Latinas in Publishing
This post is a repost from Viva La Feminista’s Summer of Feminista. To learn more, visit bit.ly/jwoXaa
My name is Dior Vargas and I am an expert in publishing because I have been interning, volunteering, and freelancing in the industry for the past 4 years. I also have a master’s degree in publishing. I have noticed that there aren’t many minorities in publishing as employees in a publishing house nor as writers in the industry.
I am aware that there are some standout writers such as Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Sapphire, Ntozake Shange, Esmeralda Santiago, Sandra Cisneros, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Junot Diaz, and others. In the past other authors included Audre Lorde, Cherrie Moraga, and Gloria Anzaldua. However, there aren’t enough writers currently working in the industry considering the amount of books being published every year.
Why are there not enough people of color in publishing? According to Michael Garry’s article written in 1988, there are few if any large publishing companies that are actively recruiting minorities. These conditions haven’t changed very much despite the number of years that have gone by since that article was written.
There are a lot of industries where the only way you get into it is through who you know. More so for publishing. A lot of the people who work in publishing have gone to prestigious schools and have made many connections through networking. This is usually not the case for minorities because most aren’t given the necessary and adequate preparation to gain admission to these programs.
In my experience, I’ve realized that unless you work in a publishing press that is focused on the writings of people of color, you will not find many books that are written by minorities. The only times when there were more women of color was when I interned for Meridians, an interdisciplinary journal about feminism, race and transnationalism, and for The Feminist Press. Even then, there weren’t that many. This is because these presses don’t have the resources that other larger publishing presses have. Publishing high profile people like George W. Bush, Ann Coulter, and others brings money but these are the last people that liberal independent presses would publish.
Publishing is an industry where choosing which book to publish can be very risky. There is a lot of money that a publishing house can lose if the book doesn’t sell. Therefore, the publisher will only look for books that will sell. There are a plethora of books about Latinos and African Americans but most that are about subjects that further the stereotype of these cultures. Most writers are pigeon holed into writing books that stay within that subject and therefore will sell.
Based on the direction that publishing is going – digital, this excludes and narrows the opportunities that minorities have to find a place in publishing – even as consumers. Many don’t have the education or the skills to work in this new section of publishing. In addition, many minority consumers don’t have the resources to buy eBooks or eReaders.
Thankfully with the start of self-publishing, many individuals have the opportunity to publish works that otherwise never would have been read by others. Blogging is another venue where people can discuss topics and create a discussion about any topic. Yet, self publishing deviates from the norm and many people don’t view self publishing as legitimate as they would if the book was published by a well known publisher. In addition, unless it’s a blog that is well known, blog posts aren’t as respected either.
There have been instances where the media has noticed this disparity. One example is an article by GalleyCat where they noticed that in Publisher’s Weekly’s Notables of 2010 in book publishing, there were no women and very few people of color.
Recently an article was published by the Associated Press about how students are preparing to get a job in publishing. I found it very interesting that they said the students are overwhelmingly female. Yet the students they featured were all Caucasian.
This is ironic but I believe that in the past, there were more opportunities for people of color in certain parts of publishing. During the second wave of feminism, women of color were a lot more present in publishing and they started collectives and publishing presses that were rooted in consciousness raising and were extremely grassroots.
The Feminist Press was established in 1970 by Florence Howe because she believed there was a need for feminist books in high school and college classrooms. When Howe started the press, she thought it was going to be a temporary project because she assumed that other publishers would realize the importance of their work. It is evident that publishers still have not caught on to the notion that there are works that are still not being given the credence they deserve. It is therefore the responsibility of the press to continue their work of making sure all voices are heard. A similar organization, Kitchen Table Press, was established ten years later by Barbara Smith among Audre Lorde, Cherrie Moraga, and others. They shared the same sentiment that there was a great need for the voices of women of color to be heard and respected. Even though the Kitchen Table Press is no longer in existence there are other similar presses such as The Feminist Press, Seal Press, Red Bone Press, and others.
I don’t believe there are enough people of color concerned with publishing and the lack of people of color being represented in comparison to those in the past. I think there needs to be a return to the grassroots movements of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Perhaps there are not a lot of people of color interested in the industry. Yet their circumstances don’t make the process any easier.
