By the time I heard about Jann Wenner they had already removed him from the board of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It makes me happy when I see people taking action to remove prejudice and toxic perspectives. I know we hear a lot about "cancel culture" but I think that is often a phrase that means I don't want to experience any consequences for the actions I take. I am glad some people in power want to support an inclusive world. ; )
Once again you have dug deep and shared so many interesting things! I am reminded of the Guerilla Girls and how their presence at museum openings was such a cool way to highlight the lack of representation at the curator level. We've been existing in these white-male-dominated systems for so long it's hard to break through the prejudice...or even just the ingrained bias.
A few days ago I read a comment about Kamala Harris that included my least favorite phrase "...I just don't like her." No facts or justification included but we "just don't like <fill in the blank>" is what we say when we can't own up to how we continue to suppress other voices, other gazes and perspectives. All very timely when you think about the Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner commenting that women and POC rock stars were not "articulate" enough to be included in his book on the philosophy of rock. I wonder if he ever asked women/POC artists the same questions as the white, male stars he thinks deserve to have their ideas embraced?
The last decade has opened my eyes to so many things I felt but could never articulate. I feel lucky to have so many smart people speaking out and working to build a new story where artists of all types can belong. But I don't see a perfect solution by any means. I believe in the freedom of speech but can't tolerate hate speech. How do we allow for that?
By the way, that teacher who wouldn't allow you to research women artists- not a teacher at all but rather someone who was following the same curriculum they always had. Regurgitating history doesn't make you an good artist. So cool you had the impulse to follow your passion - that's the spark to move you forward in the world. OXOX
Austin, thank you for your thoughtful comment, and for reading. Like you, I can't tolerate hate speech. Hatred has nothing to do with freedom of speech, and should not enjoy the same privileges that actual free speech does. We just need to keep calling it out, especially in a time when an entire political party has been 'normalizing' it as the way we do things. It's so interesting to see how people are fighting back against this normalization of awfulness at a ground roots level, in small communities, schools, and from individuals.
As for the ridiculous and hateful comments of Jann Wenner, he's attracting a lot of blowback, happily. Every time an asshat like that opens his mouth to say these kinds of things, they are getting called out. He's promoting hateful speech as much as any Nazi, and is very happily being removed from all of his positions of prestige and power. What a fool.
I loved the Guerrilla Girls and continue to be so grateful to them! That teacher, in hindsight, did me a favor, and helped me find my voice. If only I'd understood at 19 that I could organize pushback to that misogyny.
By the time I heard about Jann Wenner they had already removed him from the board of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It makes me happy when I see people taking action to remove prejudice and toxic perspectives. I know we hear a lot about "cancel culture" but I think that is often a phrase that means I don't want to experience any consequences for the actions I take. I am glad some people in power want to support an inclusive world. ; )
Once again you have dug deep and shared so many interesting things! I am reminded of the Guerilla Girls and how their presence at museum openings was such a cool way to highlight the lack of representation at the curator level. We've been existing in these white-male-dominated systems for so long it's hard to break through the prejudice...or even just the ingrained bias.
A few days ago I read a comment about Kamala Harris that included my least favorite phrase "...I just don't like her." No facts or justification included but we "just don't like <fill in the blank>" is what we say when we can't own up to how we continue to suppress other voices, other gazes and perspectives. All very timely when you think about the Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner commenting that women and POC rock stars were not "articulate" enough to be included in his book on the philosophy of rock. I wonder if he ever asked women/POC artists the same questions as the white, male stars he thinks deserve to have their ideas embraced?
The last decade has opened my eyes to so many things I felt but could never articulate. I feel lucky to have so many smart people speaking out and working to build a new story where artists of all types can belong. But I don't see a perfect solution by any means. I believe in the freedom of speech but can't tolerate hate speech. How do we allow for that?
By the way, that teacher who wouldn't allow you to research women artists- not a teacher at all but rather someone who was following the same curriculum they always had. Regurgitating history doesn't make you an good artist. So cool you had the impulse to follow your passion - that's the spark to move you forward in the world. OXOX
Austin, thank you for your thoughtful comment, and for reading. Like you, I can't tolerate hate speech. Hatred has nothing to do with freedom of speech, and should not enjoy the same privileges that actual free speech does. We just need to keep calling it out, especially in a time when an entire political party has been 'normalizing' it as the way we do things. It's so interesting to see how people are fighting back against this normalization of awfulness at a ground roots level, in small communities, schools, and from individuals.
As for the ridiculous and hateful comments of Jann Wenner, he's attracting a lot of blowback, happily. Every time an asshat like that opens his mouth to say these kinds of things, they are getting called out. He's promoting hateful speech as much as any Nazi, and is very happily being removed from all of his positions of prestige and power. What a fool.
I loved the Guerrilla Girls and continue to be so grateful to them! That teacher, in hindsight, did me a favor, and helped me find my voice. If only I'd understood at 19 that I could organize pushback to that misogyny.