Under Fire
There has been a lot of talk this week of my new project. A lot of talk. Part of that is because I have only 3 days left to raise my pledged goal on KickStarter, and so the internet is all a-buzz about it. I've been pushing it through the many social networking channels, and like a good taboo-subject, it has officially reached complete strangers. [FMI: click here]
Also like a good taboo, it has earned its degree of commentators and detractors. Now, I am all for healthy critiques of my work. I love a good dialogue, and I love passionate art discussions. I am always open to these kinds of talks.
However, I can't say any of the negative feedback I've gotten has been a "critique." A critique would imply that commentators approached me and let me know their concerns about this project, my art, my identity, my process moving forward. Instead, my project and my artwork has been slanted as "rampantly racist" or "inherently oppressive."
Now, while I'm open to critique, I'm totally and utterly sensitive. I consider myself a radical, anti-racist, progressive feminist queer dyke. I consider myself someone who will always strive to make sure I do not replicate the systems of oppression in my language, my artwork, my comics, or my graphic design. I am the trusted designer and artist for many organizations *because* they know my politics are clearly painted in my work. And so these allegations cut deeper than others. Call my work bad and poorly designed. But don't call it oppressive.
I recognize as a white able-bodied queer woman, I have access to privileges that others do not. While I cannot disregard my privilege, and I never would, I can at the *very* least own it and try my best to clear the air of it so I can make all my art accessible, diverse, positive, and powerful.
My feminist erotica project is literally in its start-up phase. It does not have more than 2 solid submissions, and does not have any shape to it whatsoever. In fact, it's ONLY real guiding principles are that things CANNOT be heterosexist, sexist, or racist.
I am sensing many knee-jerk reactions to this work. I guess, naively, I did not think I would encounter such reactions. I've never had anyone tell me my work is damaging or oppressive... I'd like to believe my art falls far far far away from those categories, actually. I'm not Hustler. I'm not Larry Flynt. I'm not the mainstream heterosexist media. I'm actually pretty far removed from the Media Machine, and I intend to stay that way. This artist is not endorsed by Coca-Cola.