As far as publishing goes, I don’t think there is a single stand out Latina public intellectual. I think there should be a group of Latina public intellectuals in publishing. More so for book publishing since there are more opportunities for them in interdisciplinary journals like WSQ and Meridians, and magazines like Latina Magazine, Urban Latino, Essence, VIBE, and Ebony. If there could be a Latina public professional in publishing, I think that this Latina should use her influence for social justice rather than just educating people about our culture. Using that power to influence change in the lives of Latinas is of the utmost importance. There are some Latinas that are making strides such as Galina Espinoza, the co-president and editorial director at Latina Media Ventures. Last year she teamed up with Planned Parenthood Federation of America to discuss Latinas and their sexual health. Sandra Guzman is another Latina who is raising awareness with her book, The New Latina’s Bible [P | I]. The book inspires Latinas and gives them greater self esteem. This is extremely important since statistically, Latinas attempt suicide at a higher rate than other races.
In the future, I could embrace the role of a public intellectual. It would be my goal to start a press that is dedicated to publishing works about women of color, feminism, GLBTQ issues, and social justice. I had the privilege of getting a master’s degree in the industry which many told me was not necessary. However, I felt that it would give me an edge and as a woman of color I believe it is necessary in order to get into the industry.
Publishing is important to our society because it is the means to give visibility to those who have something important to say. Who better than Latinas?
For further articles pertaining to this topic:
On Women, Friendships and Solidarity
The topic of women and relationships has been on my mind a lot for awhile but it’s been difficult for me to put these feelings and ideas into words. Fortunately, I was given the push to express these sentiments through a guest post on this great website, New Latina. It was a hard piece to write in that I had to come to terms with a lot of what I’ve experienced with some of the women that I have encountered in my life. Overall, it was a way for me to let go of some of those bad memories and to appreciate the here and now. Angelica, the founder and editor of NewLatina is such an intelligent and hardworking woman. I really admire her work and determination, and this makes me feel proud to be a Latina.
Ever since I started school, my friendships with girls were challenging. Of course, elementary school consisted of girls stating that you were copying them (i.e. certain phrases, fads), making fun of you, and talking about you behind your back.
In high school it was pretty much the same, but perhaps more aggressive for some of the girls in my class. Fortunately, I didn’t experience too many difficulties with them, but it wasn’t without its trying times. It’s interesting that many of the conflicts that arose among these girls were based on their relationships with boys. By the end of high school, I got used to dealing with these types of conflicts but I hoped that things in college would be different. I hoped that the drama and pettiness would end.
In college I met a group of friends who were funny, intelligent, and sweet. They were also women of color. In a college that was predominantly White, I felt that I had found my place in this new world that I had to call home for the next four years. As a feminist, I believe that feminism is about the rights of women, social justice, and sisterhood. I thought that I had found that in this group of women in college.
Visit this link for the rest of this post.
Latinas and Reproductive Health
On Monday morning I attended a media briefing at Planned Parenthood where we discussed Latinas and reproductive health. It was great meeting so many Latina journalists and bloggers who are passionate about providing reproductive services to Latinas and women in general, be it birth control, abortions, cancer screenings, or sexual and reproductive health information. I think reproductive health is extremely important and should be at the forefront of everyone’s activism no matter what gender or sexuality. Sharing personal stories is one way of starting a conversation about this and there were many at our meeting. It was interesting to hear Galina Espinoza’s (Latina magazine’s editor in chief and co-president) story of how her father was such a forward thinking individual and yet when it came to his daughter’s sexuality, he couldn’t have been more conservative. The women in my family got abortions through Planned Parenthood and despite the fact that they refuse to call themselves feminists, I believe that going to Planned Parenthood is a politicized and feminist act in itself.
I learned a lot about their initiative, Birth Control Matters, which is an effort to make prescription birth control available without copays, enable women to choose the method that works best for them, and reduce the number of unintended pregnancies. Latinas in their prime childbearing years, age 18–34, are the most likely of all women to periodically skip taking their prescription birth control because they cannot afford the insurance co-payments. That’s why this is important and I encourage everyone to sign the petition (click above).
Here are some interesting facts that are very important to be aware of:
- Latinas have the highest uninsured rate (38 percent) of any racial or ethnic group, and more than 20 percent of Latinas live in poverty.
- In 2009, 23% of Planned Parenthood clients were Latinos – more than 620,000 people.
- Between 2000 and 2009, total Latino clients increased by 39%, with a 191% increase in male Latino clients
- Planned Parenthood’s local partners in 10 countries – including Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Peru – serve 1.2 million individuals.
- The Planned Parenthood En Espanol website receives an estimated 737,000 visits each year.
