Media Exposure as Harmful Cultural Practice

Having worked on this project for nearly a year now, I have come to understand clearly how television and all media imagery functions as political patriarchal propaganda and have tried to demonstrate how this works.  I believe this project has been successful in its aims, which were to articulate the facets and mechanisms of the patriarchal propaganda machine (via “The Gears“) and to fill an existing gap in online publishing, where there exists plenty of liberal (non)analysis and no dedicated space for radical feminist analysis of media imagery.

But what does the future hold for a radical feminist media-critical project, once its author realizes that exposure to this propaganda itself, for any reason — even to critique it — is actually a harmful cultural practice that’s best avoided?

GEICO

Tsunami — Caught on Camera (Boxing Day 2004 Tsunami)

AndroGel 1.62%

Scum-o-Rama (give us a chance. ffs.)

–image by FCM. Click on image to visit SOR.

Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry?

Drugs, Alcohol and Rape Culture

When Belvedere Vodka published this advertisement clearly depicting a rape in progress, it kicked off a shitstorm of controversy, as well it should’ve.  Even the mainstream was shocked and/or offended by this obvious rape-imagery and mainstream feminists demanded that the ad be removed, the brand boycotted, and people be held accountable for contributing to “rape culture” by making light of rape.

Interestingly, the woman depicted in the ad hadn’t even consented been asked for her permission or given it to have her image used this way — she is now suing the company for using her likeness and for placing her in the center of this controversy.

But as usual, even though this extraordinarily rapey ad and everyone responsible for it deserves to be blasted for it, the mainstream response does not go nearly far enough, or into radical feminist territory at all.  For example, what if we were to say that all media imagery depicting drug and alcohol use always contributes to rape and rape culture no matter how tastefully done, because drugs and alcohol reduce or remove women’s legal capacity to consent to intercourse?

The Emperor’s New Cotton Granny Pants (Cis Privilege)

“Cis Privilege” — Image by TENCGP. Click on image to visit TENCGP on Tumblr.