The Mary Beard Appreciation Society

[ArcheryAnnie]

Professor Mary Beard was one of about 130+ people who signed a letter to the Guardian this weekend, saying broadly that universities should be a place of discussion and debate, and the current habit of "no-platforming" women (it's almost always women) some students disagree with was inimical to the very purpose of education.

Out of these 130+ signatories, Mary Beard was the one the usual suspects piled on to, and she dealt with the barrage with such grace. The attacks were mostly divided between the "OMG transphobe" type" and the "very sad to see this nice old dear who didn't understand what she was signing" type, which is breathtakingly patronising when referring to one of the most brilliant academics we have. Most of the other signatories weren't attacked at all in the same way or in the same volume, although some signatories who are PoC were labelled "tokens" by the usual suspects, which is also amazingly patronising and dismissive of their choices and their expertise.

When I grow up, I want to be Professor Mary Beard. (But I would probably have to grow an extra couple of brains to do it.)

StillLost I'm certainly not sneering at women who choose to wear dresses, heels and make-up. I wear exactly that when I go to work in an office or go to a party. (Sometimes I even wash and attempt to style my hair, though in our rural setting it's often wasted on the sheep )

What I'm cross about is from my understanding that being a 'cis' or biological woman, and therefore able to perform femininity in that way, ie by wearing classic feminine clothes, is apparently seen as a huge privilege, and trans*women are oppressed by our privilege.

What they're not either admitting or are possibly not even aware of, what with not growing up a girl/woman, is that along with being able to wear these lovely feminine clothes we have to put up with constant, subtle, every-day sexism, earn less, feel far less safe in life, and are generally less privileged than men who have grown up as boys/men.

On a seperate note, does anyone know whether Glosswitch is ok?

another NS article

More interesting stuff

I've been following this thread throughout - Hakluyt thanks for posting that last link; I hadn't read about that before. But -- am speechless. How did we get to the point where a feminist society is "for" the sex industry? I have no words.

It kind of is, though. Just another 30 something woman, 10 a penny. But perhaps not the 'performance' of femininity that springs to mind when someone would "Dress As A Woman". I think that's what she was driving at, rather than wanting to insult women who like dresses and heels. IYSWIM?

Jeans and boots are a cliché. I didn't want to point that out.
" The performance of femininity " is a bit patronising too. As if I'm too thick or subjugated by patriarchy to have actually made a choice to "dress as a woman"

I hate and always have hated unisex clothes. It irritates me immensely to see posters here go on about girls not being able to climb trees, get dirty, run about, etc if they wear skirts and dresses. As if my early childhood doing that must have been a figment of my imagination.

Sorry rant over.

Still lost sorry if I've upset you. I was not trying to patronise anyone, just trying and obviously failing to reflect where TAs seem to be coming from - that bio women have privilege.

what do you mean by "unisex clothes"? do you mean categories of clothes that both men and women wear (trousers, jumpers, t-shirts, jackets)? or do you mean clothes that have literally been designed for both sexes to wear (so not cut specifically for a (stereotypical) male or female shape)?

because clothing designers, manufacturers and shops very much segregate the former into boys'/girls'/men's/women's and while there is no reason from my POV why a man who wants to wear jeans cut for a (stereotypical) woman's figure shouldn't wear them, but they can't really be described as unisex from a societal POV. they even call jeans marketed for women to wear but cut as men's jeans would be "boyfriend" jeans - they aren't marketed at men too

i certainly spent a portion of my childhood refusing to wear trousers because i didn't find them comfortable - i climbed trees and went on muddy walks wearing skirts and dresses. i've seen many posts in this section talking about how convenient and comfortable it is to wear and style a dress - in many ways it's surprising that more (western) men don't wear dresses and skirts every day (occasion wear like kilts aside - they aren't everyday wear these days)

the problem is where clothes intended for girls or women to wear restrict them from doing whatever it is they might want to do, or provoke the restrictive reaction of "don't get it dirty/torn/ruined!" whereas those intended for boys or men aren't restrictive or are expected to need to withstand robust wear

what i'm trying to pinpoint is where "unisex" might come to essentially mean "boys' clothes", whereas in reality there is no reason why either sex shouldn't wear any category of clothing

"Unisex" or "gender neutral" ^always means "male"

I regularly get shouted at on baby name threads when people ask for unisex names for children and it's always boy's names being used for girls.. And, interestingly, then falling out of favour for boys. They don't like it when I suggest that if they are going to call their girl Eliott or Brandon they should be prepared to call their boy Alice or Emily......."....

Is "performing femininity" controversial? > I've first come across the term here and feel that it expresses my experience.

I have found it hard to get my head around with regards to 'T-girls' and trans women and without seeming mean - they seem to want to dress themselves as patriachal parodies with glam hair, high heels, short dresses etc or is this not so true of the younger trans people?

It almost seems like they wish to completely redefine 'female' to some 'new female' and then I am guessing trans as a term would then disappear...

I think there needs to be a distinction drawn between bad feminine clothes and good ones. Lovely comfy dresses, for instance, are amaaaaazing. In an ideal world, it would be socially acceptable for everyone (male or female) to wear a lovely cotton frock on a hot day.

Heels, however, I cannot get on board with. I used to wear then quite often, and would even pretend that they didn't hurt as much as they did. I don't know why... maybe I wanted to look brave? To 'win' at femininity? And I would always justify it by saying "this is my choice, heels make me feel powerful" etc.

Then I got bunions and I hate to get rid of every single pair of heels. What a blessing. I suddenly realised how much agony I had been putting myself through. Not only that, but flats make me feel safer - is it a coincidence that the shoes women are expected to wear prevent them from running away from danger (i.e. dangerous men)...?

I can see why some women who are not particularly invested in discussing academic theories of a sociocultural nature might find the specific word "performing", in relation to how they choose to present themselves, insulting and patronising. It implies fakery and acting and trying to please and an audience who you dress/behave for rather than for yourself. So some women might feel that they are being judged and looked down on. It's a simple misunderstanding of the academic language.

Is "performing femininity" controversial? > I've first come across the term here and feel that it expresses my experience.

I've only come across it on here . I find it a bit ridiculous and a bit patronising. What gives any of the right to say I'm "performing feminity" ? There's a nasty undertone to it.

i wear high heels for work reasonably often, and if i go out (depending on the event). it means i fit in with the environment i'm in at the time, so i feel appropriately dressed and i like how it looks as part of my outfit. i entirely accept however that it is purely socialisation in terms of (a) what has become conventional workwear within my office and (b) my feeling that my outfit looks good and appropriate.

it's not a MN term. it's used in feminist discussions all over the place

I think there needs to be a distinction drawn between bad feminine clothes and good ones

Really ? And you are the one to make it?
How bloody arrogant.

Unless someone can suggest an alternative term for 'performing' that won't make the wearers of dresses feel offended

Wearing a dress is "performing"? No more or less "performing" than you "performing" as a right on, feminist (of the approved and acceptable kind ) in your uniform of jeans and boots.

here's something posted online in 2011

feministcurrent.com/3011/my-performance-of-femininity-and-why-it-isnt-all-about-me/