- 97% of services that Planned Parenthood provides are preventative.
It is the unfortunate misconception that all that Planned Parenthood does is provide abortions. They do much more than that. They provide health care, education, advocacy, and are very involved in global health. Please take action, get involved, and let others know about what Planned Parenthood is working on.
Happiness Ever After?
Recently, I’ve seen a lot of articles both online and in the newspaper about happiness and more specifically, happiness and motherhood. In a recent WSJ article, “Wealth Makes Us Happier, But Why?” Ridley states, “So the pursuit of happiness turns out to be as frustrating as hunting the holy grail. Forcing people to be jolly seems to be counterproductive. Having children, which we do to make ourselves happy, generally makes us a bit unhappier in practice.” Yet he does say that Americans are mostly pessimistic rather than unhappy. Erica Jong wrote an essay for the WSJ, “Mother Madness” about “attachment parenting” which she describes as the reaction to the feminism of the 70s. Since the feminist moms of that time did everything, the daughters want to do it differently – stay at home with their children and become “helicopter moms.” Unfortunately, as a result, parents feel that nothing they do is good enough. Jong says “bearing and rearing children has come to be seen as life’s greatest good.” She also mentions that Elisabeth Badinter’s book “Le Conflit: La Femme and La Mere” (“The Conflict: Woman and Mother”) has become a best seller in France. In that book, Badinter argues that all of these expectations “victimize women far more than men have ever done.” Jong describes this as “a prison for mothers, and it represents as much of a backlash against women’s freedom as the right-to-life movement.” As a young woman with no children it is hard for me to give an opinion when I do not have the experience of motherhood. Yet, I still wanted to discuss the matter in some way and so Kristy, a fellow blogger whose blog “Life – Inspired by the Wee Man” has written an essay about her experience with motherhood and happiness. I think this is a very interesting topic and the articles I have mentioned earlier gives one a lot to think about. What I have detailed however is in no way reflective of what Kristy has written. I believe it is just food for thought.
Happiness Ever After?
Recently, I attended an event called The Frisky Housewives. It was an ingenious evening, really. Two stay at home moms turned care providers trying to develop their independent home sales businesses got together for the ultimate scandal: a Tupperware/Passion Party hosted at a chic local lounge. Plastic meets plastic, all to be pondered and picked through while sipping cherry martinis (on special just for the event). It was an uproariously entertaining evening! And the guests? Nearly all mothers desperate for a night of adult interaction.
At first, I mused at the irony here. Did these women, so clearly in need of some “big girl time”, really need more passion in their lives? Isn’t that what got us into this mess in the first place?! But as I got to talking with many of the women there, something really powerful struck me. It wasn’t just that these women needed a night off, it was that they needed to connect with other women in the same boat. It was support they needed. I get that. I can relate to that.
In this day and age, women in particular are bombarded with messages about the power of positive thinking. We are told that we need only to make the choice to be happy. We are a generation of women enlightened and empowered. We rely on no one to bring us happiness; we can seize that for ourselves.
In conjunction with this message for today’s modern woman we are receiving, we are also inundated with the stereotypical and traditional expectations of women; be a mother, and be a good mother. Unfair and sexually biased as it may be, these are the expectations women experience here and now. Women who are childless by choice constantly have to deal with assumptions about infertility issues, questions about the reasoning behind their choice, and stereotypes about the proverbial hag.
Women who choose to have children have an entirely different battle to fight.
We have fulfilled this manufactured and archaic ideal, and by default this is supposed to bring us everlasting happiness. One need only look to the multi-billion dollar industry fuelled by positive thinking cheerleaders such as Eckhart Tolle, Oprah Winfrey, and The Secret to see the desperation that women seek this happiness ideal with. Because to be living this life with these amazing kids, and this wonderfully supportive husband, and to not feel euphorically happy feels like such an utter failure!
But here’s the thing: by telling ourselves and each other that we need only seek happiness and we shall find it; that we have the ability to take charge of our lives and choose to be happy, we are heading down a very slippery slope, indeed. Because what happens when we truly want to be happy, but can’t escape the fact that in all honesty, life just doesn’t feel happy? What happens when we try our best, and fail?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge advocate of looking on the bright side of things, and I endeavour let go of the negativity in my life. I love Oprah, and I own both The Secret & Tolle’s best selling book, and I enjoy the messages conveyed in each. I know that the only person that can really make me happy is me, but I also know that sometimes a positive attitude isn’t going to cut it.
