my own heart, and
made the best decision that was right for me in the end.
Your artwork is absolutely gorgeous and so playful.
Are the women in your images women you know?
Who inspires your work?
My amazing fans inspire my work most. They truly keep
me going with all their support, kind words, and utmost
excitement when they receive my products in the mail.
I wouldn’t be able to continue to be inspired without
them, and my awesome supportive team of close friends
and family.
I remember being in high school and wanting one of
Marc Jacob’s bags that had the little drawn characters
on them and not seeing any Black girls on them.
Seeing the items in your store was like breathing a
sigh of relief. It’s nice to know that someone sees the
missing the demographics. Can you talk about what
representation means to you?
Representation means everything to me! It’s the main
reason why I created this brand Little Ms. Aprill. I aspire
to create more positive, inclusive, empowering visual imagery
for all girls to feel connected to. In hopes that this
Or do you just draw what comes to mind?
Thank you! None of my characters are people I know
personally, I usually just draw inspiration from my everyday
life, and just sketch it out and watch it blossom from
there as I add paint and glitter in the final stages. I encounter
some pretty colorful characters in my everyday
life, and via social media, so when I find things I enjoy,
or spark an interesting experience for me, I try to sketch
it out when I have some alone time in my studio. Each
character has her own unique personality, look, and style.
brand will only grow, and inspire more young women to
love the skin they’re in, and know that they shine.
When did you decide to create a store and what advice
would you give to someone looking to do it?
I decided to create a store when I realized not everyone
can afford high-priced, original works of art from
artists. Yet, people still want to have art in their lives, so
I worked hard to create a product line that would allow
anyone and everyone access to take a piece of my work
home with them, whether it be a vibrant, colorful tote,

or a cute, compact, pocket mirror... I wanted to give the
public more access to my art, so the everyday girl on the
go could take it home too. Thus, I decided to just go for
it--my online store was created soon after. My advice for
anyone looking to create a store of there own--go for
it!! It can be a lot of hard work, handling custom orders,
shipping out packages, and keeping track of inventory--so
keep that in mind. Be sure to stay organized. Start
small, perhaps try a test run on a site that will print, sell,
and ship your products for you via a third party vendor-
-like Spreadshirt, Zazzle, or Society6 until you get the
hang of things on your own.
Was there ever a moment when you were scared to
start these ventures? How did you work through it?
Intersectional Feminism is of great importance to me.
That is to say, Feminism that acknowledges all forms of
oppression are connected and they are all put into place
in order to systematically discriminate against marginalized
groups of people in our society. This form of feminism,
recognizes that people have multi-layered identities
and they should all be treated with respect as they all
come together to make up the unique individuals of the
world. The feminists of today are not all white, cis-gendered,
able-bodied women... and I think it’s important
to reflect upon that reality when we encounter and
experience hard hitting issues of the present day, such as
racism, sexism, transphobia, homophobia, and the like...
What can we do to improve on feminist culture?
Absolutely!! Sometimes I had my doubts that I’d receive
any positive feedback... but, despite that negative-self
talk, I knew I had to just take the plunge and hope for
best. So far, the response to my work has been so validating,
positive, and inspiring! I love hearing from others
tell me how much they love my art, and how awesome
it is that they can see themselves in my work. It keeps
me going, knowing that my work is really touching other
people in a positive way.
It seems that in the feminist world these online
shops have started to become more and more popular.
Feminism in this age is just as much a culture
and a lifestyle as it is a movement. What is feminist
culture/lifestyle to you? What are the pros and cons
to you?
I think we can improve on being more inclusive in our
Feminist culture today. And by doing so, I mean being
more open and representative of women’s intersectional
identities as people. I think there can never be enough
representation for marginalized groups in our society,
such as the LGBTQ community, especially the transgender
women and men in the community, women of color,
disabled persons, and the middle and lower class working
families of today.
Do you have any other projects you’d like to tell our
readers about?
I’m on an exciting new adventure. I’m planning on going
back to school next Fall, to pursue a master’s degree in
the field of Art Therapy!

To check out Aprill’s store Click here!
Aprill’s Children’s book Margret’s Mane is here!
You can also find her on tumblr and facebook!
These pocket mirrors are going for $7!
These buttons are only $2!
Margret from Margret’s Mane.

Dominique Aizpurua
an affair with
myself

The Fix Complex:
How The Media perpetuates rape culture
By Sara Geiger
Trigger Warning: descriptions
of rape and
sexual assault.
The Fault in Our Stars
has become the most
recent catalyst when
it comes to influencing
a large crowd of
young teenage girls.
It may provide the
possible message of
Hazel Grace (main
character) needing
someone to rely on
in times of turmoil.
However, this instills
the promotion of
the idea that she still
Source:fishingproceeds.tumblr.com
needed a romantic
interest to feel any sort of fulfillment in her young life.
Boys seldom are sentimental in media. While girls, on the
other hand, are taught to accept and ‘work’ with what is
given (even if it’s an unsatisfactory partner). Yet, audiences
are supposed to regard the rarity of men acting this
way as an appreciated novelty.
This concept also propagates itself into a self-proclaimed
need for one to “fix” another. To further clarify- this idea
(that I’ve fittingly named “the fix complex”) occurs in a
majority of male characters whose plot is driven by the
feeling of necessary emotional repair for the female
counterpart.
The fix complex is quite similar to the Manic Pixie Dream
Girl trope; one character’s sole purpose is to fulfill and
create significance out of the main character. Simply
put, it turns ‘romance’ into a project for one person in a
relationship.
Typically, the fix complex and assumptions of attraction
do not only heavily influence their main target audience
of young people- they can prove to be detrimental once
it’s an actual pursuit on the part of young men.
These implications are portrayals of pseudo-relationships.
It can be inferred as the root of continuous teen dating
violence, which around 9.4% of American teens have
experienced. (source)
On a much larger societal scale, the impact plays a role in
encouraging rape culture.
Often, boys are taught to grow out but seldom show
sentimental feelings. While girls, on the other hand, are
taught to grown in, to accept and work with what is given
(again, feeling the need to “fix”). Yet, because women are
depicted often as romantics, submissive, etc., audiences
are supposed to regard the rarity of men acting this way
as an appreciated novelty.
In her book, All About Love: New Visions, bell hooks
incisively describes this unwritten social code-
“…the paradigms of leader and follower often prevail,
with one person assuming the role deemed feminine and
another the designated masculine role. No doubt it was
someone playing the role of leader who conjured up the
notion that we “fall in love”, that we lack choice… This way
of thinking about love seems to be especially useful for
men who are socialized via patriarchal notions of masculinity
to be out of touch with what they feel.”
In Twilight, both characters, Bella Swan and Edward Cullen,
attempt at modifying each other in a power struggle.
However, as we all know, the relationship becomes
over-dramatically fatal as Bella puts her life on the line for
what she considered to be love.
The way Edward goes about seducing Bella also includes
stalking and breaking into her room to watch her
sleep. And are we, as an audience, supposed to find this
charming?
“Twilight portrays the mutual infatuation of its teenage
protagonist Bella and the breathtakingly handsome
vampire Edward with a sexually charged tension that
quickly leads to his complete domination of the young

