A Link Roundup of Body Politics, Image and Body Justice News

 

Body/Mind

• “The urge to pull at your hair or pick at your skin – does this sound familiar to you or anyone you know? This comic has what you need to know about BFRBs – body-focused repetitive behaviors. BFRBs include trichotillomania, which makes people pull or pluck their hair, and excoriation disorder (also known as dermatillomania), which makes people pick their skin. Many people with these disorders don’t know much about them – and you may also feel lost about what to do about it.” – Everyday Feminism

Disability

• “I love what I do, so I get in the zone and show them Jess the mathematician, not Jess with cerebral palsy and dad in the corner.” Jennifer Urwin interviews Self-confessed ‘geek’ Jessica Talbott at Scope About Disability. Jessica has three degrees in math and is on the hunt for a permanent job after a short contract recently ended. “She’s writing a series of blogs for us about her search for work: job applications, interviews, rejections, warts and all. Here she talks about her experience of taking her dad along to interviews as her interpreter. “

Intersections

• Bustle offers up a list of 12 Books to keep your Feminism Intersectional.  Intersectional Feminism, “to put it as simply as possible, it is the idea that feminism must be completely inclusive, that it cannot be separated from race, class, religion, gender, disability… … If you want a more thorough definition, feel free to read Kimberlé Crenshaw’s scholarly essay that coined the term. Crenshaw might’ve coined the term “intersectionality theory,” but the demands for inclusive feminism have been around for ages. Crenshaw stands on the shoulders of Sojourner Truth, Gloria Anzaldúa, Audre Lorde, and many many others.”

Identity

• “I don’t speak for all transgender people, but I don’t believe in “passing”. I think it forces people, trans and cis alike, to adhere to this gender binary that’s been encoded deep in our brains since pre-birth. What makes me happy as a woman may not be the same as the next person. We’re so bombarded with what the ideal woman looks like through mainstream media, we lost the ability to determine the difference between our own opinion of what is ideal and what is real. …It’s time the term “passing” itself becomes passe.” – Jordana Wieleba for Harlot

 

• “Just before the end of 2015, a French court ruled that neither Antik Batik nor Isabel Marant could copyright the traditional huipl shirts of Oaxaca’s Mixe community. The blouses represent a part of the Mixe’s history, and last year, Marant ripped off the design and fabric. The brand repackaged the shirt as a “Viola embroidered cotton-muslin dress. Eventually, the Mixe succeeded in raising attention to the plagiarism. And this month, Oaxaca’s congress defined the traditional dress, designs and language of the Mixe and other indigenous communities as cultural heritage, according to ADN Sureste. The ruling gives these communities the right to choose how they maintain and protect their own identities.” – Remezcla

Politics

• “Nigerian lawmakers on Tuesday (Mar.15), voted against a gender and equal opportunities bill (pdf). The bill, which did not pass a second reading, was aimed at bridging the gap between the rights of men and women in Nigeria. It also sought to end questionable and unpleasant stereotypical practices that drive discrimination based on gender. While the bill garnered support from some lawmakers, male and female, it ultimately failed to progress on the senate floor as a majority voted against it. Before voting, various senators who opposed the bill, spoke about the incompatibility of the bill with religious laws and beliefs.” – Quartz

Art/Media

• One documentary is aiming (to) discussing stereotypes in the comic book industry and how the industry is working to become more inclusive. Je Suis Superhero, directed by Harleen Singh, features Eileen Kaur Alden, co-creator of the comic book Super Sikh, Vishavjit Singh, also known as Sikh Captain America, and cartoonist Keith Knight. Singh told NBC News one of the reasons why comic books are the subject of this project. “Comics are an excellent lens on the society,” he said. “The incorporate storylines that reflect the times, but they also propagate stereotypes for their super heroes. It’s the perfect back drop for getting the message across about how generalization is not the best thing.” Follow the link to support the filmmaker’s Kickstarter campaign.

 

• Sovereign Bodies is looking for writers!? Sovereign Bodies is about indigenous women’s health. By putting the concept of bodily sovereignty at the center of the mainstream dialogue about human rights and social justice, it is intended to ignite important new conversations about sexuality, reproductive health, rights and justice.