Sometimes I feel unhappy; despairingly so. There are times that I get so angry with my children, it surprises even me. There are times I resent my husband. There are times I wonder, if only…. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t feel thankful for these things that I have each and every day. It doesn’t mean that I would change even one single thing for a minute. But it does mean that there are times when I need some connection with others that feel the same way; there are times when I need support; there are times when I need it to be okay to be unhappy.
Feminist Explains Why She’s Telling Women’s Stories
Serena Freewomyn is an amazing woman who I work with and she interviewed me for her equally amazing website Feminists for Choice. She gave me the permission to repost this here. Please visit her website!
Feminist Conversations is a weekly series here at Feminists For Choice. We spotlight feminists from across the interwebs to find out what feminism means to them. Today we’re talking with blogger Dior Vargas. Dior lives in NYC and is a proud alumna of Smith College. She will be graduating from Pace in May 2011 with a Master’s in Publishing. She is currently interning for feminist author Gloria Feldt, helping her promote her new book No Excuses. Dior will be starting at Random House in November, working on eBook production. Her favorite publisher is The Feminist Press, and her ultimate dream is to work for or start a publishing company that is dedicated to social justice, feminism, and women of color. She regularly blogs at The Personal is Bloggable.
1. When did you first call yourself a feminist, and what influenced that decision?
I first called myself a feminist when I was in high school. I was becoming more aware of what was going on around me and around the world. Growing up in a female-headed household really influenced my decision, because I had a mother and grandmother who were so hardworking and taught me how to be a strong woman. Even though they never used the term, I knew that they had raised me to be a feminist. I don’t think there is a point to living life and not being a feminist. It’s the best feeling in the world.
2. What does feminism mean to you?
Feminism to me means social justice, respect, expressing one’s self, and sisterhood. Feminism means supporting each other at all times across all classes, races, genders, sexualities and more.
3. Why do you think it’s important to bring a feminist perspective to the publishing industry?
I think that in any industry, there should be a feminist perspective. As far as the publishing industry goes, I think it is very important because feminism has a very important space in writing and educating. When I interned at The Feminist Press, I realized that there is a huge difference between the larger publishing houses and them. There needs to be more books about feminism and its place in society. When Florence Howe first started the press, she thought that it wouldn’t last that long because she assumed that the publishing industry would realize that it is important to publish feminist works. The FP is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
4. How do you see publishing memoirs as fitting within that feminist perspective?
In Gloria Feldt’s new book, No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think About Power, she mentions that women’s writing is always controversial and that “writing opens you up to a particularly gut-wrenching kind of vulnerability.” The best writing that exhibits that type of vulnerability is memoir. I’ve written memoirs about my experience as a Latina feminist, and growing up with a mostly-absent father who saw women as second-class citizens. Expressing yourself in that way brings so much passion, strength, and is in it’s own way social justice. The personal is always political.
5. If you could meet a famous feminist, either past or present, who would it be, and why?
It would have to be Cherrie Moraga and Gloria Anzaldua when they were writing the book This Bridge Called My Back. It must have been hard for them to express themselves as feminist Latina lesbians. Even now, it is hard to do that. I would love to talk to them and ask for advice on how to be a strong Latina in today’s world.
6. When you’re not busy helping writers tell their stories, what are some of your favorite ways to unwind?
I love to read, listen to music, and relax. I also love to hang out with my other feminist, literary friends. Being able to spend time with them and share the same sentiments is very fulfilling.
The Feminist Press 40th Anniversary Gala
“Feminism means the action by women and men to establish equality and justice for women. It is, in fact, the only female gendered word in the English language that includes both men and women.”
- Florence Howe, Director and Publisher
The Feminist Press at the City University of New York
Tomorrow night is The Feminist Press’s 40th anniversary gala. 
As a former intern, this event really means a lot to me. When I was an intern there, I decided that I would write my graduate thesis on the history and the importance of The Feminist Press on publishing and on women. The Feminist Press is the oldest continuing feminist publisher in the world.