young woman, which
she eagerly embraces.”
(Borgia, “Twilight:
The Glamorization of
Abuse, Codependency,
and White Privilege”)
In 50 shades of gray,
Christian Grey’s backstory
of having an
abusive “crack whore”
mother, motivated
Anastasia Steele to
fix him emotionally.
Grey had an aggressive
manner of this,
especially since Steele
source:latimes
seems to have little sexual-identity
before him. Not only does this encourage conditional
relationships, but also a very warped perception
of the BDSM community and most importantly- consent.
A study in the Journal of Women’s Health by Amy E.
Bonomi, PhD and several others at Michigan State
University, classifies the connection between health and
popular media depicting violence against women. In this
case, 50 Shades of Grey was used as the prime example.
The study analyzed college students’ survey with how
much of the book they read. It was found that one third
of the subjects that read the book were more likely to
have experienced a form of abuse or victimization.
What does this tell us? Well, the article following the
experiment states:
“Problematic depictions of violence against women in
popular culture—such as in film, novels,
music, or pornography—create a broader social narrative
that normalizes these risks and behaviors in women’s
lives…E.L. James insists that she wrote Fifty Shades ‘for
fun’ to provide women with a means to openly express
their sexuality while denying concerns that Christian and
Anastasia’s relationship mimics real-world abusive relationships.”
Pop songs, too, have glamourized the concerning
issue. One Direction’s hit song “You Don’t Know You’re
Beautiful” implies that the female the song is directed to,
has the subordinate role and should rely on the speaker.
In another instance, the infamous and catchy date-rape
song Blurred Lines isn’t just a feminist nightmare because
of the sexual objectification of women. It’s main idea of
the speaker in the song presuming conditions of sexual
attractions (i.e. “You know you want it”)
Robin Thicke has shown again and again his lack of
respect through his career and so-called craft. This year
being, that he released a whole album dedicated to
getting back his ex-wife Paula. It is only a real-life case
of forced separation anxiety brought on by media driven
labels. Stalking and obsessiveness is now a trait associated
with cute.
These occurrences of co-dependency, on any partner
in the relationship (male or female) teaches that a significant
other will fulfill someone’s life. Teenage girls, in
particular, participate in these types of relationships more
than any other group because of our low emotional-intelligence.
The idea of being good, without problems is
instilled into our brains, when faced with conflict- a solution
and process to deal with it is unknown.
We usually rely on someone else to create an illusion; to
believe the conflict resolved. Far too often, the dilemmas
are something such as loneliness, the usual teenage
coming-of-age trope. When girls and young women get
caught up in said relations, it becomes a cycle- a difficult
one to break from.
The self-esteem and understanding of self-worth from
young women and girls can become compromised; as
well as their own safety. When “No” is confused with
“Convince Me”, one party starts taking charge regardless
of consent.
When this sort of power dynamic is settled between two
people, the possibility of rejection leads to aggravation,
frustration, and as it has been proven: violence. The type
of violence can range from directly affecting one individual,
to on a much more massive scale.
Some publicized accounts of said situations include: Elliot
Rodger’s UCSB massacre, Maren Sanchez’s death over
a prom date refusal, Miss Wu beaten to death for not
giving out her phone number to a group of men, and

not to mention the terrifyingly real rape and exploitation
in Steubenville.
What’s portrayed on the news, has no comparison to the
amount of real-life encounters involving seduction and
violence in order to fulfil desires.
A woman on Tumblr with the username vampmissedith,
remembers an encounter her sister had in middle school:
“...my sister was in eighth grade. There was a boy in two
of her periods who would ask her out every single day.
(Third and seventh period, if I remember correctly.) All
day during third and seventh she would repeatedly tell
him no. She didn’t beat around the bush, she didn’t lie
and say she was taken—she just said no.
Rapists: Trent Mays, left, and Ma’lik Richmond. Source:
abcnewsgo.com
One day, in third period, after being rejected several
times, he said; “I have a gun in my locker. If you don’t say
yes, I am going to shoot you in seventh.”
She refused again, but right after class she went to the
principal’s office and told them what happened. They
searched his locker and there was a gun in his backpack.
When he was arrested, some of my sister’s friends (some
female, even) told her that she was selfish for saying no
so many times. That because of her, the entire school was
in jeopardy. That it wouldn’t have killed her to say yes…”
I interviewed a couple of high school girls who were
brave enough to share their story of harassment, assaults,
and or rapes.
“I had an angry boyfriend. Every single time I said no to
something - a sext, a nude, sex, he would make me feel
terrible, like I was committing a crime by refusing. When
I got raped, I specifically told him no. When he heard
this, I got shoved to the ground, his hand cupped over
my mouth, and he told me to shut up. No wasn’t in his
vocabulary.”
-Anonymous
Another young woman tells her own story:
“At least two or three days out of the week you get hit on,
right? I mean I even got followed by a guy masturbating
in his car. That was pretty scary considering what could’ve
happened, but he didn’t say anything.
But another day, I was sitting down in the mall waiting for
my mom. I had a paint splattered bookbag that caught
some guys attention. He seemed friendly and he said it
remind him of paintballs.
“Well.. cool”. I said. End of conversation, but he doesn’t
leave.
He starts to flirt. ‘Oh you are really gorgeous...such a
beautiful face. Would you like to join me?’
I said ‘Oh, uh no I’m like fifteen’.
He replied back ‘Oh well that’s not a problem, sweetie I
mean you don’t need to tell nobody.’
I told him I was sorry, that I was waiting for my mom.
He laughs and pats my hand like its cute, saying “Tell her
I want to set up a play date with you then.’”
-J
Almost every young woman your girl you ask, will have a
story like these- including myself.
On the ride home from a library trip with a male classmate,
I had gotten off at my stop of the train to leave,
but he followed me. He continuously tried to force himself
and grab onto me, eventually what lead to me being
assaulted. He convinced me prior and afterwards that it
was something that “just needed to be done and gotten
over with”
Vampmissedith’s raw closing statement is as follows:
“Girls are being killed for saying no to prom invites.
Girls are being killed for saying no to men. They are creating
an atmosphere where women are too scared to say
no, and the worst part is?
They are doing it intentionally.
They want society to be that way, they want women to
say yes entirely out of fear.”
The mentality that someone needs a romantic partner in
their life so they may feel validation, comfortable, safe, or
any other attribute that one doesn’t know how to achieve
by themselves, is wrong. It will lead to the unspoken and
unclear “agreement” (which isn’t actually consent), that
another party is asking for it.
It can never be assumed that attraction is present between
two people. If falsely assumed anyways by misinformation.
When said idea is embedded as a social norm,
the least that can be done is media reforms geared
towards youth and what it means to be not only healthy
in relations- but also with yourself. Young people of my
generation cannot forget that “No” is and always will
be a complete and fully acceptable answer.

