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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Jess de Wahls

870 replies

Mollyollydolly · 16/06/2021 23:34

The Royal Academy have removed Jess' work from their shop due to a handful of complaints that she's 'transphobic'. If you want to support Jess her website is here.
www.jessdewahls.com
So sick of these utterly craven organisations. I hope she has a legal case against them for discrimination.

Jess de Wahls
OP posts:
Thread gallery
30
Melroses · 17/06/2021 22:37

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/06/17/royal-academy-pulls-artists-work-shop-transphobic-views/

GB news are having their advertisers nobbled, so are more than happy to give air time. The more light on this bullying the better.

littlbrowndog · 17/06/2021 22:40

Jess is the coolest artist

Love her to bits 🐈🐈🐈

FemaleAndLearning · 17/06/2021 22:50

I received an order from Jess yesterday! Her art is amazing. I'm hanging the ovary flowers in my downstairs loo for visitors to admire!
Just watched the clip on GB news good watch.

BlackeyedSusan · 17/06/2021 22:54

Gosh, that was unfortunate timing. just after it has been deemed a protected belief in law.

Anonymum263 · 17/06/2021 22:54

Yes for Jess. I will purchase some patches now.

PandorasMailbox · 17/06/2021 22:56

The more sunshine this travesty and others like it get, the better.

I'm sick of women being cancelled by a few vicious bullies - mostly men and the way that otherwise respected organisations pander to them.

This is exactly how we know they're men.

WaltzingBetty · 17/06/2021 22:59

Here's an article with a link to Jess' blog

news.artnet.com/art-world/royal-academy-shop-transphobia-1981206

ErrolTheDragon · 17/06/2021 23:14

From that DM link:
The campaign groups Sex Matters has called on the director of the RA to reinstate Miss de Wahls' works and apologise to the artist.
In a letter, they claimed the decision to pull her work came after a 'handful of coordinated complaints', adding: 'The Royal Academy is carrying out an egregious and blatant belief discrimination against textile artist Jess de Wahls.'

And goes on...
Miss de Wahls is a textile artist who makes embroidered portraits, often dealing with feminism. Her work was sold in the RA gift shop, where prints of controversial artists have previously been made available for sale.
Prints of the work of Paul Gauguin, who reportedly had sexual relationships with young girls, were sold during the 2020 exhibition Gauguin and the Impressionists.
Eric Gill, an artist and sculptor now known to have sexually abused his daughters, was an associate of the RA during his lifetime.

DdraigGoch · 18/06/2021 00:03

@SunnyintheSun

It’s just so bloody relentless, one woman after another suffering economically and emotionally because of these tyrants.

Have written to the RA tonight.

Well if that was the aim, it backfired massively. Everything's selling out, probably the best publicity she's ever had!
SunnyintheSun · 18/06/2021 00:13

DdraigGoch I’m so glad - Jess and the RA both deserve the recent response!

timeisnotaline · 18/06/2021 04:06

I’ve contacted them , saying I’m volunteering as i understand they are now outsourcing their ethics to the public. I’d like to contribute and I faithfully promise to uphold their standards of treating incest and rape as much more minor faults than supporting women.

Wish44 · 18/06/2021 10:04

I have emailed the RA asking when they will be completing a full audit of the views and actions of their artists and censoring them accordingly. I have also queried why they are censoring views before actions ( I.e Eric Gill) and suggested they start with actions before moving to views as this seems more sensible.

I have urged them not to worry that the galleries will end up empty due to the spectrum of thoughts and beliefs meaning that everything ends up offending some people.

I have also asked that they make their panel of thought police public so we can scrutinise their views in case they have some views we don’t like!

Cowbells · 18/06/2021 10:38

@Wish44

I have emailed the RA asking when they will be completing a full audit of the views and actions of their artists and censoring them accordingly. I have also queried why they are censoring views before actions ( I.e Eric Gill) and suggested they start with actions before moving to views as this seems more sensible.

I have urged them not to worry that the galleries will end up empty due to the spectrum of thoughts and beliefs meaning that everything ends up offending some people.

I have also asked that they make their panel of thought police public so we can scrutinise their views in case they have some views we don’t like!

Well done.
WhereYouLeftIt · 18/06/2021 11:24

Covered at some length today in The Times, almost a whole page (including a huge photo of Jess). Very eye-catching, and written by David Sanderson, Arts Correspondent.

Included this :
"The institution was widely criticised yesterday. It was asked if it would stop promoting the work of artists such as Eric Gill, who sexually abused his daughters, and Caravaggio, the 17th- century Roman painter who fled to Naples after being sentenced to death for murder."

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/jess-de-wahls-royal-academy-shop-ditches-work-by-artist-accused-of-transphobia-xdlzkf0l7

toffeebutterpopcorn · 18/06/2021 11:28

Is Jess’s dad trans? I read that somewhere.

YellowFish12 · 18/06/2021 11:30

Nice one @imeisnotaline and @Wish44

EmbarrassingAdmissions · 18/06/2021 11:30

@toffeebutterpopcorn

Is Jess’s dad trans? I read that somewhere.
Yes.
LazyHorizon · 18/06/2021 11:49

Not that we were in any doubt, but have a look at the headline and sub-header to see an example of the way male artists can do whatever the fuck they want and it’s all just part of their brilliance:

www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2010/sep/27/paul-gauguin-tate-modern-exhibition

teawamutu · 18/06/2021 11:56

Interesting comment on the Times story. I've emailed them - am hoping there will be a tipping point.

Although not happy that the answer to mob tactics appears to be a bigger mob Sad

Jess de Wahls
jellybeansforbreakfast · 18/06/2021 11:59

Ooh! I shall follow up if I don't get a response, or if it's a daft one!

EmbarrassingAdmissions · 18/06/2021 12:05

Although not happy that the answer to mob tactics appears to be a bigger mob

I think we'd all agree that we would be so much happier if we had any expectation that reasoned discussion with all parties would achieve our aim.

jellybeansforbreakfast · 18/06/2021 12:18

Although not happy that the answer to mob tactics appears to be a bigger mob

I'm less happy that my wanting to live my life untrammeled by weird shit means I have to put myself out to state the blindingly obvious in an attempt to remind the rest of the world that logic is a thing!

YellowFish12 · 18/06/2021 12:31

@EmbarrassingAdmissions

Although not happy that the answer to mob tactics appears to be a bigger mob

I think we'd all agree that we would be so much happier if we had any expectation that reasoned discussion with all parties would achieve our aim.

Agree. Its so disappointing the RA caused this crap in the first place and didn't take any time to think critically before reacting.
teawamutu · 18/06/2021 12:32

@EmbarrassingAdmissions

Although not happy that the answer to mob tactics appears to be a bigger mob

I think we'd all agree that we would be so much happier if we had any expectation that reasoned discussion with all parties would achieve our aim.

That nails what I really wanted to say.