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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Banksy's valentine message.

78 replies

placemats · 14/02/2023 12:34

I'm unsure about the message it sends. Women do not need to lose teeth or get a black eye to experience domestic violence. Nor should the answer to violent and coercive men be to throw them in the freezer. Will men who are violent get this message? www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-64635362

OP posts:
placemats · 14/02/2023 15:03

SleepingStandingUp · 14/02/2023 14:59

To most people, yes. He makes no material difference to my life, we don't know who THEY are, he's an artist but unless you're into art or politics, he'll just be a random bloke doing paintings in the dark to many people.

He's one of the most famous living artists in the world.

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SleepingStandingUp · 14/02/2023 15:01

Honestly OP it isn't clear what you're complaining about.

Dude does an art piece saying DV is bad. You're complaining is it's detailed enough and should cover all the forms of DV. and appropriate legal consequences for the abuser. But it's a piece of Banksy, not a Government infomercial. You say you agree with the message and like Banksy yet you're still moaning that he hasn't cured DV.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 14/02/2023 15:01

On a more positive note, it's obviously the quickest way to get the council to deal with flytipping. If there hadn't been a small herd of photographers and art fans gathered around, that freezer would still have been there at Easter.

SleepingStandingUp · 14/02/2023 14:59

placemats · 14/02/2023 14:31

Banksy is a random person?

To most people, yes. He makes no material difference to my life, we don't know who THEY are, he's an artist but unless you're into art or politics, he'll just be a random bloke doing paintings in the dark to many people.

EpicChaos · 14/02/2023 14:53

It reminds me of the story from a good few years back...
Man from the Thirsk area, meets an Australian woman on line. Things develop and eventually, man goes to Oz to meet her.
He is scheduled to stay for a month but she can only take a fortnight off work, which she does and by all accounts, they have a good time.
When she goes back to work, he decides to cook her a meal to come home to and goes to the chest freezer to see if there's anything in that, that he can use and there he finds the womans husband!
It is a true story but sadly, i can't seem to find reference to it now.

placemats · 14/02/2023 14:42

Oh I certainly get the hypocrisy of Valentine's Day. It's a money making machine that Woman's Hour discussed this morning - plenty of posts on AIBU about people who didn't get that recognition on Valentine's Day. I also understand the disparity of wealth shown on the message. Women should be grateful to get the fridge freezer - it might cost her a few missing teeth and a black eye but at least she looks great in her outfit.

Absolutely dump this nonsense. But absolutely please make men aware that the likes of Andrew Tate is a backward step.

OP posts:
DarkShade · 14/02/2023 14:36

placemats · 14/02/2023 14:18

Thank you so very much for explaining that to me. So grateful to your superior knowledge and you phrased it so well.

I bow to you.

I don't get your attitude. You said: this pic is no good because it's too subtle for men. Others said: men will get it, don't worry. You said why do they kill women then? My response was not supposed to exhibit superior knowledge, I was trying to point out how men who kill women don't care.

The message behind this art is: fuck off, abusers.

Great if would-be abusers understand the message and change in response. But it's also important that women see and understand the message, and that this type of message makes regular appearances. I think it's more about reminding people that DV is a problem than about reforming abusers. It's a show of solidarity with DV victims.

WarriorNun · 14/02/2023 14:34

IcakethereforeIam · 14/02/2023 12:54

If the women's supposed to have pushed the guy in the freezer how did his feet wind up on the other side. If she pushed him so hard he somersault his feet would be the other way up.....

I think she's closing the lid.

WarriorNun · 14/02/2023 14:33

Also probably commenting on the hypocrisy of Valentine's Day.

WarriorNun · 14/02/2023 14:32

Valentine's Day!

WarriorNun · 14/02/2023 14:32

It's also been timed with galantine's day which speaks volumes

placemats · 14/02/2023 14:31

SleepingStandingUp · 14/02/2023 14:22

Because getting what a random person is saying about DV being bad isn't enough to change entrenched behaviours and beliefs. Because they won't take it personally. Because if the way to stop DV was a simple diagram explaining its bad, there wouldn't be a DV issue. He isn't claiming he's solving DV is he. He's expressing his opinion on it.

Banksy is a random person?