Merpunx
by Natalie Reitz
Model: Perse

Not Your China Doll
by Kaylee Dolloff
AUTHOR NOTE: When I say Asian from this point on, I
mean East Asian unless I say otherwise. This isn’t to say
that Central, Western, and South/eastern Asian people
don’t have their own problems with their portrayal
in the media; however, I, being an East Asian person
myself, don’t have enough knowledge of what other
Asians have to go through so I will be writing from my
own experiences as a Chinese person so I won’t speak
over other groups. Also note that I’m American so
everything I say is from an American perspective. (e.g.
“media” referring to American media)
If you ask mainstream media, Asian people are nothing
but stereotypes. The men are either masters of martial
arts or they’re completely emasculated and used as
comic relief with their broken English and strange habits.
The women are portrayed as sexy geisha, dragon
ladies, subservient schoolgirls, or nerds who only exist
to be an obstacle for the white female lead to conquer.
Both are subjected to the perpetual foreigner trope,
and we often are given no names or distinct personalities
– and if we are given names, they’re usually
foreign sounding, since there’s no way Asians can be
born and raised in America with American sounding
names.
We’re going to focus on the image of the Asian woman,
since Asian women never really have existed as
their own people in media and this has affected how
your everyday Asian woman is perceived extremely
negatively.
One of the most notable trends is the stock Asian
appearance in female characters: small in stature, thin,
and incredibly fair, with either very small and slanted
eyes or big, wide, doe-looking ones. There are Asian
women who look like this, sure, but this is by no means
all of them so it makes no sense that they’d be presented
as such. Asian people, and to a more general
extent, people of color, have a lot of genetic diversity,
but media refuses to acknowledge this for pretty much
every race of color. There is no “right” way to look
Asian, but the media has ingrained a predefined image
of what an Asian woman is so deeply into our culture
that anyone who doesn’t fit in that little box isn’t really
considered Asian enough, or she’s seen as undesirable.

Asian media that’s consumed by American audiences
isn’t helping much, either; take KPOP, for example.
KPOP stars are thin with fair skin; if they don’t
have fair skin, they’re generally Photoshopped to
look paler in photos. (Thanks, colorism!) Most, if not
all of them, have extremely “white”-looking features;
this isn’t inherently a bad thing, but the imbalance of
Asian celebrities with white features makes the overwhelming
majority of those without seem even more
ugly and undesirable than they do already.
The problem with this is that KPOP celebrities by
no means accurately represent the average Asian
citizen, but kboos (and weeaboos, as far as JPOP
goes) have pretty much interpreted it as such. Kboos
and weeaboos have a false image of what an Asian
is supposed to look like, and so they dismiss anyone
who isn’t from East Asia, calling them the “dirty
Asians.” Even China isn’t safe, despite its people
having relatively similar characteristics as other East
Asian countries; some kboos and weeaboos will call
Chinese people dirty as well. Of course, this isn’t
good for Japanese and Korean people either; once
kboos and weeaboos discover that Japanese and
Korean people shockingly aren’t as fair and beautiful
as their idols, they’ll slander them like the rest and
continue to put their idols up on a pedestal. It’s nasty
stuff, and this is all due to the influence of white
supremacy and that white is the ideal. (But not too
white, or else you won’t be considered a real Asian)
And trust me, I’ve had my fair amount of experience
with not being considered the “ideal” Asian. Not
pale enough (even though I really am pretty pale
already), not thin enough, not tall enough, not short
enough, not white enough. Asian women can’t win
in discussions with white people.
But hey, PSA to any and all Asian people (not
just East Asians, I mean ALL Asians here): you are
enough. Even if you don’t fit into the small box of
what is considered Asian by American standards,
you should be Asian enough for yourself and honestly
that’s all that matters. So don’t try to appease
to white people, because they shouldn’t dictate your
identity; only you can do that. Embrace yourself and
all your Asian-ness, and disregard people who tell
you otherwise!
Suzanne
by
Glenda
Villalon

So Your Fave is Problematic
By Shanice Brim
Source: http://zustin.tumblr.com/post/85457457310/when-urfav-fucks-up-and-u-cant-defend-them
I’m not entirely sure how to talk about this subject
because it’s something I fight with every day. I’m a
Black feminist. It’s something that I hold near and
dear to my heart. I love Black feminism/feminism
and the culture even though it can get on my nerves
sometimes. I actually foam at the mouth with excitement
when talking about it but there’s this other
thing that I’m also really passionate about: rap. I love
rap. Yes, there are rap songs and there are rappers
who are woman-friendly but I still dance along to
“Pop That.” It’s terrible. The thing is I know the lyrics
don’t reflect my beliefs but sometimes when
dancing or singing along to certain songs I feel like
I’m co-signing the material. This is a problem any
conscious person is going to come up against at
some point because the sad truth is that because
we haven’t been able yet to eradicate the isms and
phobias we’re fighting against our entertainment is
littered with it. If we cut out every single thing that
was problematic I’m afraid we wouldn’t have much
of anything to consume entertainment wise. The
idea of the problematic fave has become something
of a tumblr talking point. It sort of started with the
tumblr Yourfaveisproblematic. It posts the receipts
of your faves problematic behavior and some of it
is, well, pretty damning. Some of my faves are on
yourfaveisproblematic. Hell, some of feminisms pets
are on yourfaveisproblematic. For instance, Courtney
Love. I grew up listening to Hole and idolizing
Courtney. I’ve seen Hit So Hard. I have the albums.
When looking for a name to encompass the theme
of this issue, her band’s song “Celebrity Skin” came
to mind. Here’s her list:
• Uses gay as an insult.
• To a black audience member: “Do you really like
rock music? Because you’re African-American.
That would be like me being into Lil Wayne.”
• “I’m allowed to use the word ‘f**’ because I’m a
gay icon”
• Said she hopes Dave Grohl get “ass-raped”
• Covered Jay-Z’s “99 Problems” and left all the
n-words in
• Has a song called “r****d girl”
• At the Comedy Central Roast of Pamela Anderson:
“I’ve been clean and sober for a year, so all
these drug jokes are r*****ed”
• “You African-Americans only know about me
because I’ve been arrested”

