feminist history nerd

life’s a garden, dig it.

chelsea — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 23:07:24 +0000

This summer I embarked upon a new hands-on adventure: a vegetable garden. In planning, I envisioned a peaceful way of spending time outside in the sun, breathing and relaxing as I dig my hands into the soil. After my first year of Ph.D. school I figured a needed an activity like this.

I prepped the garden bed with fresh soil and coffee grounds, courtesy of my work. I planted zucchini, lettuce, carrots, broccoli, and snow peas from seed. I also bought a couple of strawberry plants, some lettuce plants, cauliflower, a little basil plant, rosemary, and lavender. The state of things upon first planting:

The peas I planted only a few weeks before and they exploded! Along with them I scattered about wildflower seeds.

Everything was moving along nicely until my friend, mr. groundhog, who lives in the backyard, decided to help himself. He ate most of the lettuce (both what I planted from seed and the plants I put in), in some of the barely sprouting carrot tops. I’ve heard of the impossibility of keeping these little guys away, but my garden netting fence has done the trick so far.

My garden as of today:

I can’t say it’s been entirely relaxing. Each groundhog sighting and weather warning comes with a bit of anxiety, worrying about a loss of all the time put into this little project. But eating my first pea straight from the vine was wholly satisfying and assures me this summer experiment is well worth it.

women responsible for preventing (punishing) rape?

chelsea — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:14:02 +0000

I’ve been reading about this new “anti-rape female condom,” the Rape Axe. All I can think of to say so far is, what the fuck?

I understand that rape is an endemic problem that cannot be solved overnight, and that women need ways to protect themselves until (if?) we find ways to end sexual assault. But how is this a solution? This device says that rape-prevention becomes the responsibility of would-be victims.

At the most basic level, the Rape Axe doesn’t prevent rape – in order for it to “work” penetration must occur. Now, let us say men know it exists – do we believe this will end rape? Last I checked, oral sex and anal sex are also forms of sexual assault that are not prevented by this contraption. And imagine the actions a rapist may take against a woman who is responsible for jagged hooks latching onto his penis? Proponents say rapists are already violent – but I can’t but think that such a device might make them more so.

Advocates of the Rape Axe also suggest that the device will tag men, identifying them as rapists, bringing them pain and, potentially, punishment. Yet I wonder how likely punishment is in a society that somehow produces the following:

1 in 4 men in South Africa said they’ve committed rape
46% said they had committed rape more than once
many of these men said they didn’t see anything wrong with doing so

Activists South Africa working to end rape have spoken out against the Rape Axe. I’m curious to hear more response from the women of South Africa, and what comes of this. I cannot know what it is like to be a woman facing such bleak circumstances, but my visceral reaction to this device is one of disgust and contempt. What are your thoughts?

roots and wings

chelsea — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 07:34:53 +0000

A year ago today, in the early hours of the morning, I was packing up the last of my things, trying to get out tearful goodbye’s to the best of friends, and leaving CA for an unknown MI. Along for the ride were my woefully drugged kitties and the most understanding and patient friend, Rachel. Hot mess hardly does justice to the state I was in 365 days ago. When we reached our destination I couldn’t imagine lasting the summer, let alone an entire year. Forget 5 or 6 years.

So, here I am, a year into this left coast feminist’s adventure through Ph.D school in the midwest. Certainly, there were times I (and my loved ones) weren’t so sure I would actually make it through. The last six months, however, have been a pleasant surprise. My courses, while by no means easy, seemed much more manageable. A gaggle of our first year history nerd cohort came together, commemorating many a special occasion together (you know, St. Patrick’s Day, May Day, my birthday, Friday, etc.). And my SI friends, whom I met upon first arriving here, continue to be a beautiful part of my life. I even managed to enjoy the snow.