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WarriorNun · 14/02/2023 14:31

I like it.

References the polished happy house wife image you'd see on postcards and advertising from the 50's, as does a lot of of his stuff. Whereas the reality was probably the opposite and they would have happily stuck their abusive husbands in the freezer.

I like the way Banksy is opportunistic and responds to the environment when graffiting.

Shredding art was pure class

placemats · 14/02/2023 14:29

Nudity · 14/02/2023 14:21

It’s art.

Goya painted Saturn eating his son. Gentileschi painted Judith Slaying Holofernes.

You can’t stifle art and free thinking because you don’t agree with the subject matter.

I didn't say I didn't agree with the subject matter. I've seen Banksy's street art and adore it. I love that he provokes discussion and not just blanket admiration.

Artemisia Gentileschi is one of my favourite artists.

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SleepingStandingUp · 14/02/2023 14:22

placemats · 14/02/2023 13:53

So why then do two women a week die from domestic violence if men don't get it?

Because getting what a random person is saying about DV being bad isn't enough to change entrenched behaviours and beliefs. Because they won't take it personally. Because if the way to stop DV was a simple diagram explaining its bad, there wouldn't be a DV issue. He isn't claiming he's solving DV is he. He's expressing his opinion on it.

2crossedout1 · 14/02/2023 14:21

andweallsingalong · 14/02/2023 13:02

What I take from this is a bloke standing up making a statement to say he is against DV whilst so many look away.

It doesn't bother me if his delivery isn't perfect.

To me when the majority vocally stand against it the minority are under more pressure to change and have more eyes on them to (predominantly) women's benefit.

I agree with this.

Nudity · 14/02/2023 14:21

It’s art.

Goya painted Saturn eating his son. Gentileschi painted Judith Slaying Holofernes.

You can’t stifle art and free thinking because you don’t agree with the subject matter.

SleepingStandingUp · 14/02/2023 14:19

placemats · 14/02/2023 12:34

I'm unsure about the message it sends. Women do not need to lose teeth or get a black eye to experience domestic violence. Nor should the answer to violent and coercive men be to throw them in the freezer. Will men who are violent get this message? www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-64635362

Yeah op he's obv a dick, doing art work that basically takes a stance against DV. How very dare he!!

How dare he not convey all the myriad of ways it can occur, and showing the woman dealing with the issue legally to see the man gets legal punishment all in a painting he does quickly in the dark whilst no one is looking 🙄

It's hardly like one could misinterpret this and think Banksy thinks DV is good, and whilst it's hardly likely to stop a man hitting his wife, surely voices against DV are only a positive thing? I don't get how you're so offended by this.

placemats · 14/02/2023 14:18

DarkShade · 14/02/2023 14:13

Whatever the reason that men kill women, pretty sure it's not because Banksy's messaging is too complex for them.

Thank you so very much for explaining that to me. So grateful to your superior knowledge and you phrased it so well.

I bow to you.

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DarkShade · 14/02/2023 14:13

placemats · 14/02/2023 13:53

So why then do two women a week die from domestic violence if men don't get it?

Whatever the reason that men kill women, pretty sure it's not because Banksy's messaging is too complex for them.

maddy68 · 14/02/2023 14:10

placemats · 14/02/2023 14:07

So do you think that's the message Banksy is making?

No I don't. That was in response to a post. No idea why it hasn't shared that.

placemats · 14/02/2023 14:07

maddy68 · 14/02/2023 14:00

some woman are.

So do you think that's the message Banksy is making?

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maddy68 · 14/02/2023 14:00

placemats · 14/02/2023 13:19

My only concern is that the Andrew Tate types will see this as women being just as abusive as men, when this is clearly not the case.

some woman are.

placemats · 14/02/2023 13:53

unwashedanddazed · 14/02/2023 13:44

Why? Do you think that most men are stupid? You got it, why wouldn't men get it?

So why then do two women a week die from domestic violence if men don't get it?

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unwashedanddazed · 14/02/2023 13:44

placemats · 14/02/2023 13:00

Perhaps it could be construed as an old fashioned depiction of domestic violence. However my question still stands. Will men get this? I don't seen that the majority will.

Why? Do you think that most men are stupid? You got it, why wouldn't men get it?