It’s pretty bad. Ok, like. . . it’s heinous. When I
was first introduced to Courtney Love it was through
a documentary on Vh1 about Nirvana. I thought
it was cool that she was girl with a guitar who was
unladylike and screamed a lot. Something about
that appealed to me. I’ve always loved women who
do things they aren’t “supposed” to be doing. I love
female rappers for the same reasons. I didn’t start
really really getting into Hole and Courtney until I
was watching 10 Things I Hate About You one day
and I decided to google the references they were
making to bands like Bikini Kill. That was the day that
lead me down the feminist culture rabbit hole. I went
on a feminist girl/female lead band rampage and,
voila, I became obsessed with Courtney. Luckily, being
that I am a millennial, I never actually purchased
anything Hole related so I can safely say she doesn’t
have any of my money but it still hurt like hell when
I found her page on YFiP. I remembered Courtney as
the girl who told me to be fearless and unapologetic.
Fortunately, she wasn’t the only public figure who
inspired me to do just that so you haven’t really seen
Courtney or Hole on my blog so much these days.
Some problematic faves are not so easy to let go of
though. Some of us have problematic faves that we
simply can not release from our clutches.
For me that person is Beyoncé. I’ve been a fan of
hers since she was a shade-throwing, side-eyeing
teenager in Destiny’s Child. Ah, yes. I remember
it vividly. Picture it. 1999. I’m 9 years old dancing
around my living room to “No, No, No. Pt.2” I can
just about smell the nosalgia which is why (along
with the fact that I am a feminist and human being)
I felt as if she had personally slapped me in the face
when I got to “Eat the cake, Anna Mae” in “Drunk in
Love.”
Now Beyoncé did not say those words herself.
. . but she did allow her husband to say them
on what was clearly meant to be her big feminist
grand opus. It hurt even more when fans raised the
subject and she responded in her Beyoncé-like way
by making it a point to blatantly and proudly shout it
alongside her husband-she even makes a big show
of getting the crowd to sing it with them.
For those of you who do not know what
I’m even talking about (believe it or not some poor
soul is probably still under the impression that Jay-Z
said, “Eat the cake, anime.” Which is like. . . what?)
Tina Turner’s life story was turned into a film called
What’s Love Got To Do With It? It follows Tina from
her early years to her start in rock with her husband,
Ike. Ike was a batterer. He visciously abused and
even raped Tina Turner who is Beyoncé’s hero and
who she is most often compared to (which makes
this even more confusing.) The line Jay-Z is referring
to comes from this scene:
Not funny at all.
The whole movies is tough to watch. Why either of
them think is alright is beyond me and yet. . . I still
love Bey. I’ve downloaded a version of the song
without Jay but I still love her.
So the question becomes, “What do I do
when my fave’s beliefs, words, or actions don’t line
up with what I believe is right but I still love their
work?” According to YFiP’s “Now What?” section:
Am I still allowed to like them?
Yes. No one is stopping you from doing anything.
You can like and consume their work without liking
them as a person. You can even like them as a
person, so long as you recognize that they do have
problematic issues.
How can I be a good fan?
Try and make them a better person. If they do
something problematic, call them out on it. I recognize
that famous people are busy and don’t read
every single Twitter reply or Facebook comment
they get, but still try it. At the very least, you’ll be
educating other fans.
How can I be a conscious fan?
Recognize that they did something wrong. Accept
it. Don’t try to defend it or explain it. Say “so-and-so
makes great music, but I wish they weren’t racist” or
“I think that they’re really talented, but they are also
sexist”. It’s a package deal. Tell other fans what they
did. When praising them, don’t ignore the problematic
stuff. Talk about that too.

This is pretty good advice but that doesn’t
erase another problem. So, you’ve decided to acknowledge
that your fave is, indeed, problematic.
You’ve called them out. You remind other fans of
what they’ve done. You don’t defend them. But is
that enough when you’re still putting money in their
pocket? Yes, education is important but who’s learning
anything when the cash is still flowing?
A lot of people tend to illegally download or
stream the work of people they feel are too problematic
for them to support. I mean, I just admitted
to downloading anything Hole related when I was in
high school; however, while it may be a solution for
a generation of people for whom downloading has
become such a part of our nature that we forget it’s
illegal. . . unfortunately, it is, in fact, still illegal. Some
people argue that paying up doesn’t really matter
because these people mostly get paid through touring
or by their label; or because most of the money
goes to their producers and writers but. . . it’s still
getting there. Some people say, well they’re already
rich so it doesn’t even matter. . . but you know that
any way you slice it your money is in their pocket.
Then there’s the whole Spotify thing.
At first I thought this was great. I could legally
stream the songs of my problematic faves without
feeling culpable and then I learned they get paid
per stream. It’s only a little but they’re still getting
paid. So now you’re wondering. What do I do? I
think your safest bet is to buy used. Not only is
none of that money going to them but it’s cheaper
than if you had bought it straight up anyway and it
keeps those frightening emails from your internet
service provider out of your inbox. You can also go
to the library. I did that a lot. It’s free and they get
nothing from it. During college, one of my besties
and I would hit up the Blockbusters that were closing
down in town and buy used DVDs. Major help:
super cheap, extra features, none of the guilt. Yard
sales are cool and you can also see what place in
your town sells used films, cds, and records.
These are some of the things that have
helped me and I think these are some good ways to
wear your beliefs on your sleeve while still consuming
content you don’t necessarily agree with or from
people you think are despicable. And remember,
knowing why something is problematic and being
able to educate others on it is extremely helpful.
Sometimes, people aren’t even aware of what they
are supporting or participating in when they consume
something. Sure, some people might react
badly to seeing something they love being called
out but others just might learn something from it
and that is something. Remember that calling someone
out can be an act of love. You’re saying to that
person or fave, “Hey, I like you and I know you can
do better than this.” You’re offering that person a
chance to better themselves and you’re giving voice
to your own beliefs. Who’s your problematic fave
and how do you deal?

|Feminist Read of the Month|
By Shanice Brim
When we think of the word “abuse” we tend to think of it as
something that “happens” to women. We think of women cowering,
broken glass, black eyes- we hardly ever think of how the broken
glass got on the floor or the hands that made the bruises. This is
par for the course when we talk about victims of a lot traumas and
it’s part of the reason why we’ve been so slow about fixing so many
of the issues quietly plaguing our every day lives. When we only
think of trauma as something that happens to someone and not as
something that is caused by someone we lay the problem at the
feet of victims to fix it for themselves. What makes Why Does He Do
That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men so important
is that it doesn’t treat abuse as something that just happens. Lundy
Bancroft has spent years working with thousands of abusive men in
an attempt to rehabilitate them. He uses these experiences to focus
on the tactics, underlying thinking, and conditioning of abusive,
controlling, and/or angry men. He places these men at the center
of the conversation in a way that showcases how their actions work
and their effects. Even if you’ve never been in an abusive relationship
this book can save your life. It can help you recognize the
warning signs before you get too deep. It can help you recognize
when you’re being manipulated and groomed for abuse. If you
are in an abusive relationship this book not only helps you better
understand the various tactics your abuser uses against you, the cycle of abuse you’re stuck in, and the kind of abuser
you’re dealing with; it has so many resources about how to get out and who to talk to when you need it. If you are in
a relationship with someone who is of the same sex/gender as you, Bancroft prefaces the book by saying that much
of the same rules apply and then he goes in to detail about when and how abuse will vary between opposite sex/
same sex couples. This book is so so important which is why we’re giving a physical copy away this month!
Please message us on tumblr if you are unable to afford a copy and we will see what we can do!
For info on how to enter to win a free copy fo this
book please click here.

