I don’t want to slog on Courtney, but this post really rubbed me the wrong way. It’s just so bourgeois. WASPy, almost. And it also reminds me of some of the issues I’m having with the feminist movement as it’s currently evolving, wherein the movers and shakers scoring the book deals and the microphones are so laden with economic privilege as to be tone deaf to the realities of most women’s daily experiences. You’ve got to have a relatively extensive, layered network of social and economic privilege to score that kind of gig.
Because really, if you wanted to do a post on “a day in the life of a feminist” for most American folks, the post would involve waking up before 7 am, corralling a bunch of people and pets into breakfast/clothes/school/work/crates, working one’s ass off until 5/6/7 at night (if you’re lucky enough to work first shift) at a whatever wage job, managing the work of maintaining a household until late at night, then trying to chill out and catch a thought or moment to oneself before having to go to bed and do it all again the next day. Maybe it’s the timing and the context of the post that raises the hair on my neck, but in a time of huge corporate layoffs and dire economic straits, the sentiment is off.
And maybe I’m tired of hearing about the rich, easy, fabulous lives of professional people in coastal cities while flyover country experiences the worst crisis of job layoffs in decades, when my former coworkers (who were laid off before the Thanksgiving holiday) are fighting to receive unemployment two and three months after the fact and struggle to find jobs that don’t exist. Meanwhile half of Congress drags its feet to make a political point about tax cuts they usually love and the rest of us struggle to keep the lights on.
Don’t get me wrong: I know writing is work. But a room of one’s own is a privilege most of us don’t — and won’t ever — have.
You mean not everyone starts their day at noon and eats leftover sushi while catching up on e-mail? Huh.
Feminists as divas or diva feminists–doesn’t matter which way you look at it, that is the way I see many feminists being presented in the blog world. And most of the time it is by their own hands!!
I think you called it right; thanks, Lauren.
Great point, I agree with you.
Interesting post Lauren, which gave me something to think about, and which also made me realize something. I’ve also noticed that some of the major feminist bloggers have a hard time noticing their own privilege, and it has rubbed me the wrong way somewhat.
Not because I recent their good situation – I can’t because I am probably doing better than just about any of them, and thus is more privileged – but because I’m always trying to keep my own position of privilege in mind when blogging (which is why I actually have a hard time blogging about progressive issues, and tend to stick to science stuff).
I think that those of us in privileged situations can add something to the conversation, but we must keep in mind that we are blogging from a position of privilege
A while ago I tired to sum up my feelings about blogging while privileged
I see where you’re coming from here, Lauren. The impression I got was that Courtney wanted to start a conversation about just what it is writers & activists like her do and the various ways other readers are active.
Which is great. I understand, though, how her post can be interpreted as (unintentionally) leaving some folks out of the picture.
I know she was, which is why I felt weird about criticizing it in the first place. But here’s the thing: Is writing activist? Can activism stop at consciousness-raising? (I DO NOT want to insinuate that Courtney doesn’t take part in other forms of activism, so I want to say that now.) But the post wasn’t about activism, feminism, or social justice in any form at all, it was one wacky day in the life of a privileged freelance writer.
And I’m going to stop before I start sounding like Linda Hirschman.
Reading the entry, I wasn’t really put off by the privileged nature of her lifestyle—I was just bored by it. I think the major problem was posting this type of entry to feministing and not her own site (if she even has a separate site just for her own life). I would think feministing readers go there for the politics, not what Courtney’s schedule happens to be on Monday. Again, she did open the gates for others to share their own daily schedule (although as of my reading only one person took her up on the offer) so perhaps some knowledge of something could be gained.
There’s kind of no way to write about your life if you’re lucky in any way without becoming a lightening rod for envy on the blogs, though. I can see your point, but I also worry about the way women have been socialized to compete with each other on whose life sucks the most. It’s a lot like the, “You’re not fat, I’m fat!” game. Women aren’t permitted to be happy with themselves, and so writing something that insinuates that you are pretty happy with yourself automatically generates bad reactions. I can see how Courtney is trying to fight against that.
With all due respect, Amanda, you say “envy” and I say “social consciousness.” I think you’ve been quick to write off criticism of any kind of privilege or related blindness as jealousy instead of taking the criticism at face value.
