Activism through Art Writing Assignment: Sexual Harassment

      The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission defines sexual harassment as "unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature." I can ask every single woman in our class if they've ever been sexually harassed and I'm positive that we'd all have a story to tell. We've all had experiences while walking down the street and having men whistle, catcall, or even come up to you and make physical contact. Instead of around waiting for other people to make a change, these woman take matters into their own hands. 

      Sexual harassment is something that woman in the 21st century still deal with on a daily basis. One example of sexual assault is street harassment. Whether it's in foreign countries or right here in the United States. Simply walking down the street can become an annoyance when you know that a "hey sex" or "smile beautiful" is going to be said to you from a random stranger on the street. For my semester project I am tackling this very topic. Why do men feel the need to comment on my appearance? Why do they feel insulted and call me a "stuck up bitch" if I decline their offer to "let me take you out sometime." One amazing artist named Tatyana Fazlalizadeh posts up large posters of woman with captions that directly address offenders of street harassment.  Her works are primarily based in Brooklyn, New York but they also can be found in Long Island. Fazlalizadeh is an interventionist because her work is displayed in public spaces so it forces you to look at them and make a social and personal connections.

"My Worth Extends Far Beyond My Body"
Tatyana Fazlalizadeh (2017)

      Sexual violence is also another form of sexual assault. This past month there have been countless celebrities and political figures who have been accused of rape and sexual misconduct. Rape is a very serious and heinous act that one can impose on another. The physical and physiological effects of rape can be highly traumatic. When the topic of rape is brought up in a discussion there are always questions that blame the victim. "What were you wearing?" "Were you drinking?" What I wear isn;t an invitation for someone to sexually harass me. People like Jen Brockman, who is the director of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Center at the university of Kansas, takes a political stance on the subject. In 2013, she revealed her exhibit of 18 different outfits that were worn by 18 rape survivors, when they were attacked Brockman stated in an interview with the Chicago Tribune that "we're hoping students can see that this narrative they're fed -- that someone's clothing causes sexual violence is false."

University of Kansas Art Instillation: "What were you wearing?"
Jen Brockman (2013)

      As woman try to advance into positions of power, there always seems to be a barricade. Whether it's a man who undermines her opinion, or it's because shes just seen as a sexual object who's there to look pretty and not have a say on what's important. In the art world, woman are vastly under represented. Knight Landesman, who was a co-publisher to Artforum resigned due to sexual allegations of his employees, an open letter was written and posted on social media. An excerpt from the paper reads as follows

"We are not surprised.

We are artists, arts administrators, assistants, curators, directors, editors, educators, gallerists, interns, scholars, students, writers, and more—workers of the art world—and we have been groped, undermined, harassed, infantilized, scorned, threatened, and intimidated by those in positions of power who control access to resources and opportunities. We have held our tongues, threatened by power wielded over us and promises of institutional access and career advancement."

This post correlates to the readings in Seeing Power because it talks about how people in power have the ability to make money through the manipulation of others. When this letter was posted on social media it got over 1,800 signatures which lead to Landesman resignation. This form of activism is related to the readings in the Interventionist. Being that Landesman was a predator to his employees, they decided to no longer sit in silence and take a step towards change in their work environment. One of the 1,800 woman who signed that open letter was named Barbara Kruger. After Landesman resigned, Kruger made a black and white mural with the head-shot of a woman entitled "Your body is a Battleground."

Los Angeles County Museum of Art: "Your body is a battleground"
Barbara Kruger (2013)

      As woman we have always been told to be accountable for ourselves. If a man catcalls you, then it's probably because you were being flirty, or you made eye contact too long, or your clothes were too fitted and revealing. If a man rapes you, then you shouldn't have put yourself in that situation, you should've been smarter, you shouldn't have been drinking, or you shouldn't have been alone. If a man gropes you in your place of work, then just remove yourself from that situation. If you go to HR, then you'll just seem like a bitch who's overreacting. These tactics cannot continue to proceed. We need to hold men accountable for the things they do. "Boys will be boys" is not a phrase us as women, should get used to! Activist like Tatyana, Jen and Barbara are essential for bringing change to a world we were told to accept.

Sources:

• https://news.artnet.com/art-world/not-surprised-read-blistering-open-letter-art-world-women-wrote-artforum-1132463
• http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/stevens/ct-life-stevens-thursday-ku-what-were-you-wearing-0914-story.html
• http://www.tlynnfaz.com/Stop-Telling-Women-to-Smile