In 1970, Howe believed there was a need for feminist books in high school and college classrooms. Unfortunately when she mentioned the idea to editors at university and trade publishers, she received the same response from their financial officers, that it was a great idea but there was no money in it. Howe’s then husband, Paul Lauter, encouraged Howe to do the project herself. She began by speaking with the Baltimore Women’s Liberation for a possible collaboration. The Baltimore Women’s Liberation was an active local group and publishers of a successful new journal. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the time to work on such a project so Howe decided to give up. When returning from vacation, Howe was surprised to discover her mailbox stuffed with letters addressed to “The Feminist Press.” The Baltimore Women’s Liberation mentioned the Press in their newsletter asking for submissions and financial assistance. Still unsure and frustrated, Howe decided to write a letter explaining the misunderstanding. She said that if more than twenty people turned up agreed to work together on this ‘project,’ there would be a Feminist Press. With more than twenty people in attendance, The Feminist Press was established.
Fast forward to 2010 and The FP is still thriving. The Feminist Press has dedicated its mission to publishing works that are unique and different. For them it is important to include all classes, races, and nationalities. These books are ones that trade and university presses wouldn’t publish. When Howe started the press, she thought it was going to be a temporary project because she assumed that other publishers would realize the importance of their work. Now with the press’s fortieth anniversary, it is evident that publishers still have not caught on to the notion that there are works that are still not being given the credence they deserve. It is therefore the responsibility of the press to continue their work of making sure all voices are heard. The Feminist Press has a different story to tell about feminists. It also has a different story to tell also about the experience it has had over the past forty years as a niche feminist publisher that is editorial driven and one that deals with problems very different from other publishers. This story is different but resilient. Here’s to the next forty!
No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think about Power
A perfect example of my two passions coming together. It’s crazy how fast September has gone. It is almost October and do you know what that means? It is just the beginning for Gloria Feldt’s new book, No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think about Power. Order here! On Tuesday, October 5 at 7:30 PM, Gloria will be reading and speaking about No Excuses at the Barnes & Noble Lincoln Triangle. I am telling everyone I know to come and listen in because it is a great book. It is also written by an amazing woman that still makes me feel star struck. I am still in shock that I am working with her. This whole process has been very fruitful to me. The work can pile on but I am always reminded of why I am doing this. Not many have the opportunity to work with someone that they admire and work on something that they are passionate about. I love books and I love feminism.
In this book, Gloria not only discusses a problem, she also proposes a solution. She lists 9 power tools like, know your history, define your own terms, tell your story etc. I can relate to all of them but the ones I just mentioned resonate with me very much.
Know your history.
I grew up with women that always insisted on education and being a powerful, independent woman. They have been through great adversity and have found the strength to keep on going. I’m going to continue with that strength and resolve, and create a future that will be filled with those survival tactics.
Define your own terms.
This coincides with the one I just mentioned. My mother defined her own terms and removed herself from a bad marriage. She knew that there had to be a better life for her and her two growing daughters. Who knows where we would be if she hadn’t? As a feminist woman of color, I also define my own terms and I am adamant about the life I want to lead. I know that even though feminism doesn’t exactly equal a big paycheck it doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t feel a great passion towards it. I say this because we are in a very rough economic climate where we all can’t do what we want but what needs to be done which can translate into solely working for money rather than for passion.
Tell your story.
In the book, she discusses that women’s writing is controversial and is very vulnerable. Taking a memoir class in college was one of my experiences where I learned this. Reading Zami: A New Spelling of My Name by Audre Lorde in that class is a great example. Reading one of my memoirs out loud to others made me very vulnerable but was also very empowering and freeing as well. It’s not about what other people think. It’s about what you can learn from your and each others experiences.
Please visit Gloria’s website at www.GloriaFeldt.com. The new website will be live by the end of this week!
Slightly new direction
Tonight is the first night of class of my last year at Pace. I haven’t discussed this yet but I am getting my master’s in publishing from Pace University and this is the beginning of my last year. I still remember graduating from Smith and I am already so close to graduating from Pace.
So far, all that I have been posting on this site are topics on feminism. Since I am back in the publishing phase of my life, I am going to start posting about topics in publishing from what I am learning in my classes. This year I am taking Book Design and Production (my first online class. wish me luck!), Financial Aspects, and Info Systems. This is going to be a bit of a challenging year because of the classes I am taking and the work I am doing for Gloria Feldt. This is something else that I haven’t discussed. I am currently interning for Gloria Feldt to help publicize her new book No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think about Power. It is coming out October 5 and I am very excited! This experience has been extremely rewarding and I have no doubt that it will get even better once the book comes out.
So how does publishing factor into the overall theme and especially the title of my blog? The personal relationship that people have with books also has a place in the politics of what is going on around us. Books have been published on President Obama, Hurricane Katrina, Women’s Rights etc. I think my two passions, books and feminism, is a great example of the personal is political.