I see your point, Lauren. It’s one of the reasons why I’m often — to the fury and disgust of not an insignificant number of current and former readers — willing to name my privilege up front. At some point, that’s the sine qua non of writing while privileged — to name and acknowledge the privilege, and then explain what one intends to do about it. One thing we can’t do is easily divest ourselves of all our privilege, even if we want to — but naming it and distinguishing our achievements made easier by that privilege from those actually earned through virtue helps.
There’s kind of no way to write about your life if you’re lucky in any way without becoming a lightening rod for envy on the blogs, though.
But is is possible to write about your own successes and privilege without being bone-crushingly oblivious to the fact that not everyone enjoys such things. It’s not necessarily about envy as much as it is awareness that one’s corner of the universe is not the quintessential experience. I don’t care what Courtney does on a day to day basis, to be honest. It’s not envy so much as it is that her post is boring, tone-deaf, and exclusionary. (Speaking for myself here, and not our esteemed hostess.)
I can see your point, but I also worry about the way women have been socialized to compete with each other on whose life sucks the most.
And I don’t think that this is one of those moments. It’s not a “woe is me, I worry about paying bills, Courtney worries about overpaying for takeout sushi,” scenario that Lauren’s presenting. Calling your life a definitive feminist narrative (or even in some way representative) is per se exclusionary and blind to a lot of the ways that other self-identified feminists live their lives. (Hell, the way a huge portion of the American population lives their lives.)
This rubbed me the wrong way, too, which was a style issue, mostly. I mean, was there really any need to mention the boy-kissing, the yoga and the overpriced sushi? What does that have to do with activism/writing? What did that really bring to the picture?
The other thing I thought was, Damn, that’s a short day! In my current job, I have flex time, but if I start at 11, I don’t get out until 730 at the earliest. And that doesn’t even count the 45-minute commute at each end.
“And maybe I’m tired of hearing about the rich, easy, fabulous lives of professional people in coastal cities while flyover country experiences the worst crisis of job layoffs in decades”
Me too. You and me too.
I agree that it’s social consciousness not to draw attention to things about yourself that make other people envious. But when I see Courtney describe her life and I think it sounds easier and more privileged than mine, I feel envy. Envying another’s privileges doesn’t mean that they aren’t privileges, or that the person feeling envying doesn’t have a legitimate grievance when it comes to their own lack of privilege.
To make this more clear, when I see some nitwit who really doesn’t deserve his privileges get a job that I’m better qualified for, but he gets because he’s the white guy, I feel envy. That he legitimately doesn’t deserve it doesn’t make that different. But having the clarity to understand that it is envy means that I have to ask hard questions about my own motivations. It adds clarity.
Which is to say I agree with you that the post was tone deaf. I wouldn’t have written it. I, in fact, gently satirized it. But I can sort of see why Courtney wrote it, and I find it interesting how women have much more responsibility than men to be conscientious about these things.
Lauren:
With all due respect, Amanda, you say “envy” and I say “social consciousness.” I think you’ve been quick to write off criticism of any kind of privilege or related blindness as jealousy instead of taking the criticism at face value.
Seconded. Underlined. Bolded.
I just now read the comments section of the Feministing post you are referring to. I was very bothered by the last part of this comment from Courtney (to another comment):
“….And remember, I probably make a shitload less $$ blogging than you do waiting tables. It’s not a judgment call; just don’t assume that all of these activities translated into big bucks. I’m feeling the recession too.”
We are ALL feelings the recession, yes, but I am frankly insulted to see the writer of such an entry claim that she doesn’t make as much money as a waitress/waiter. Of course your blogging doesn’t pay big bucks, but that’s not your only source of income, eh? And you don’t have to stand on your feet for 8 to 10 hours straight and suffer physical exhaustion from your work, correct? If you can wake up at 8:30, attend yoga classes, eat overpriced sushi, and then spend the majority of your day in front of a computer screen while sitting down, then…I’m sorry, you are not feeling the recession in the same way that many people are.
Which, let me point out, is fine. But only if you are fully aware of your privilege, acknowledge it, and don’t get defensive when people (rightfully) call out your elitism.
I find it interesting how women have much more responsibility than men to be conscientious about these things.
