The 'this is what a feminist looks like' tshirt?

[jenny60]

Have one of these and am a member of the Fawcett Society but feel a little odd wearing it. Very happy to be seen as a feminist - it's no secret . But slightly worried that it looks as though I'm saying either 'look at me: I'm normal looking, I don't wear dungarees, have short hair, cliche, stereotype etc...' or 'Aren't I gorgeous. Bet you dodn't know feminists could be gorgeous?'.
Anyone else got one? What do yout think?

x-post HerBeatitude - Fawcett if you're listening could you do a lower neck version please? Not porny-cleavage low, just below-collarbone low ould be nice.

FFS where's your punk rock 2nd wave feminisim DIY ethic. Get some farkin scissors and snip the farking neckline till it's comfy!

I'm currently doing badges (and keyrings) with 'Feminists have better sex' on themm I might thinkg about putting that slogan on t shirts too.

I still want 'fuck your fascist beauty standards' but I didn't like the style of the One Angry Girl one.

Yes, yes, yes to the high neckline. It looks awful and makes me itchy. Does anyone actually like tshirts like this?
SGB: I tried that once but the whole thing unraveled so the neckline sat on my waist
So not a good look.

Also, doesn't it cut into the slogan?

I love feminists have better sex. If it were a low neckline, I would buy one of those

jenny60 - I think a lot of people don't. Mind you was in newlook yesterday and the choice was either pink gingham floaty nonsense or a vast array of high-necked t-shirts. Not wanting to look like I was made by cath kidson or like my boobs were cowering in fright against my body, I just walked out.

Lol at cowering boobs.

Actually the more I think about this the more it seems wrong-headed. I understand (der) the rationale but we shouldn't be bringing appearance into it at all.

The t-shirt should just say 'feminist'. It would still make precisely the same point when stewiegriffin's dp for eg. wears one.

yes, yes, yes, it's the invitation to be judged on your looks, it's discomfiting in the extreme.

Hmm yes it's a weird one. It works if you are SO not what some idiots people think a feminist is. Anything other than a middle-aged white woman with short hair basically, so if you're a man for example, or sterotypically pretty/"making an effort" via make up or hair etc, non-white, very old or young - they all work against the stereotype. But where does that leave people who aren't in those groups, especially the "core" of feminism which is still women between the age of say 20 and 70? As I am still (fairly) young, and definitely non-scary-looking (until you get into an argument with me anyway ) I feel I can pretty much wear it. But as I said above, it kind of urges me to make myself even more unlikely to frighten the horses. So I feel I can't wear it if hair is untidy, no make-up etc. SO I suppose the question is does the slogan work positively for feminism, if it excludes most people who are feminists and it makes me keen to pile on the slap and the GHDs?

I would guess it originally arose in response to people saying 'You don't look like a feminist!'

Yeah, and that's why I wear it. Because I hope lots of people wear it (like your DP) and the stereotype breaks down sooner rather than later. TBH though I mainly save it for protests and the like. But then that's probably because it's too uncomfortable to wear often (see above)

hmmm, I'd be afraid I might only compound people's prejudices.

Anyone got a spare moment to pop over to this thread? So far I am the only one saying I wouldn't have any plastic surgery done thanks!

Yes it is Dittany.

At the same time it is saying 'you are wrong to think that feminism is only of interest to a limited section of the female population'.

While that's admirable, I think that the other, fundamentally antifeminist reading outweighs the value of the latter.

Yes, I think I'm with you OBM, more or less. And see why a simple "Feminist" or "I am a feminist" t-shirt would manage to make feminism more visible while removing the problematic part.

My daughter has the "I've got Millicent tendencies" T-Shirt. Mostly because her name is Millicent, so it's true.

I want StewieGriffinsMom's version.

I have this one

I disagree that it is inviting people to judge women on their looks.

It is challenging the idea that feminism is for uncool people, it is saying that it is for everybody. And it is important to get feminism into peoples consciousness.

Probably just 'feminist' on a tshirt would do, you're right. But, if lots of different kinds of people wear it, surely it would be ok? Or even better, 'I am a feminist, though presumably one could object to it on the same grounds? Tricky: want to to advertise it and work with lots of young people.
So maybe they are ok for everyone apart from women over say, 18?

But I will still wear it, if only because it attracts attention and I paid for it and I like advertising feminism.