It is not perfect (what is), but it is about a bajillion times better than I could have imagined last June 14th. I think being a bit older, having spent so many years building a life for myself in Sacramento, is what really makes the transition to and acceptance of life here so difficult. There’s a sense now of being torn between two places – really, it’s a matter of belonging to two spheres of friends. The people at home in CA, and those here with whom I am creating a new home, foster and encourage different yet equally important parts of who I am. Rather than bemoan my separation from Sactown, or stubbornly deny adjustment to A2, I am beginning to realize (better late than never) how fortunate I am to have such a wealth of friendship and opportunity in my life. At least I’ve realized I can have roots and wings. Let go and embrace it – I’m working on it.

grammy was a fashionista

chelsea — Sun, 30 May 2010 19:08:49 +0000

It has been six years now since my grandmother’s passing. With each passing year it becomes easier to reminisce and recall her life, moments large and small, with fondness and joy – though there are still those moments when my heart aches with the sadness of missing her kind face.

I can still remember the smell of her face cream as I kissed her cheek, the way she would ask me to “be a dear and get my…,” the laughter she would stifle when the kids would be a bit too inappropriate at the dinner table, the taste of her German Chocolate cakes, the sight of her assorted nail polish and lipstick on her bedroom vanity.

A fun reminder of her today – seems she was fashionable beyond her years:

Trendy clothing store on the above, a selection from my grammy collection on the below (there are many more variations of this gold and turquoise theme in the assortment I inherited). She would have so enjoy this – and I’m grateful I’ve reached a place where I can smile and savor these moments of remembrance.

it is simple – support fasters, support equality

chelsea — Sun, 30 May 2010 18:13:47 +0000

People are fasting for justice.

On May 27, 2010 Lt. Dan Choi and Capt. Jim Pietrangelo began fasting, promising to do so until their three demands are met:

DEMAND #1: End the Comprehensive Working Group “Study,” which insults the dignity of all Americans.
DEMAND #2: End “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” discharges forever.
DEMAND #3: Replace all discriminatory regulations in the military with a comprehensive non-discrimination policy.

People are questioning, critiquing, and criticizing this step. They say it is to dangerous, too radical, too controversial.

I understand there is risk in fasting. But I know that in this case it is being done in as healthful as is possible, with the well-being of these men being carefully considered. I find it worrisome that people raise an uproar over fasting for a cause, while everyday we largely ignore women starving themselves for fashion, fad diets, global hunger, economic malnutrition. When hunger has a purpose, challenges hatred and discrimination, it suddenly becomes dangerous.

I say there is no more profound declaration of commitment to and seriousness of cause than a willingness to use one’s body to demand equality. Certainly, this is a radical step. This is the point. It demonstrates the lengths to which individuals will go to have their humanity recognized. For queer soldiers, it seems to me, seeking to love and live openly while also being allowed to serve one’s country is a cause for which fasting is wholly justified.

That it is a controversial move is the point of such an act. As long as they fast, President Obama must live with the knowledge that he holds their well-being in his hands. It is the type of action that makes media take notice of a cause. It moves our movement to a new level. It should inspire us all to further action.

The criticism from within our movement is what I find most shocking and disheartening. Through this fast we should find greater solidarity. Choi and Pietrangelo have made deeply personal decisions to embark on this journey – we should honor them, hold them in our hearts, and take whatever steps we are able to join them in their cause. We should also be embracing and celebrating those people helping them, supporting them through the fast. Friend and sister activist Zoe Nicholson once fasted for the ERA – she is now helping Choi along his own journey of fasting for justice. As Choi’s media contact, she has received less than kind responses to her generous, insightful, loving assistance of the Dignity Fast. Dan, Jim, Zoe, and all the others working so diligently in quest for equality deserve nothing less than our support, our gratitude, our love.

Embrace them. Send them your well wishes and thanks. Spread the word. Take action. People are making history and we are a step closer to equality.

feminist historian to the theatre: SATC2

chelsea — Sat, 29 May 2010 05:54:20 +0000

Things I heard walking out of Sex and the City 2 (and no, not from people I was with):

“So, this is was, what, post, post, post feminism?”

“Why all of the excess? Why was the whole movie about overindulgence?”