I’m not sure that this is what Lauren was doing, i.e. holding women more responsible than men, if holding responsible means only subjecting some persons to scrutiny while giving others a pass. Because I assume (and hope) that if I posted a lengthy complaint about how hard it is to be a white/male/academic, Lauren would promptly dress me down as well. Because I would deserve it for letting my privilege blind me, and such a post would demonstrably undermine building feminist solidarity between myself and, well, anybody else who didn’t also share my particular privileged position.
Now, if we mean holding responsible as something to do with a reflection of someone’s ability to respond, i.e. Courtney would be more responsive to this critique precisely because she’s invested in feminism as a progressive and inclusive project than a similarly situated man, then sure.
But then where is the harm in that? In that case, I read Lauren’s posts as not only smart interventions, but as far from envy or jealously as possible. They are, I hope, testaments to the assumption that Courtney worth critiquing and engaging.
And Lauren’s subsequent post on “context” just proves how seriously she takes the project of centering feminism in intersectional contexts of class, race, and sexuality. It is truly disappointing how often states like Indiana get overlooked as sites for precisely this kind of analysis and activism. As Lauren has argued many times before, it is in states like Indiana that the difficult realities of race, class, sexuality, and gender come to the fore in ways that challenge privilege and open opportunities of building solidarity with previous “enemies”. At the risk of conflating electoral politics with activism, it is telling that one of the key things that helped to turn indiana “blue” was that the Obama campaign decided to not write it off as a “flyover” state yet again.
Seriously? Amanda Marcotte doesn’t think privilege is at work here? Seriously?
I’m not suprised, given her reaction to the Seal Press controversy some months ago. (Maybe it was a year ago, now?)
THANK YOU SO MUCH for this post!
I couldn’t agree more. I started reading Courtney’s post, but couldn’t go on for the life of me.
I’m having trouble dealing with the fact that feminism seems to be a luxury “job” only the very privileged can afford.
I was actually more offended by this post:
http://www.feministing.com/archives/013149.html
As someone who has had to let co-workers go during this recession, and try to help them find jobs in the current economy, I found the above post insulting. It is nothing short of devastating to the person. Anyone who has either been fired, or had to fire someone, could not be this frivolous in my mind.
Education is part of that too; knowing the hip thing that is happening, knowing the cool things to say and not say. A few months ago, she said cryptically, I had some pretty bad experiences in an online feminist circle… mostly (IMHO) because I was the only one there with no college education and come from a radically different social background than all of the others there. I offended some people, and really didn’t know why. Compounding the problem was the fact that I argued back, as I was taught in Marxist circles to do; this was how one learned to clarify and solidify a political POV so that it became uniquely “yours” and not just political blather or what was derisively called “line-carrying”–to carry a political line and dutifully spout it without really understanding the whys and wherefores. (Also, I was taught that arguing with whoever is politically challenging you is a respectful act, not a disrespectful one.)
In this situation, it seemed to be *simply understood* that any reasonable person should know why I said something wrong, and no, I didn’t know why. I have since struggled very hard to learn and I have also watched with interest as other feminists blunder into the same ideological minefield that I did, using the “wrong” words, the “wrong” language and having “wrong” opinions… and I just wince, knowing they will be eaten alive.
Feminism, apparently, is for the women who already know everything.
I think this ongoing tendency in feminism (“Those who know, know.”) intimidates and alienates women sitting on the fence, as I believe anti-religious fervor also does. And yes, of course these issues are all about class. Low-class, marginally-educated women are the ones who will be instantly freaked when Amanda lapses into her anti-Jesus insults, or her remarks about the Holy Spirit’s cum. That’s very funny to Amanda and her indie-punk enlightened friends, but out here in the heartland, it is the last thing we need.
Thank you for letting me vent about that, Lauren.
And this: A producer from Nightline calls about Barbie’s 50th anniversary. I try to sound smart.
(((sigh)))
Why did they call a young feminist, instead one of the first women it was marketed to? Did she talk about the racial and other identity changes of Barbie through the years, as well as her sisters Skipper and Tutti, cousin Francie, Ken and various friends, Stacy, Midge, et. al? (Why did certain Barbie-friends become unpopular and others with different characteristics took their places?) Maybe they should talk to someone who grew up with all of that? Or maybe she might have referred them to someone who did?
Wait, old women are boring and don’t know anything, forgot.