MOnthly 101: Rape CUlture
By Michelle Emile
Rape culture is when rape is normalized and prevalent in
a social, ethnic or age group due to beliefs about gender,
sex, and sexuality. Rape culture promotes misogyny and
sexual violence through behaviors like ‘victim blaming,
sexual objectification, trivializing rape, denial of widespread
rape or refusing to acknowledge the harm of
certain forms of sexual violence that don’t fit a checklist
of stranger or violent rape stereotypes. [1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_culture]’
Rape culture also has a correlation to forms of discrimination
including racism, homophobia, ageism, classism,
and religious intolerance. It is used in genocides and wars
as psychological warfare, in prisons to oppress the weaker,
as a cure for women who do not identify as straight
[1].
It allows people to rationalize rape. Whatever rationalizing
we use to continue to embrace media that degrades
women and holds them accountable for their own
victimization will help to create an opinion that leads to
the trivialization of rape. People will start questioning or
judging the victim:
“Well if she wasn’t doing…”
“If she wasn’t wearing…”
“She shouldn’t have…”
“She knows he…”
We normally see rape as something that men normally
do to women, so we neglect that women can rape men
or other women. We neglect that trans people can also
be raped or that unfortunately it is common among
trans people too. This way of thinking makes it hard for
those who have been victims of sexual violence to come
forward because that judgment, questioning, and/or
discrimination is overpowering and puts them in a more
exposed position instead of allowing them to get the
treatment, justice, and respect they deserve.

experience sexual assault in their lifetime and 1 in 33 for
men. You never know who is a victim or a survivor of sexual
violence, by humoring rape you are silencing victims
and survivors and belittling a very troubling experience.
You cannot assume someone was not sexually assaulted;
there is no look one has for it, it cannot be seen and is
not something people put out in conversation. You can
know someone for years and still not know that part of
their lives. Also when using rape jokes you may never
know if you are talking to an abuser or rapist and those
‘harmless jokes’ then become a justification, encouragement,
or an excuse for continuing their behavior.
The media, but let’s give a couple of examples:
Music:
We’ve seen the controversy of Robin Thicke’s “Blurred
Lines” (which is pretty much sexual harassment set to
a groove), Rick Ross’s creepy verse in “U.O.E.N.O.” (“Put
a molly in her drink and she ain’t even know it.), and
Miguel’s “How Many Drinks?” (which is about Miguel
pondering about how much alcohol he needs to ply a
woman with in order to get her to go home with him.) I
still hear “Blurred Lines” and “How Many Drinks” on the
radio. Are they catchy, yes; to be honest I had a hard
time understanding the controversy of the two songs,
because I didn’t catch it the first time I heard the song.
“Blurred Lines” sounds fun and cute. Miguel’s “How Many
Drinks” sounds sexy, and “U.N.E.N.O.” has a great beat
behind it (which is why it has several different remixes to
it.) But unfortunately there is a simplicity here: What we
put in effects what we put out. It may not happen now,
but eventually it can obscure our thinking.
The celebrities we excuse:
R. Kelly has been in the news repeatedly for his statutory
rape cases, but people still encourage the man by separating
him from his music. Obviously, who people are and
what they do as their profession are different, but people
are still accountable for their actions. Excusing someone
who is a celebrity or well-known for their work and negatively
viewing the victim especially without listening to
them is not acceptable.
Rape jokes:
Rape jokes may not seemingly be harmful, but they are
and they’re very encouraging towards rape culture. They
belittle what it is and make fun of or blame the victim.
There is a huge fraction of women who have been
victims of sexual violence and there are some men as
well. To my understanding it is 1 out of 4 women who will
As mentioned earlier, it can have so many effects. People
who are not educated about rape tend to unknowingly
victim blame by asking questions that imply one could’ve
done something different to avoid their experience.
People can be judgmental. No matter how unpleasant a
person is, no matter how someone dresses or acts, what
risks they take, it is never acceptable. In American society
we teach women from when they are young to always
be conscious of not getting raped. Women cannot wear
certain things, we cannot be alone with boys, we can’t
be out late at night, especially alone. e always need to
be aware when walking to our cars or homes, we need
to be aware of men and their body language. Don’t
allow a man into our houses when we are alone, be in
the company of a man you trust, when sleeping over a
friends house stay close to the friend. Don’t drink too
much, don’t allow yourself to be under the influence of
alcohol or drugs. Unconsciously we’ve been conditioned
to always worry about the possibility of being sexually
assaulted. But men are never taught not to rape. What
precautions do men have to go through in order to prevent
thinking it’s okay to sexually assault someone?

aware or not and the language you use or your behavior
can possibly be silencing them or making them less likely
to open up to you about such a difficult topic. Understand
that people of all genders can be victims, survivors,
abusers, or rapists. Rape is not usually about sex, it’s
about power and the best way to avoid being influenced
by rape culture and understanding is allowing for open
intellectual conversations about it and learning as much
as possible.
Rape culture encourages and excuses men for rape.
Rape culture views men as animals who have this instinct
to have sex with women who slip up from their responsibilities
of not trying to get raped. Men are viewed as
predators and women as prey. If a woman is wearing a
‘slutty’ outfit she should expect men to want to have sex
with her. If a woman allows a man into her home, she
should know that he wants to have sex. If a couple is
married, why wouldn’t the spouse want to have sex? This
kind of thinking encourages the idea that men are these
instinctive predators by saying, “She should’ve known;
he’s a man.” That is an implication that men are all the
same, they have this uncontrollable urge to have sex and
when they think it, they can’t help themselves, they have
to do it. Not only does rape culture encourage this- it
holds women to a higher standard of protecting themselves,
while men are held to a very low standard for
taking accountability for their own actions. We view rape
as someone wanting to have sex, while the other person
does not and that is not usually the case. In most times
it’s more about power then sex. It is the idea of knowing
that you have the power to control someone else which
is very much linked into misogyny and the sense of
dominance, a trait linked to misguided masculinity, which
involves it’s own discussion.
There is so much about rape culture and this is just a
start, but please be aware of what you allow yourself to
be influenced by. Think about the language you use. Everyone
knows a rape victim or survivor whether you are