Maybe it was an attempt to ignore lingering homesickness, a desired escape from my stagnant apartment, or mere curiosity as to the current goings on of Carrie, Miranda, Samantha, and Charlotte, but I went to take in SATC2 tonight. Knowing many an academic peer preceded me, and having free movie passes stashed away in my wallet, I headed to the theatre aware that the outing was sure to result in pop culture critique (yah, yah, you can take the gal out of the academy, but you can’t take the academy out of the gal). I have many friends who much better adept at breaking down this movie, but I will share some thoughts.

My friend David makes the premise clear, stating, “in order for a group of middle class white American women to gain an appreciation of the rights and benefits that this identity bestow they must experience and bear witness to those who are not so privileged.” Replete with elitism, faux-feminism, and orientalism, Carrie et. al. embrace their “I Am Woman” empowerment via those they encounter who are less fortunate, objectified, oppressed, or culturally misinterpreted. Critics have deemed the film pro-feminist and anti-Muslim. While conversations about their experiences being silenced and judged for being empowered, vocal women lean towards feminism, they become sadly insensitive as they joke about eating french fries while wearing a niqab and forgetting to pack one’s burqa. Though they must briefly walk a mile in Muslim women’s niqab, there is no self-reflection as to the privileges that allow them to choose career, family structure, marital status, sexual behavior, etc. No amount of Miranda’s quoting of factoids about female Muslim culture remedies this problem.

You might be thinking that I should just let go and simply enjoy a frivolous movie, but given the popularity of SATC, I think it is important to consider such issues. Especially in light of my encounter with Susan Douglas’ new work, Enlightened Sexism: The Seductive Message that Feminism’s Work is Done, I believe we need to consider carefully how feminism is portrayed. As Douglas argues, claims of feminism and equality reached justifies modern regeneration of racist stereotyping, sexual objectification, and class exclusivity. This film is no exception.

I am worried about the flippant commentary this movie makes about modern women. The comments I heard leaving the theatre make me hopeful.

Take a Cue from Alice

chelsea — Tue, 04 May 2010 22:19:34 +0000

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell has taken center stage as the cause celebre of queer politics, joining marriage equality as one of the key issues around which the queer community is rallying. Perhaps neither of these are your issues. Honestly, they aren’t exactly mine. But the significance of these battles reach far beyond the chapel or the combat zone. By fighting for unrestricted access to all of our nation’s institutions, we claim our own humanity, our right to full equality. What’s more, DADT is inherently a feminist issue – women are more likely to be discharged under the policy, not to mention how it can lead to harassment and assault of lesbian soldiers.

GetEQUAL has been engaging in stunning actions of late, calling on Obama to remain accountable to the promises he made our community. Military personnel and civilian activists have handcuffed themselves to the White House fence, activists have rallied and protested, and individuals have used their voices to speak truth to power.

You may have heard about the “hecklers” who confronted Obama at Barbara Boxer’s April 19th fundraiser. One of them was my dear friend, and committed activist, Zoe Nicholson. Oddly enough (at least to those of us who believe in the power of non-violent direct action), the GetEQUAL activists at this event have been critiqued from inside the queer community. Ever the nerd, I put on my historian hat trying to explain to people why taking action like this is an essential part of social change.

Take as an example women’s fight for the right to vote. In the first decade of the 20th century, the National American Women’s Suffrage Association (NAWSA) led the movement for suffrage. They were engaged in a time-consuming state-by-state campaign when young activist Alice Paul, fresh from training with radical suffragettes in England, joined their ranks. After much convincing, NAWSA leadership allowed her to begin work on a federal amendment. While NAWSA eventually came around to the national approach, conflict continued between it and Paul’s Congressional Union, leading Paul to create the National Women’s Party (NWP).

NWP instantly adopted the role of radical fringe within the suffrage movement. In taking a national approach, these women held the party in power responsible for not securing women’s right to vote. These women began their militant campaign “with ‘heckling’ Wilson–interrupting speeches and asking pointed questions” (Ford, 283). They picketed the White House because of President Wilson’s inaction, and continued to do so even after the United States entered World War I. Using his own words to make clear his hypocrisy, NWP quoted him on protest banners: “We shall fight for the things which we have always held nearest our hearts–for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have to have a voice in their own government.” Arrested for these protests that shamed the president, these suffragists were jailed and force-fed upon their decisions to fast. Information regarding their treatment ultimately reached the press, further shaming the administration. Militant actions continued upon their release and until they gained the vote.

