(I think Colleen has a good point that the title of the thread should reflect the more nuanced discussion that is taking place vs. being highly inflammatory to many women, especially with it pinging in and out of inboxes repeatedly)
I view the patriarchy, and therefore misogyny, as deeply entrenched in all the systems of which we operate within, but malleable, to a certain extent (naively, I must admit). Design is intervention and mediation. Understanding the players and their inner dialogues is helpful for understanding the blueprints and subsequent tangling that result.
With that in mind, I have often wondered how I may either 1.) work to dismantle the patriarchy, with my own hands or more realistically, 2.) understand on a deep but broad scale how the patriarchy infiltrates every system in which I am an actor and therefore how I should to consider the actions of each other as I navigate through it. The first phase in both 1 & 2 is calling out the discrepancies in experiences, followed by reflecting on these differences, and then finally determining how those reflections will help us to move forward. To me, it seems that this conversation ruminates on the first and second phases I mentioned. I am looking forward to more discussion on the final stage.
Best,
Vicky Zeamer
Graduate Student in Comparative Media Studies
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
New Media Lab Complex
E 15 - 320
20 Ames Street
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
skype: vickyzmr
e: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
On February 4, 2018 at 10:52:59 AM, Susana La Luz ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>) wrote:
Design does not operate in a vacuum devoid of context, but rather involves an active recognition of both context and audience. Given the fact that on average half of the people who are being designed for are subjected to misogyny and the other half benefit from it (whether they are active perpetrators or no), I don't understand how anyone could make a claim that topics of design and misogyny can or should even be separated. Weather intentional or through unintended consequences, designers have a direct impact on the topic because everything we do can either contribute to systemic misogyny or help dismantle it.
Nevermind the fact that the world of academia (design or no) is rampant with misogyny and as members of that world we have an obligation to examine and understand our collective and individual contribution to it. What any one individual does with that understanding is up to them, but I would hope that with a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities (through discussion and reflection), any or all of us would choose to have a more positive impact, rather than to detract from progress or silence the conversation.
While I haven't had the time to give all of these responses a through read, I appreciate simply that they are thoughtful, in depth, and (most of all) just happening at all.
For all of these reasons, I think the topic of misogyny (no ironic or invalidating quotation marks needed) is absolutely germane to both this list and our industry. I for one (as a woman) am glad this discussion is happening.
Susana La Luz-Hawkins
Director of Design Research, Lextant
Lecturer, Ohio State University
On Feb 4, 2018 at 10:01 AM, <Colleen Seifert<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:
A personal request: I appreciate that those who have responded here have
substantive points to share. May I request that you continue the discussion
in another space? As a women, I feel reading about "misogyny" here sets a
negative tone for discussions of design.
--
Colleen M. Seifert
Arthur F. Thurnau Professor
Dept. of Psychology
3042 East Hall
530 Church St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1043
(734) 763-0210
[log in to unmask]
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