An Interview with Jane Elliott
By Michelle Emile
Image by Karen Llamas

When did you become aware of discrimination and
the privilege you have as a cis white female?
I became aware of sex discrimination when I realized
that my mother was angry at me for not being born a
boy! She never forgave me for that. I became aware
of the privilege I have as a white person when I was in
high school and I, and all the other girls in the school,
had a crush on this gorgeous male student and my father
informed me to stay away from him because his grandmother
was a mulatto. That handsome creature could
look at us, but he couldn’t touch us. Too bad for us,
actually.
When did you decide to become an activist against
discrimination?
When I was about four years old and my maternal
grandfather would come out to my father’s farm and
sit in my uncle’s car, but he wouldn’t step foot on Dad’s
property because he had vowed never to do so, since
my mother had married out of the Catholic Church. My
paternal grandmother hated my mother, because she
had inveigled my father away from his Baptist upbringing.
That’s when I began to question organized religion
and its application.
Have you ever explained discrimination to someone
who eventually changed their minds and practiced
standing up for minorities?
I used to try to explain the ignorance of discrimination to
people, but I never accomplished much until I found out
how it felt to walk in the shoes of someone who is being
discriminated against on the basis of the color of their
eyes. Then, all of a sudden, my father’s warnings that
you can’t judge a book by its cover, and you’d better not
judge someone until you’ve been where they are, came
back to me, and I began to challenge the prejudicial
statements I was hearing and to teach about the discrimination
I was seeing. I’ve changed numerous peoples’
minds by using the eye-color exercise with them and
by describing what happens to white males when they
are put in the same position in which they expect white
women and people of color to live. I’ve watched those
who have decided to learn, change not only their behaviors,
but also their attitudes, toward minorities. After
my father saw the Canadian film which was made in my
third-grade classroom, he said, “I wish somebody had
taught me that when I was nine years old.” And he never
used the term ‘mulatto’ or told a racist joke, again.
Quite frankly, I’m not surprised. How do you change
centuries of ignorance in a few decades? Also, quite
frankly, I don’t think prejudice is the problem: Discrimination
is the problem, and while I don’t really care how
you feel about me, I do care how you treat me. Your
emotional commitment to ignorance, which is what
Nathan Rutstein says prejudice is, is your problem, not
mine. It only becomes my problem when you begin to
treat me unfairly because of your ignorance. Prejudice
is still going strong because ignorance is rampant in this
society. How else can anyone explain the anger that has
exploded in this country because of a black man being
elected to the White House? I am more concerned
about white mens’ fear of losing their numerical majority
in the US and so losing their power, than I am about their
prejudice. Prejudice is an attitude, while fear is an extremely
strong emotion, particularly when it’s combined
with sexual myths.
How often do you meet white Americans who believe
that racism is a constant fight because of the
instilled reinforcement of white privilege?
I don’t meet many white US citizens who believe that
racism is still alive and well in this country. Most white
people know nothing about white privilege and don’t really
believe it when you try to analyze it for them. Many
of them make statements to the effect that ‘those people’
should be glad we brought them over here; after all, look
at what’s going on in those places in Africa. And during
the Ferguson fiasco, I was informed that ‘if they didn’t like
it, they should go back where they came from’. I wish I
had a dollar for every time I heard that statement in the
last few months. Anyone who thinks we are in a post-racial
society, needs to understand that many white people,
upon being told that they have privilege, respond that
God meant it to be that way. If He hadn’t, He’d have
made us all the same color. And now, we’re right back
to organized religion, upon which much of this nonsense
rests, and by which much of this nonsense is perpetuated.
How do you feel knowing that prejudice is still going
strong (Ferguson, trans phobia)?

What do you think is the best way to advocate as
someone of privilege who is an ally?
Stop trying to teach people of color how to understand
white folks; I think they understand white folks all too
well. I didn’t know how I looked to people of color until
the day I had the wrong color eyes in my third-grade
classroom, and I watched the students with the right color
eyes exhibit the behaviors toward the out-group that
they had seen exhibited by the significant adults toward
minorities in their environment.
Stop thinking that you’re doing minorities a favor by
advocating for them. I’ll not forget the 75-year-old
woman who said to a group of African American women,
during the debriefing of the exercise, that she couldn’t
understand why they were being so critical of her, “...after
all I’ve done for you people over the years.” OMG! She
learned a great deal in a short time, that day, and afterward
said she’d never forget it.
Learn to listen to minorities, instead of insisting that
they listen to you. You can’t really learn about racism
from white folks, no matter how well-read they are, nor
how many books they’ve written. People of color may
not be fully aware of how the system works, but they
darned sure know how it feels. Don’t, however, go up
to the nearest person of color and say, “What’s it like to
be black?” Don’t laugh! I’ve heard it! Often! Don’t ask
people of color to bleed all over the floor for you. They
aren’ responsible for your education; you are. For a start,
you could go to my website, jane@janeelliott.com, and
download the bibliography that you will find there. Read
every book on it and then read all those other hundreds
of books that are out there about those who are other
than white, Anglo-Saxon, heterosexual, able males and/
or females.
Stop pretending that you practice the Golden Rule:
White people, as a group, do not treat people of color
the way white people want to be treated. NO ONE
wants to be treated the way the majority of white people
in this country allow people of color to be treated. Furthermore,
how do we know that people of color would
appreciate being treated the way we want to be treated?
Do men want to be treated the way women want to be
treated? Do I, as an old woman, want to be treated as a
teenage boy wants to be treated? Does a Lesbian want
to be treated as I, a straight woman want to be treated?
I would respectfully suggest that we all commence to
follow the Platinum Rules, which says, “Do unto others
as others would have you do unto them.” In other words,
treat others the way THEY want to be treated. In order to
do that, you have to ask them how they want to be treated.
You have to listen to their answer, and then you have
to do as they ask. It’s something called ‘communication’,
and until we learn how to do that, the -isms which separate
us will never be resolved.

Feminist Blogger of the Month:
Hannah Giorgis
Interview by Matlaleng O. Babatunde
Source: instagram.com/ethiopienne
With prose that flows like poetry and a sound mind to match, self-proclaimed awkward Black girl Hannah
Giorgis is taking the internet by storm. If you’re apart of the activist tumblr community, you’re probably
familiar with the short whimsical remarks, and mind blowing essays of Hannah from her blog Ethiopienne.
Hannah’s writing and art has contributed to the activist mobilization of social media, and created more platforms
and spaces for women to exist. She has succeeded in making (un)learning and pertinent topics that
are often only available to those in academia, accessible to the public. Hannah proves the notion that compassion
is the basis of activism, not just through her work, but through her existence. Each word she writes
is an intricate love letter for her people, for her craft, and for those who have gone before her. It is through
her audacity to exist compassionately that she has cultivated her profound Black feminist rhetoric.

