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2023 | Buch

Fashioning Politics and Protests

New Visual Cultures of Feminism in the United States

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Über dieses Buch

Through meticulous examinations, this book analyzes how women update their identities and articulate their feelings through clothing and art in protests, politics in the United States in the 20th century. Topics explored include the suffragists and their impact on contemporary art, the significance of the red dress in both The Handmaid’s Tale and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement, the impact of the Miss America protests, the rising popularity of the pantsuit for women, the recent dominance of the pussyhat, and the way that feminist slogans are disseminated on t-shirts. Movements discussed include craftivism, hashtag culture, feminism, the CROWN act, Pantsuit Nation, socially-committed stores, and more. Interdisciplinary and intersectional at its core, addressing numerous areas, including fashion, sociology, visual culture, art history, feminism, and popular culture; Fashioning Politics and Protests uncovers how women continue to use visual means, explored via their clothing, to change the world.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter
Chapter 1. Introduction: I Will Not Be the Last
Abstract
The suffragist parade in 1913 on the eve of President Wilson’s inauguration was marred by violence, but that was not going to stop the movement. Rather, this unifying gathering was one of the first visible campaigns by women who were no longer satisfied without having their voices heard in the U.S. government. The American suffragists, the first-wave feminists, wore sashes in purple, gold, and white on top of brilliant white dresses. It becomes clear that the suffragists set the stage for feminists to embrace identifying markers and signifiers connected to fashion, all of which correspond to the changing nature of feminism, as exemplified by the developments of second-, third-, and forth-wave feminism. Beginning with Kamala Harris’ memorable white suit on her way to the vice-presidency, this chapter then explores the suffragists’ choices and significance while ending with the important work of Jeanine Michna-Bales and her recreation of Inez Milholland’s final campaign for the vote before her untimely death. This chapter sets the stage for the rest of this book, while connecting the threads of early feminists to contemporary intersectional practices which lay the groundwork for the following chapters.
Emily L. Newman
Chapter 2. Redress the Red Dress
Abstract
A simple red dress can have numerous functions. In the strikingness of the color, certain fashion designers used red as their signature color or to make powerful statements. More specifically, fans of Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale (now an influential television show by Hulu) know the power of the red uniform that the handmaids wear. These women were forced to have sex with powerful men, with the goal of procreating and helping the struggling population. Yet, a handmaid known as June defies the rules and leads a mutiny, one that Americans have started mimicking in protests in real life. Donning the red dress and white-winged bonnet, women protest their shrinking rights over their own bodily autonomy, which includes access to abortion and healthcare. While these dresses appear in DC and across the country, red dresses are also appearing on and standing in for Indigenous women across Canada and the United States. Jamie Black began using red dresses to symbolize the many Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirits (MMIWG2S), hanging the dresses in trees and in installations, working to create awareness for the women whose lives have been lost and forgotten by all but their families and close friends. The striking vision of red combined with these strong political beliefs and symbolic powers allows these often-straightforward dresses to challenge the beliefs of everyday people and key political figures everywhere. Especially for the families of MMIWG2S, this can help them process their grief but also push for more resolution regarding the crimes that had been committed against loved ones.
Emily L. Newman
Chapter 3. CROWNing a New Kind of Miss America
Abstract
One of the most famous, if not infamous, protests of all time was the 1968 Miss America protest in Atlantic City. As second wave feminists were becoming more prominent and vocal, this event was a critical social moment for them to enter mainstream discussions about women’s rights. The pageant put women’s bodies on display not just for objectification but for an actual contest based on looks. These protests were a visible way to challenge the way women’s bodies were being presented. By studying two winners, Bess Myerson and Vanessa Williams, I show how each woman challenged the standard that the pageant was privileging, be it Christianity or Whiteness. Interspersed with discussions of artwork, quinceañeras, and popular trends, this chapter discusses Miss America’s legacy and two current political discussions that center female bodies and feminine style at the heart of the issues. The use of pageant gowns and quinceañera dresses to protest political situations will also be examined, as they address both race and problematic cultural problems that stem from the physicality of bodies. The Free the Nipple campaign began in 2012 with the release of a film of the same name. Celebrities and models have become outspokenly critical of censorship practices that only focus on women’s breasts and nipples and not men’s bodies. Another political action, the pushing forward of the CROWN Act in many states and federal government, wants to prevent Black women from being discriminated because of their natural hair. Paralleling the early discussions about the ways women’s bodies are controlled, these movements encourage the public to rethink the way women’s bodies are still controlled by the state and the media.
Emily L. Newman
Chapter 4. When Women Wear the Pants
Abstract