All of these actions made President Wilson more responsive to NAWSA, the more moderate organization – aligning with NAWSA allowed him to save face. Yet it was certainly due in large part to the actions of NWP that Wilson finally, in 1918, encouraged the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment. Chief Justice Walter Clark congratulated Paul on the success of the amendment, stating, “Will you permit me to congratulate you upon the great triumph in which you have been an important factor? There were politicians, and a large degree of public sentiment, which could only be won by the methods that you adopted.”

The movement for queer rights needs all of us, especially those so committed to the cause they are willing to face arrest, alienation from friends and peers, and angry public threats. We are fighting for respect, for safety, for equality. Empty promises will not get us there – it is up to all of us to demand accountability and action. Take a cue from Alice.

*for more information, see Ford, et al, in Marjorie Wheeler’s One Woman, One Vote

back to blogging…

chelsea — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:01:00 +0000

Well, clearly my plan to document the experiences of a California radical in the Midwest has been (mostly) a failure thus far. I obviously had no idea how difficult this first year would be when the idea first struck to blog my way through what I now mockingly call Ph.D. school. Excluding the never-ending research and writing, I have indeed survived year one (significant since there were times this didn’t seem likely). Though there was a time I didn’t think it possible, I have found myself happy in Ann Arbor.

Ahead are the promises of spring and summer, living life on my own terms. Plans include gardening (vegetable and flower), travel (home to California, New York for research, and hopefully exploring surrounding states), brunching, bonfires, dance parties, and yes, reading/researching/writing.

Perhaps a bit reconceptualized, I look forward to seeing what might become of feminist history nerd.

Summer Coming to an End

chelsea — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:16:49 +0000

It feels like a lifetime ago that I left California. Now, after about two and half months in Michigan, I find summer is at its end. My books for week one of class, sitting on my nightstand and awaiting my attention, remind me that classes begin in a matter of days.

I was quite happy for Summer Institute to come to an end. The seminars proved to be pretty useless overall, at times bordering on condescending. What is worse, there was a startling lack of understanding and sensitivity to certain forms of diversity, which the program is supposed to embrace. The rumors proved true – the best part about it was meeting people from different fields and getting to know the town before school begins.

I continue to settle in to the people and places around me. Not always an easy process, but I feel fortunate for new friendships forming and the enjoyable times we have spent together. I continue to enjoy exploring the area, and noticing the little differences. For the first time I’ve seen fireflies, chipmunks, and what I can only assume was a groundhog. Another first was the bat that got in through the basement, made it upstairs and circled my bedroom to the cats pleasure and my panic. Fortunately if found its way to the back door without anything more than a scare. The kitties seem pretty at home now as well, though Gaby seems to have aged quite a bit recently. She is still a happy gal, but her 13 years are starting to show, which is hard for me to grapple with, since she has been my one constant since high school.

I really am eager for the semester to begin and to settle into the school routine. Not only am I excited to dig in to this new journey of study, but it will also give a sense of purpose to my being here that has been lacking thus far.

A local activist community eludes me, but I continue to search. If the summer is any indication, I’ll have no problem tackling the battles that cross my path and stirring up trouble when necessary! I also got a job at my neighborhood coffee shop. It’s a pretty relaxed environment and is part of my ingenious plan to keep myself fully supplied in caffeine over the coming months.

I’m looking forward to the visits in the months ahead – as settled in as I get here, nothing compares to California and all of you. Love and hugs!

My downstairs, and the kids:

Good company, good drinks, good eats!

chelsea — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:40:27 +0000

A very fine day in Michigan. A beautiful morning walk to campus this morning – I love looking at the plants, trees, flowers, and architecture of the old homes. After class I had a meeting with my history grad student mentor, who is very kind and quite full of useful information. Then it was off to happy hour with our little grad student posse, followed by a delicious Indian food dinner. Top off the evening with sangria on the porch at Dominick’s. I am quite enjoying getting to know some very fine individuals.