I was first introduced to your work through an essay
you wrote about how love in communities of color is
a form of resistance. What struck me the most about
the essay, and what continues to strike me about
your writing, is the clarity with which you spoke
about White supremacy and racism, concepts that
are difficult to grasp and even more difficult articulate.
How important is clarity and maintaining accessibility
to all audiences, not just those in academia,
to you and your writing?
This is something I struggle with a lot, to be perfectly
honest. I started writing for a public audience while in
college, in the kind of academic environment that encourages
the use of big words even in our social justice
spaces. It’s taken a lot of active, conscious effort to
unlearn the idea that my ideas are only valid if they are
framed in words and concepts that academia and white,
upper middle class audiences validate. I still struggle with
that, but it’s so important to me to be writing things that
are accessible and relatable to the people around me
who have inspired me and my work. And I think sometimes
when we talk about this, the desire to stop using
big words or jargon in our writing, there’s a misconception
that we do it because we think our communities
aren’t able to understand what we’re saying. That’s so
far from the truth; a lot of the most profound lessons I’ve
learned have been from people around me who didn’t
have a degree that validated their wisdom. For me, it’s
about valuing and connecting to the wealth of knowledge
that comes from inside our communities—on and
in our own terms.
When did you start writing and how has your writing
evolved over the years?
I think I’ve always been writing in one way or another. I
can’t remember a time when I didn’t walk through life
connecting things to words and stories and characters I
had read. There’s this really incredible Zora Neale Hurston
quote from Their Eyes Were Watching God that
captures how I think of writing and the fact that for me,
feeling is writing and writing is just feeling out loud:
“There is a basin in the mind where words float around on
thought and thought on sound and sight. Then there is a
depth of thought untouched by words, and deeper still a
gulf of formless feelings untouched by thought.”
My writing has evolved in the sense that I give myself
the space to actually do it. When I was younger, feelings
would come to me as phrases and sentences but I didn’t
believe I was worthy of turning them into paragraphs
or pages. I knew something was coming together in my
head but I closed myself off to the possibility of creating.
I’ve learned to trust myself a bit more, to recognize that
my stories are valid and my feelings aren’t trivial (and
even if they are, it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t write about
them). I’ve grown up. I’ve learned to nurture my writing,
to love myself critically and critique myself lovingly.
Who inspires your writing the most?
I am blessed to know some phenomenal, dynamic, brilliant
women. My friends, my former professors, women
I meet organizing, my colleagues, the women writers
I’ve read years ago whose work still sits on my heart like
a warm embrace. I write a lot of things for my mom,
whether they’re formally addressed to her or not. She’s
taught me that activism is fundamentally about compassion,
and I try to write her compassion into everything
my fingers touch. A lot of my writing is about making
visible what we have been shamed into keeping buried
within us, and I feel especially honored when I am able to
do that for and with other Black women.
When were you first introduced to Black feminism,
and what was your initial response to it?
I don’t know that I can trace the moment I was first introduced
to Black feminism. I think again of my mom, who
worked and hustled and sacrificed so much for me and
my siblings—is that not her own feminism? She weaves
together so much, pulls the very fabric of our family
together at times when it feels like it is going to unravel.
She does it all with such unabashed femininity, without
refusing to hide her flaws or fears. That’s Black feminism
to me. I might not have always had the words for it or a
theory to point to when people ask, but I think on some
level I’ve always known that my mom is magic. And that’s
Black feminism—our own special brand of live-saving,
life-giving magic.
Is it difficult to incorporate your activism into your
daily life?
I guess that depends on how you define activism. I think
some of the most difficult activism we can do is at the
interpersonal level. That’s not to say that systems change
isn’t fundamental to fighting injustice, because I don’t
think we can ever overstate the extent to which oppression
is absolutely structural. But when you do little things,
like have difficult conversations with friends and family,
that’s a little step toward making this world a better one.
And I think loving black people in this world that says we
are unworthy of life—that’s activism, too. There are so
many different ways to resist in your everyday interac-

day interactions. Some of that might be by supporting
organizations doing incredible work, but it might also just
be affirming people whose humanity is regularly denied.
When and why did you decide to make your blog?
I think I made it my sophomore year of college on a
whim. Honestly, I thought it was going to be a fashion
blog…which is a bit funny in retrospect. I really did start
it with the intention of sharing photos of Afro-diasporic
people in dope clothing. And while that’s still part of what
I regularly (re)post, it definitely shifted pretty quickly to
encompass a lot more.
How do you navigate through patriarchy and White
supremacy in academia?
Not easily! Sometimes I get upset with myself because
I didn’t take care of myself well at school, but then I
remind myself that the institution itself was built with the
understanding that bodies like mine are not human. I
made it through because of my friends and community
(especially groups like the Women of Color Collective),
but it wasn’t easy. I felt like waking up every morning was
in and of itself a painful act of resistance. That is not a
sustainable way to live. My blog helped me remember
there is a world beyond my campus, but even that wasn’t
always enough. I found myself constantly having to
balance between keeping pain to myself for the sake of
my pride and unveiling my wounds to people who would
often dismiss them. I also got through it by reading Black
feminist authors. Everything I was going through, someone
had been through before. It helps to know you’re
not alone.
Many of us are bloggers and are in the position
to bring awareness to the recurring extra judiciary
killings in America, and the devaluing of Black life.
However, sometimes our attempts to raise awareness
can be counterproductive by inadvertently eliciting
the apathetic consumption of Black death. How
can we raise awareness to the devaluing of Black life
without advertising the consumption of Black death?
I think we have to recognize that sometimes that’s not
even within our control, but we can also try to be strategic
about what our goals are. Do we just want people to
know that Black folks are being slaughtered? Or is there
something else we are asking for? And I think a lot of
times we don’t know what that “something else” is…and
that’s not necessarily wrong (because we are allowed to
want our pain seen, we are human). But it does make it
harder to rally public awareness in a constructive way.
Before I write something that will involve invoking Black
death, I try to ask myself “to what end?” What do I want
the reader to come away feeling or doing? Sometimes
having a tangible goal like that can help mitigate the
feeling that we are just putting Black suffering on display
to be consumed.
My parents are both African immigrants, and I’m
very proudly the product of trans-continental love.
I’ve always sort of felt like an intruder in America,
because of my Blackness, and a stranger in South Africa
and Nigeria because of my western upbringing.
Do you have any advice for children of the Diaspora
on how to reason with this feeling of displacement?
Oh goodness. That’s my whole life—and it’s very much
a work in progress. I think about this all the time. I don’t
know that I have the answers, or that anyone does. What
I am trying to do right now is to reckon with how my diasporic
identity enables me access to things in this country
that African American people are sometimes barred
from. I know the lines are blurry, that Blackness is complicated,
that we are intertwined in complicated ways that
can’t exactly be mapped out perfectly. But the biggest
piece of advice I have for fellow diaspora kids is to not
feel like we have to rely on existing identity frameworks
to make sense of ourselves. It’s okay for your identity to
shift, for your knowledge of self and place and society to
influence you in different ways as you grow. But try to be
conscious of how your identity affects other people, how
you fit into a larger web. Don’t discount other people’s
pain in your rush to find a place for yourself.
Do you think of that “hashtag activism” is effective
in sparking and maintaining movements? Also, how
do you think social media has affected social consciousness
and activism?
You know, the discussion around that term really frustrates
me. Very few people who use hashtags and social
media as one of many tools think it is the be-all and endall
of activism. Of course it has its limits; so do protests
and rallies and boycotts. All activism has limits. Activism
has to be multi-pronged, and I see social media as one
of those many prongs. When you look at moments like
Michael Brown’s murder, it becomes really evident that
social media, Twitter in particular, served as this incredible
space for people to come together, strategize, keep others
informed, and ensure that this boy’s death did not go
unnoticed. That’s powerful. For a lot of people who have
been pushed out of newsrooms and traditional journalism,
social media is a way of talking back. We can speak
out—and we can do it in real time. Sure, social media can
also bring out people’s combative sides, but what organizing
space has ever been free of conflict?