When the backlash against Hillary Clinton became overwhelming in the 2016 presidential election, a closed group on Facebook was formed called Pantsuit Nation. There, women shared support for Clinton, while also telling stories about women supporting other women and winning against all odds. Pantsuits became a symbol through which women could connect to one another. The popularity of the coordinated pants and suit jacket for women rose across the twentieth century, after it evolved out of the need for women to have something comparable to the male suit that high-powered men wore to work every day. Adopted by the New Woman at the turn of the century, the pantsuit not only represented a break from traditional gowns but also gave lesbians the space to create their own identity. Later, the suit for women was embraced by fashion designers like Coco Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent and worn by movie stars and wealthy socialites. However, in the 1970s, working women embraced pantsuits and skirts, as evidenced by John T. Malloy’s The Women’s Dress for Success Book (1977) and the popular film Working Girl (1988). Artists are emboldened to use the suit to present themselves not only as professional but also as an easy-to-rely-on uniform for them to rely on outside the studio. Georgia O’Keeffe, NIki de Saint Phalle, and Laurie Anderson all created personas and identities for themselves that relied on a suit in pivotal moments in their careers. Today, women can rely on capsule collections designed by fashionistas and bloggers that can help create an easily structured wardrobe, based on the idea of a suit that functions in multiple ways and can be mixed and matched with multiple pieces.
Yet, resistance to this “masculinization” of the female form still arguably persists. Pantsuits can be seen not only as a threat to male power but also as a threat to heteronormativity. Through an examination of how women began wearing pantsuits, while addressing the importance of the clothing choice to both queer women and intersectionality, it becomes clear that the more that women wore pants, the more they challenged their status in a patriarchal world.
Emily L. Newman
Chapter 5. What’s New Pussyhat?
Abstract
The 2017 Women’s March on Washington and the #metoo movement have demonstrated that women’s bodies can and should be primary sites of resistance. From signage to pink pussyhats and graphic t-shirts, women decorated their bodies and clothing to challenge the conservative political power of the moment. More significantly, the physical presence of these bold statements and bright pink hats has dominated the powerful and aggressive calls for change. And what better way to argue in support of equal healthcare for women, abortion rights, and reuniting families than by utilizing a color that has historically been connected to women, as artfully presented by Valerie Steele. Further, ideas stemming from feminist protests and the Women’s March were incorporated by esteemed fashion designers at companies such as Missoni (Angela Missoni), Dior (Maria Grazia Chiuri), and even cheekily by Chanel (Karl Lagerfeld). When connected to the work of feminist art and performance precedents of the 1970s—artists like Carolee Schneemann, Tee Corrine, and Judy Chicago—this chapter will demonstrate the continued necessity of showing and presenting the female physique. The acceptability and dominance of vaginas and pussyhats would not have been possible without the feminist artists of the 1970s who threw their bodies into the work. In addition, the easily knittable pussyhats were inspired by the rise of craftivism, the making crafts and objects with an activist spirit by women around the world. The pussyhat pattern was accessible to all, the instructions were easy, and people were donating the yarn and the hats freely. In repurposing the actions of artists and craft activists, all the while re-inserting the actual, physical female form into the political discussion, women are refusing to allow their rights to be stripped easily.
Emily L. Newman
Chapter 6. Epilogue: The Future is Female … and Intersectional, Gender-Fluid, and Unexpected
Abstract
The significance of Kamala Harris’ groundbreaking election to vice president of the United States is demonstrated by the calls for women, Black women in particular, to celebrate her and Biden’s victory by wearing pearl necklaces and Converse-brand tennis shoes, items that Harris herself wore frequently. Historically, many of these beliefs have been expressed in buttons or even on t-shirts. In 1974, a t-shirt with the slogan “The Future is Female” was designed by Labryis Books. Popular at the time, the phrase continued to appear since then, but saw a huge resurgence in 2015 when Rachel Berks remade the shirt for her shop Otherwild. What was to be a one-time limited print run giving back to Planned Parenthood turned in to a shirt (and sweatshirts) in various colors and sizes constantly in stock. Stores like Otherwild have popped up across the United States, including Phenomenal and The Outrage, which have worked to create a new outlet for those who want to be politically engaged, but for various reasons cannot participate in marches or other events. Financially, these stores give back, helping to provide various resources for feminist, non-profit organizations that support reproductive rights, healthcare, queer concerns, immigration, civil rights, voting rights, and general human rights. Visible accessories and t-shirts allow people all over the country to participate in the movement for a low cost but easy impact. Non-profits are counting on it, and as walk-outs and protests persist across the world, it appears that fashion and art will continue to be helpful tools that contribute to the political conversation. Whether it appears on the wall or a t-shirt, “The Future is Female” fits a multiplicity of needs: it is hopeful, positive, specific, defiant, open-ended, and more. Understanding the resurgence of this shirt in 2015 and how it parallels an important resurgence of feminist beliefs, feminists make very clear that there is still work to be done.
Emily L. Newman
Chapter 7. Postscript: November 7, 2022
Abstract
On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed people the right to abortion. Immediately, several states had banned abortion completely due to trigger laws already in place and numerous states followed by working to pass similar legislation. Through the lens of this book, the rise of the Green Wave and the popularity of green bandanas to support legal abortion and reproductive rights is thoroughly explored via history, protest, fashion, and possibilities for the future.
Emily L. Newman
Backmatter
Metadaten
Titel
Fashioning Politics and Protests
verfasst von
Emily L. Newman
Copyright-Jahr
2023
Electronic ISBN
978-3-031-16227-5
Print ISBN
978-3-031-16226-8
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16227-5