Archive for 2008
Monday, August 18th, 2008
[1]
I have long been a devotee of men's dressing, specifically the art of dressing like a white gentleman. Some men - transmen among them - focus on their perceived lack of penis size as a way to measure their masculinity. I, however, have obsessed long hours about french cuffs versus barrel cuffs, single versus three-button jackets, and how to match contrasting colors. For the $100,000 it would cost me for a new penis, I can buy ten bespoke suits, two dozen shirts, a dozen ties and several pairs of handmade shoes. Call me wacky, but I'd go for the suits every time. Truly I am a man in grey flannel suit. Maybe not in the slavish devotion to a mind-numbing job but, to the suit itself, yes, I am slavish. Absolutely.Intermixed with learning how to dress like a white gentleman I have come to find small and not-so-small attitudes about women that, while uttered under the guise of tact, really parse out to sexism. There is a belief that a white gentleman should dress in such a way as to appear natural (and we know what a fallacy that is, right?), in an effort to highlight the so-called gentler sex's artifice . This artifice manifests itself through a whirling spree of dress changes to match seasonal fashions.In this rubric of dressing like a white gentleman, women do not - indeed cannot - buy classic clothing items. Why? Well, you know, because they are women - insert here a contrived convivial wink wink nod nod born out of not really understanding women, because, well, you know, they menstrooyate. This desired goal of dressing in such a way as to highlight both a woman's artifice and a man's naturalness falls short in my book for several reasons.
Women often dress only for themselves.
Women - the smart ones, anyway - also shop for timeless classics. No nobs these ladies. They know a pencil skirt will last them for thirty years (assuming a willing collaboration on the part of waist and thighs) whereas DK's latest won't last five minutes in the parking lot.
Lastly, being a white gentleman must exist alone and can't, for me, be about some adolescent notion that girls are icky and silly and frivolous. Mostly because none of those things are true about all women. Just as it isn't true that men are natural, easy, or uncomplicated.
Clothing can be revelatory and political. I say if a white guy wants to dress in a funky manner, he is a white gentleman as long as he acts with dignity, respect, and kindness born of a belief that we are all animated by the One Breath. But when dressing supports antiquated notions such as women are frivolous, then all a man will be in the end is a bespoke Bozo the clown.
[1] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/the-internet-made-me-stupid.jpg
Posted in A Bespoke Body | No Comments »
Saturday, August 9th, 2008
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Colored pencil, graphite and sumi ink on paper. The text reads, "why does death always surprise us?"
[1] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/hpim0376.jpg
Posted in Cartoons, Religion | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 6th, 2008
Julia Serano [1] takes the white trannie boys to town [2]. And well done I might add. I'm so tired of trans men braying about how they don't have any male privilege. Then rush into women-only spaces on their genitals/history. Then ten minutes later boo-hoo about how X doesn't see them as a man. Isn't amazing how some transmen, despite their proclaimed female histories, can make everything all about them, which is exactly what cisgender (bio-men for those new to the topic) men do?!
A recognition of trans-misogyny/trans-masculinism -- both within queer and feminist settings, and in society at large -- has led many trans women and trans male allies to critique the growing numbers of trans men who, despite their physical transitions and the fact that they now live as men, still feel entitled to inhabit lesbian and women's spaces. Such individuals will often justify their continued presence in such spaces by citing their female history, or claiming that they don't feel 100 percent like a "man" (even though their appearance definitely reads "man"). Such claims reinforce the popular misconception that transsexual gender identities should not be taken seriously, and thus has had a direct negative impact on trans women's inclusion in these same spaces (emphasis mine).
My only wish for Julia is that she apply her enormous insight into gender to race and gender. Her insights can only be made more nuanced - and fruitful I might add - if she were to add the adjective white before every mention of female, feminine, male, masculine, trans, etc.
[1] http://www.juliaserano.com/
[2] http://www.alternet.org/story/93826/?page=4
Posted in Anti Assclownery | 1 Comment »
Thursday, July 31st, 2008
A series of shots with my dinky digital camera of my latest work. In sumi and india ink and graphite on paper.
[1]
[2]
The text reads sure footed is a state of mind not a state of body.
[3]
This text runs across the bottom, around and up the right edge and then back across the top.
[1] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/surefootedgender3.jpg
[2] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/surefootedgender4.jpg
[3] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/surefootedgender5.jpg
Posted in Cartoons | No Comments »
Monday, July 28th, 2008
[1]
(The flaming chalice [2])
I was raised as a Unitarian-Universalist [3]. I've alternatively loved my tradition and distanced myself from it.
Yet I felt the air leave my body when I heard that a gunman in Knoxville, Tennessee targeted a Unitarian-Universalist church [4]because, among other reasons, he felt a hatred for the liberal movement [5].
The gunman chose a children's production of Annie as the time to begin his assault.
I suppose all UUs may think of themselves as targets now. It's hard not to. That's the intended consequence of violence, I think. A few may die, but many suffer.
May kind blessings rain down on the good and the evil alike.
[1] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/asset_upload_file619_10600.jpg
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flaming_chalice
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitarian-Universalist
[4] http://www.tvuuc.org/
[5] http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/07/28/church.shooting/index.html
Posted in Nothing to Say | No Comments »
Thursday, July 17th, 2008
[1]
[1] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/bookjacket_b2.jpg
Posted in Cartoons | No Comments »
Monday, July 14th, 2008
The realization crushed him: his only original thoughts came as a boy.
Posted in Cartoons | No Comments »
Sunday, July 13th, 2008
[1]
Another work in progress. This one is a 4 x4 cartoon, with graphite, marker, charcoal, pencil and watercolor. The frame is from IKEA [2] (of course!) and will have its own elements added later.