And yeah, thanks for letting me vent about THAT TOO.
Lauren, thank you so much for your thoughts. I, too, was disturbed by the post and you did a great job of articulating the things that bothered me most about it.
Amanda wrote: I find it interesting how women have much more responsibility than men to be conscientious about these things.
I strongly disagree with you on this. I wouldn’t have found the blog post in question any less offensive if it had been written by a man. This isn’t a man/woman issue. It’s an issue of being so willfully ignorant of your own privilege that you rub it in the faces of a nation that is in the midst of an economic crisis. It’s not offensive because she is a feminist or because she is a woman (although it could be argued that it is particularly offensive *because* she purports to be a social progressive). It’s offensive because she is blatantly flaunting her carefree, privileged lifestyle in front of the millions of Americans who are unemployed or underemployed, and many others who have insecure economic futures in a exabitionistic post that was clearly designed to inspire envy. Her post is ill-conceived and, even more so, ill-timed.
I was actually more offended by this post:
Christ on a cracker, that was bad. Yay! Now that you’re out of work, you can be fulfilled!
Thank you for posting this! I’m a feminist, have my degree and good work experience, but have two low-paid wage jobs (that I actually consinder myself lucky to have in this economy!). These days, my day begins at 6:30am when I wake up, and 9:30 when I get home from work. I’d love to be able to afford overpriced sushi, or have time in my day for yoga lessons. I’m guessing that Courtney isn’t buried under student loan debt either? Good for her?
Thank you for this post. It perfectly articulates what I have been trying to say in various conversations for a while.
Yep, agreed. That post nearly made me stop reading Feministing. Class is so ingrained in our beings that when enlightened, we still can’t see when they’re being disgustingly privileged.
Amanda: But having the clarity to understand that it is envy means that I have to ask hard questions about my own motivations. It adds clarity.
But how much? Privatizing their experience–i.e. depoliticizing their resentment by chalking it up to mere “envy”–is simply what most Americans, and in particular women, are taught to do as a matter of course. As it is, it takes overcoming a ton of inertia to begin to think socially, and I can understand people’s reluctance to concede ground that wasn’t easily won in the first place.
I find it interesting how women have much more responsibility than men to be conscientious about these things.
I agree with this.
Brian – I agree. When I read that post, I was like “are you fucking kidding me?”
The post reminded me of some right winged fuck who said the (black) people who lost their homes because of Katrina and cannot go back to New Orleans are TOTALLY BETTER OFF NOW because at least they aren’t back in New Orleans smoking crack, shooting one another, and eating fried chicken.
I forget who made that comment, but it was the same douche loving ass wad who wrote that NYT article about “women not being that bright.”
Uh oh, Lauren, you’ve gone and used the “b” word. :P
I dunno. I took a quick look and–I don’t know Courtney from a hole in the wall, but I’m like: seriously? who kind of gives a rat’s ass? I mean, look, I’m not complaining about my own life, but how many flakes of navel lint I extracted before having my protein shake is…why does anyone care? Yeah, context; I might go for a smoothie on the way to yoga, but I’m stepping over/past half a dozen homeless people to get there, and you know, they’re kind of not just there as background scenery, and…yeah, I dunno. -goes off mumbling-
or, iow, this.
evil fizz
But is is possible to write about your own successes and privilege without being bone-crushingly oblivious to the fact that not everyone enjoys such things. It’s not necessarily about envy as much as it is awareness that one’s corner of the universe is not the quintessential experience. I don’t care what Courtney does on a day to day basis, to be honest. It’s not envy so much as it is that her post is boring, tone-deaf, and exclusionary. (Speaking for myself here, and not our esteemed hostess.)
Dear Lauren,
I have linked you in a blog post in response to another post I was asked to comment on at Feminist Review. I deeply felt and respected your ability to bring these issues to the fore. I as you know have my history with this and and have written my own interpretation. I can not say I share your worries about feminism as I no longer consider myself one due to these types of exchanges. I admire your ability to keep it up in ways I can’t. However as a life long New Yorker with family in the Mid West and most of my family not even on American soil,. I also add that that picture of NYC life is so small and specific and in many ways warped and problematic in it’s non assessment of privilege for even that city, as I have known it all my life.
Thank you for listening
SYdette
Brave post.