In a message dated 05/24/2001 1:40:27 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
<< So, I don't think her assertion that she's "absolutely not a feminist" has
anything to do with her preference of the company of men to women. I think
she just got tired of being left out of the big picture, which in her
heyday, as today, was dominated by men.
>>
I find it a bit ironic because Roberto's post describes very excellent
reasons why she should be a "feminist." Always left out of the big picture,
always being "pretty darn good....for a girl." There was a thread a few
years ago on an interview with Joni by ani defranco where ani took Joni to
task for this "I'm no feminist!" stance.
I always find it interesting how people get thrust into the position of hero
or spokesperson for a cause when their passions are gunning for something
else. It's interesting to see if they can pick up the cause, remain true to
their original work or if they just want to mind their own business and do
what they want to do.
Kakki pointed out that Joni is wary of being labeled because labels are
limiting and inevitable dead ends. "Appearing tonight only! Canada's Leading
Feminist Song-writing Painter!!" It's bad enough that there was a time when
people looked through her songs as simply a kind of National Enquirer tell
all of her past boyfriends, can you imagine the horror of having her work
reduced to nothing more than a feminist thesis?
But in my opinion, Joni unfortunately falls short and misses the bus here.
Accolades and recognition sometimes get the bonus prize of responsibilities.
It's not a perfect world and there is no getting away from the glass ceiling,
the double standard, the male dominated big picture. If she is as smart as
she says and as enlightened about philosophy and life as she claims, her
statement, (and it's not just one slip of the tongue, it's been an on going
assertion by her), that she is "not a feminist....." are poorly chosen words.
And this from someone who understands the power of them!
By declaring herself "not a feminist," she's gone and done the pigeon holing
to others that she does not want for herself. She's gone and labeled
"feminists" as those who prefer the company of women to men. She's
consistently reduced the idea of feminist to something as trite as that when
it's a whole lot more with more at stake. She's gone and belittled the
artistry of other women because they are not her "peers." I don't think that
anyone is disputing that, it's the labeling that she is participating in
here. Baez and Collins and Simon may not be her peers but that's because they
are not the same caliber artist as she is, not because they are women.
Of course, you also have the whole side topic of what it means to be a
feminist. There are those who see it reduced to "abortion on demand," those
who see it as "man hating," others who see it as a constricting militant
philosophy that threatens the fabric of our society. And I'm sure that
feminism is all that, depending on the individual who claims to be one.
Imagine the difference if Joni had said: "I'm not a feminist! That's too
constricting for me! Better to call me a "humanist" because I think that we
all are who we are, labels and sex be damned, just let me have a chance based
on my ability!"
MG