[1] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/we-are-not-for-certain.jpg
[2] http://www.ikea.com/us/en/
Posted in Cartoons | 2 Comments »
Sunday, July 13th, 2008
[1]
I'm exploring new mediums with my cartoons. On canvas, with gesso, graphite, charcoal, pencil and acrylic. The text reads, "Uhh, why did I change my gender? The details are a bit fuzzy."
More to come.
For Illustration Friday [2].
[1] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/foggy-no-65.jpg
[2] http://www.illustrationfriday.com/index.php
Posted in Cartoons, Writing | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, July 8th, 2008
Ira Glass on Creativity and Storytelling [1]
As I start back into writing fiction, this link came at just the right time (via Big Contrarian [2]). Yesterday I reread draft portions of a novel that, quite simply, are horrible.
But that's what rewriting is all about.
[1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hidvElQ0xE
[2] http://www.bigcontrarian.com/
Posted in Writing | No Comments »
Friday, June 13th, 2008
[1]
[1] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/nostradamus.jpg
Posted in Cartoons | No Comments »
Thursday, June 12th, 2008
[1]
Seriously, folks. Masculinity is just as constructed as femininity. Julia Serano, author of Whipping Girl [2], riffs on this point in an interview at My Husband Betty [3]. Very little that we do as humans is natural. Not our cell phones, pencils, automobiles, central heating and air, having a cornucopia of off-season foods flown freshish to our local supermarkets and certainly not our genders.
In the book, I talk about how masculinity often comes off as natural while femininity comes off as artificial. For example, many feminists have argued that high heel shoes or make-up are inherently unnatural and artificial, and that they only exist to appease or attract men. What underlies many of these arguments is the presumption that their masculine counterparts are inherently natural or practical. But this clearly isn’t the case. Most men shave their face (something that is arguably unnatural), and those who do it every day often do so in order to look presentable or attractive. But nobody ever talks about all of the time and money men waste on razors, shaving cream, and aftershave. And plenty of men spend an exorbitant amount of money fancy Italian shoes or the latest fad sneakers – there is nothing practical about that.
I agree with you that we live in a highly consumerist culture, and I’ll be the first to critique that. But I also think that when people talk about consumer culture and feminine presentation without also addressing masculine presentation, it seems to me to be really one-sided and sometimes even downright anti-feminine. Granted, women typically spend way more than men on clothing and most grooming products. But while growing up, I knew lots of guys who spent tons of money on things related to their image and presentation: they’d buy overpriced sneakers, or spend lots of money on prettying up their cars, and flaunting their money in other ways to impress women they’re dating or interested in. I’ve found that many (albeit not all) men are just as concerned about their overall image as many women are. It’s just that men are expected to spend money to enhance their image in different ways than women are, and they are far less often critiqued for it when they do.
[1] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/slide2.jpg
[2] http://www.amazon.com/Whipping-Girl-Transsexual-Scapegoating-Femininity/dp/1580051545/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1213285069&sr=8-1
[3] http://www.myhusbandbetty.com/?p=1682#more-1682
Posted in Self-Organizing Men | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, June 11th, 2008
Ron has been a big supporter of my blog over the years. He graciously and without charge translated the work of a French transsexual activist here [1].
So with a heavy heart I share with you the following from Ron. Please keep him in your thoughts.
Dear Friends of the International Carnival of Pozitivities:
It is with both joy and sadness that I am writing to announce the final edition of the ICP. After you receive this notice, I will delete the mailing list for the ICP from my files and you will no longer receive announcements about the project. I was placed on a new drug regimen about 2 months ago and have experienced a serious side effect to the new meds. I am no longer able to continue to maintain the project as a result.
Please know that it has been a joy to bring you the ICP for the past 2 years and that I wish I could continue the project into the future. However, my focus has to be on my own healing now. For those of you who have contributed or hosted the ICP, my heartfelt gratitude can hardly be expressed. For those who blog about HIV/AIDS and who fight to end the stigma of this disease, I urge you to continue your work. We are all in the fight of our lives.
Many, many thanks to Sokari at Blacklooks for hosting the final edition of the ICP at the following link:
http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/06/international_carnival_of_positives_-_final_edition.html [2]
Please visit, read and leave your feedback for the host and the contributors in this, the last edition of the ICP.
I wish you all peace and health.
Much love.
Safe Journeys!
Ron Hudson
[1] http://jaysennett.com/2006/06/femininst-muta…or-transinismsfemininst-mutations-trans-feminism-or-transinisms/
[2] http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/06/international_carnival_of_positives_-_final_edition.html
Posted in Cartoons | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 4th, 2008
[1]
Once Homofactus Press [2] happened to me, and we published The Marrow's Telling [3], personal blogging, writing, and cartooning hit the skids.
Energy outlay is going towards the company and authors rather than me. But I am learning a heck-of-alot about capitalism and business and how really, really, truly queer people struggle to make transformative changes with money.
Strange. But true. I think we have to follow the contours of our scary places with regard to money and creativity. We have to be willing to feel uncomfortable with our contractual choices. Otherwise, little changes.
Big love to everyone.
[1] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/jackie92.png
[2] http://www.homofactuspress.com
[3] http://www.amazon.com/Marrows-Telling-Words-Motion/dp/0978597311/002-2161944-4525632?SubscriptionId=1QZMGW0RRJC2PX87HDR2
Posted in Cartoons | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 4th, 2008
[1]
This cartoon is dedicated to those feminists who think I am straying from the feminine path and those FtMs who think they have no privilege.
Rock on!
P.S. These cartoons continue to be free for you to use as long as you're not making money off of them.
[1] http://jaysennett.com/wp-content/uploads/enhancing-white-privilege.png
Posted in Cartoons | 1 Comment »
