Pop Goes the Feminist - Questions for Andi Zeisler

The Pernicious NY Times ^ | August 6, 2006 | DEBORAH SOLOMON

[neverdem]

Interview by DEBORAH SOLOMON

Q: I see that your magazine, a feminist quarterly based in Oakland, Calif., and devoted to critiquing the sexist slant of pop culture, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the publication this week of a thick anthology called “BitchFest.” Why would you choose to glamorize the unappealing female stereotype of the bitch?

When we chose the name, we were thinking, well, it would be great to reclaim the word “bitch” for strong, outspoken women, much the same way that “queer” has been reclaimed by the gay community. That was very much on our minds, the positive power of language reclamation.

But is the goal to rouse an entire generation of women to become bitches?

We have always sort of concentrated more on the active verb form of “bitch.” As in, to bitch. And, actually, as grammar nerds, that was one of the big factors in choosing “bitch.” Hey, it’s a noun and a verb.

But so is the word “kvetch.”

Well, “kvetch” has a very specific cultural connotation.

What, besides your screaming title, do you think the magazine has contributed to feminist discourse?

We’ve tried to get people to see that pop culture is a critical locus of feminism. Most young girls are not reading Ms. They’re watching “The OC” or “Veronica Mars.” It makes sense for us to talk about those pop-culture products, because those are the conversations that girls are having among themselves. They’re not talking about how many seats women have in Congress. They’re not talking about public policy.

You sound as if you’re trapped in a pop-culture bubble, which is probably true of many people born since the 70’s, when image became all.

TV and mass media in general are the conduit by which most people get their information and form their...

[villagerjoel]

That might work better if it didn't also mean "female dog."

[SmithL]

OK, Fine. But get me a beer, since you're up.

[pray4liberty]

A generation of young women, neglected as children by their career-pursuing moms, have now chosen to stay home and raise their kids. The Feminists never figured on that backlash.

[Ninian Dryhope]

"That was very much on our minds, the positive power of language reclamation."

It worked for blacks, too.

[Ninian Dryhope]

The excerpt you posted is definitely not interesting enough to make me want to click on the link and read the rest of the article.

Nice and accurate name for the New York Times, however, since they are certainly pernicious, among other evil things.

[FastCoyote]

[[OK, Fine. But get me a beer, since you're up.]]

Ha Ha!

And don't forget the nachos, Buttercup!

[dynachrome]

[baa39]

I thought surely I was reading some sort of spoof from The Onion or Scrappleface!