Sure, it can be easy to forget about movements when the
next new thing pops up. But monumental things have
happened. Feminista Jones organized rallies all around
the country to mourn the people we have lost to police
violence. Social media activism doesn’t exist outside “the
real world.” It’s just a different way of coming together.
What constitutes a good/helpful ally?
A good ally is someone who enables you to do the work
you need to do as a member of a marginalized community
by a) getting out of your way, b) amplifying your
voice, and c) working within their own community to
support your goals. Indigenous Action Media published
a piece a while back about wanting “accomplices, not allies.”
I don’t need people in my life who like to feel good
about themselves; I need people committed to ending
injustice from which they benefit.
How do you juggle your professional and personal
life while still maintaining a successful Blog and
growing social media empire?
I don’t sleep nearly enough. I drink a lot of coffee. Don’t
tell my mom I said that. Also LOL at empire. I’m just an
awkward black girl with a blog.
What topics do you think need to be introduced to
our modern feminist discourse?
I don’t think it needs to be introduced because it’s not
new (people have been saying this forever), but I would
really love to see feminism address the gender binary
itself. I want us to stop failing trans women, to not simply
“include” trans women and women of color and poor
women in a framework that doesn’t account for their
needs at best and is actively harmful at worst. I want it to
explicitly center the needs, voices, and leadership of the
most marginalized, the most targeted for violence.
before. Tell your friends how much they mean to you.
Find something you love about yourself everyday. Reflect
on all you have learned. Create. Read this from the Crunk
Feminist Collective.
You mentioned on your blog that you paint. Is there
an intersection between art and activism? Do you
find that your work in Black feminism affects your
art or vice versa?
I paint things for people I love. That expression of love in
this world is a form of activism to me. But people have
used art as a tool of public activism for so long—I think
of Mickalene Thomas, Kara Walker, Kehinde Wiley. Sonia
Sanchez once said, “the Black artist is dangerous. Black
art control’s the ‘negro’s’ reality, negates negative influences,
and creates positive images.” In that way art is
both a tool and product of activism.
What does feminism mean to you?
bell hooks said it best: “Feminism is not simply a struggle
to end male chauvinism or a movement to ensure that
women will have equal rights with men; it is a commitment
to eradicating the ideology of domination that permeates
the Western culture on various levels-sex, race,
class to name a few-and a commitment to reorganizing
society…so that self-development of people can take a
precedence over imperialism, economic expansion, and
material desire.”
Feminism means I’m human, and so is everyone else. We
deserve rights, and we deserve love. Some people have
always been seen as less human, so my feminism exists
to affirm them and dismantle the systems that deny their
humanity.
Do you have any advice for Black girls who are
expected to start the school year afresh at their
respective institutions after an emotionally taxing,
traumatizing and rage filled summer?
It’s okay to disconnect. You don’t have to be plugged in
to Twitter or Tumblr or Facebook at every moment. It’s
exhausting, and it’s not necessarily even productive. The
movement will be okay if you take a break. Take time
away from everything—from social media, from classes.
Read a lot of fiction. Read Black feminist authors. Love
on yourself—take the extra time to do your hair, to rub
shea butter into your calves, to perfect that winged liner,
whatever. Compliment a Black girl you’ve never met

Red Summer
By Matlaleng O. Babatunde
If a Black girl falls in the middle of a night
Does she make a sound
Will anyone hear me
Or am I just a lone tree
Elongate my limbs cut off my trunk
I’ve no longer got a home
I’m a loner that roams
Will I make a sound
Bleach the pain away
Till there’s no more Black till there’s no more you
Retame your soul
Put yourself in a cage
Burn away all remnants of Renisha and Michael and pretend this summer never happened
Forget the tear gas, even though its malevolent fumes still burn your eyes
Forget the screaming though your throat is still raw with thunder
Forget the pain and the maimings
And the pain and the maimings
And be at peace
Bleach your memories away till all that’s left is peace
But you can’t bargain for something as intangible and fleeting as peace
Forget the bitter taste of the strange fruit
Let your mind be hung up
On a pedestal
Until it rots and stinks
Like an unkempt meat and then you will know this rage
This rage that takes over me
Till I black out I Black out I black Out
One second I’m saying don’t shoot and the next second I am six bullet holes, a sun spoiled corpse, fermented
dreams
I am no angel
Scrub the blood from this red summer away
Somewhere between the red puddles and Black skin you must find from within
to Dance
Shuck
jive
Do anything you can to stay alive
Forget the rage
Forget the hands up

Forget the bulging eyes and twisted mouth
Forget the way your muscles twitched from holding your hands up for so long
Forget your Blackness.
There’s no room for that here
We just some Black faces floating in White spaces
Aint nothing more aint nothing less
No room for thoughts for emotions for anger rage or grief
Only room for numbness
Can we hold any more pain my loves
We are not an a thousand cheeked people.
Can we turn any more cheeks my loves
I can feel it now
My face disappearing into white space
My soul being fine crushed into dust and scatter along the nothingness like stars
My mind being informed and transformed and deformed
And somehow I will have to transform this red summer into empty dead white.
Can we hold any more red my loves

Featured Staff and
Contributors
Founder and Editor at Large
Shanice Brim
Managing Editor
Jean Trujillo
Consultant
Angelia D. Terry
Cover Artist
Carol Rossetti
Contributors in order of appearance:
Shanice Brim
Tionni Warren
Marissa Zimmerman
Katrina Vargas
Jean Trujillo
Dominique Aizpurua
Sara Geiger
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