This post is a grab bag of sorts but my life is filled with so many different things so I think it is appropriate. 
“Easy A” is actually complicated
Do I think that the film Easy A is trying to be feminist? Yes I do, but from what I have seen in the trailer, I think it fails miserably.
This is the plot description from IMDB:
“After a little white lie about losing her virginity gets out, a clean cut high school girl sees her life paralleling Hester Prynne’s in “The Scarlet Letter,” which she is currently studying in school – until she decides to use the rumor mill to advance her social and financial standing.”
I have mixed feelings about this movie as there are many issues involved.
First, Olive’s actions, although filled with good intentions, are actually very detrimental. Her feigning a heterosexual relationship with her gay friend is perpetuating heteronormativity. Since her friend is constantly bullied for being gay, it makes sense to conform to what everyone else thinks is normal. Once she fakes having sex with him, all the guys cheer him on because he is now accepted as a misogynist male. If she wanted to help her friend, couldn’t she help him in another way?
Second, why put her reputation albeit non existent in jeopardy to help men? Women are constantly under constant scrutiny anyway. You don’t see anyone calling him derogatory names – actually, they laud him. This statement from the trailer irritated me: “Whether I liked it or not, I was open for business.” Really? How did helping her one friend from being mistreated for being gay become something that she MUST do for everyone else?
Also she says, “I am not proud of this” regarding her wearing a scarlet “A” on her clothing like Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter. Really? But I do understand that she is taking what they say and using it against them.
Honestly, Olive has her own agency and if she chooses to behave this way, then that is her prerogative. It is her body and her choice. She is actually toying with the names that people call her. I guess this is the only thing that I like about this movie – she does what she wants and she doesn’t care what people think. Should she hide for seemingly being all the names that people call her?
Still, this is solely the trailer and not the actual movie. Who knows, maybe it’s not as bad as I make it seem. But I highly doubt it.
Body Typed Short Films on Perfection
Last week I went with a friend to see three short films on body perfection by Jesse Epstein. Paradigm Shift, New York City’s Feminist Community, had organized the event. I am very ashamed to say that I had never heard of them until just recently but I am glad that I know about them now! The films were very interesting but my favorite was the first one they showed which was called, “Wet Dreams and False Images.”
The summary of the short film: “When Dee-Dee the barber learns about the art of photo-retouching, he may never look at his “wall of beauty” the same way again.”
To be honest, at first I was very apprehensive about the group of people she decided to focus on in this film. I felt in a way that her choice emphasized stereotypes. Here is a group of Latino barbers in Brooklyn who are stereotypically ghetto. When the film was over, I asked her why she chose to focus on the Latino community to educate about photo retouching? She said that she wanted to speak to people of another culture because Caucasians primarily idolize skinny bodies while Latinos prefer thicker, curvier bodies. What she said makes sense and my friend helped me understand why I shouldn’t be offended but still I am a bit curious. If she had to choose the Latino community, why couldn’t she interview Latinos in college or with careers? Wouldn’t they share the same sentiments – that they like women with big butts? Perhaps it is better to interview men like them who seem to be uneducated and who could use a lesson or two about the unrealistic women they admire so much. Men like them seem to be filled with misogynistic thoughts. I also believe it is important to educate people from the bottom up (not to say these men are at the bottom). Perhaps these men are more malleable?
This feeling reminded me of when I was at Smith and it seemed that anything that was said could be and was considered offensive. The phrase going around campus was “I’m offended that you’re offended.” Were the students at Smith too thin skinned to handle people’s opinions or were we that educated that we questioned everything? I believe it was a mixture of both – not to sound extreme in either direction.
But I digress. I did think the film was very funny. There was comic relief for a film that discusses important issues. Their reaction to photo touching was expected: mouths open, speechless, couldn’t believe it. When discussing their ideal woman, one of the barbers said, “You can’t look scrawny or sick.” This statement reminds me of how in the Latino community, food is very important. Growing up or even now, you have to eat everything on your plate otherwise it is considered rude. Even the word gorda (fat) is considered a term of endearment. It wasn’t for me however, when they called me that.
Putting that aside…Six years after making the film, Jesse went back to the same barber shop and their wall of pictures are gone. When approached with picture of women in magazines, Dee Dee replies, “Oh you see right here. That’s airbrushed.” He even admires his girlfriend’s real butt: cellulite, stretch marks, and all.
