Exploring art and women: What does female artist look like? Is there a stereotype? One asks because of the question: What is a woman and its consequences, which are quite much to handle like do I really have to think this again and again? How difficult a thing it is and to whom? It is a nonstop process regardless the idiocy and wannabes.

March 15, 2022March 15, 2022 | Henna Timanttimetsä

Art of Selfie, obsessed with looks? The obsession fascinates me, not the images that much, also the mass of them, production. Images for instance on Instagram seem very alike are composition, content and how poseing is done. It’s almost funny how little there is to tell in the end. What are images supposed to tell as they are curated? What is the motive? What are we to think about and what kind of judgments to place based on what can be seen? The prettiest angle found, points of views there to not aging, especially eating and clothes, perspectives to humanity, being artificial still and the unending love for self?

For a woman expectations are pretty fixed and even little deviation is seen as weird and easily rejected, doubted, under suspicion. Suspicion is you fake it constantly and lie. That is one burden on women, we are not to be trusted. This is also among women who do follow rules of how to be a woman the right way, act like a woman, look like a woman, get things like a woman, recognizable. What are the feminine things, the more ultra-feminine femininity is created via makeup, pushup and moving like a woman, one wonders who qualifies and how to fit in, how to exploit all of these to be admired and make a buck, men entering the woman-sphere and all, one must think these things. Is it a competition like on TV? Reality? But you begin to look weird, when you stretch your face too much, do too much plastic surgery and picture yourself only, what is that? I think that is weird. In search of perfect? But to me the question, what is a woman, in this day and age, is still numbing. What kind of purpose does it serve and what is it meant to create instead?

How artist presents herself/himself in the business of art, is an interesting loaded mix of expectations burdened with stereotypes, desires and needs hungry for fame. Image manipulation, destruction of self or megalomaniac sense of self, selling of self, creation of a monster or a good-doer is art in itself: constant recreation and exploring the new, trying to have it all and be seen. What does politics got to do with art? Artists are very political nowadays and there is a right path and a wrong one, but all think art is on the left. How that happened? Who do I have to impress is people who pay attention to appearances, if I am interested in impressing such people.. Who is I wonder?

Image manipulation by gadgets gives us options to enhance self-image, look sellable, be the artwork and maybe interesting or just to fit in, be accepted. Usually it is good for to look successful or smell like money and celebrity with future. Scandal is a good way to make news and it can be art as everything when said so. Celebrity culture as pop culture suck Fine Art in as the art is an investment, nice attachment to your persona and interior, an organism which is you, fitting in the ecosystem to look the look and being an interesting artist is heavily sought after status. What happens to quality of art and the thought of art in this process of manufacturing artists through yellow page media, visibility in social media, selling NFTs as art? Is all just digital mush or have a profound cultural importance, importance of quick transactions and constant newness, as faces get boring too? Do we get depth and innovation or glam surfaces, lack of technical skills or just technical skills, lack of insight and hyped nonsense, fast art, which is only over-priced bulk, jpegs? Bubbles to burst, numbers.

Success is measured in money also in art, is the grander the better, how much a name costs? It is what interests media, how much anything sells and what anything looks like, fit the mold, what is the mold? Looks like an hourglass. If bulk sells, it doesn’t really matter, what we call it, because sales is good? How long that lasts? In art also matters who sees it and why and where. It is almost an artform itself, sales of art and the artist as a person. For women appearance is a significant issue to think about when and always you will come by people who check you out, which is why I constantly ponder the issue of looks, it is so big a thing that I can’t really comprehend the magnitude nor significance of appearance in art, but it is the dandy, bohemian, rocker, dangerous in some way, floppy and fun representing the fast life, fleeting existence and creativity, the buzzword. How and what appearance tells what kind of art anyone makes and can it be seen on the artist herself/himself? I have been told this is the case. We are very visually curious, we are built to be. So it is biological too, of course, and meant to raise interest. Women do have harder time convincing credibility and ability, stamina even more so if you think different from the accepted narrative people in art like keeping alive. Appearances matter to this degree, keeping it quiet is easier and more profitable.

Looks has significant meaning as sex does in art, very poignant if wanted so and thrown at you. Many artists exploit this scare of looking extreme, enjoy the stir and being noticed. How do artists get noticed other than naked, by whom and what are the things that interest? They (the establishment) say, they want radical art to align with the assumed leftist-feminist leanings of theirs and the assumed in Fine Art is the facade. Do you really believe in the radical in Fine Art, really? I don’t. Radical challenges too much, for instance lofty positions and the assumptions you stand on are somewhat thin, so you may find yourselves in a weird place, out with the unknown and the unexpected which for curators must be hell. In music it is more celebrated than in Fine Art to do and look totally punk for instance. What’s punk behavior? Fine Art still remains slow and is going more and more conservative, reserved and narrow-minded in the meaning of what is accepted style-wise and experimentally etc. if experimentation is allowed at all. Trends matter. Social justice is a trend. Everything getting more expensive has its toll, everything is measured in money and ruled by the thought of what can be made in the future with the asset. Self-interest is very visible. Is that the spirit of art? And what are they scared of the most is being left outside out of work without security of the system. Outside of what, outside of art sounds like against art or art not found? The grace of celebrity in the white cube is art, it is the tactics of institutions to follow the money and the camera and is art itself? Oh dear, art doesn’t exist anywhere else and especially, if it isn’t noticed by the right people. Art is more like be chic in a magazine simulating punk but don’t step over the lines. Such is the impact of managerial class, the business world, social media and bureaucracy, which flourish in Fine Art. I assume the boxing of artists into wanted and unwanted is more clear process today.

Obscurity, the unknown, the class issue and in which city are you, comes handily visible and it is almost difficult to define with any other words than waiting for the counterculture to emerge like when the fuck and where is it. We need the location and who done it. People who say they love art like to use power in art. Do you love money more? What comes to style and looks, thinking of what is the so-called art of presenting oneself and how does the art made sync with the portrayal and creating of the image of an artist, must it and what is quality in all of this in the end, because it seems just frames and highly designed locations to match? Isn’t it again bulk and template? Easy to manufacture like an artist off the shelf with a name to collect? They do check you from head to toe because the artist is always a liability not the other way round. The element of the unknown has been the essence of Fine Art, discovery not the theater around the object. Do you want to feel secure and see art that fits the narrative of success and how it is defined today through financial winnings in the capitals of the art world? One question is the age of an artist, which all in all is fast: what do we think about aging artists and is art a game for the young and emerging like in a factory? Age is emphasized, youth and for women it always is a question. Or do you see much images of old people in art? Maybe the older women get a better chance, since youth for women is the time for not being taken seriously, but the time when women are enjoyed. Who takes this scene seriously, I wonder? When money is serious, always.

This happens to women more and more, evaluation by appearance and aging. Evaluation based on looks and finances somehow resonate with the ability to do art, think and renew oneself as an artist, am I wrong? Womanly art, womanly colors? How credibility is seen differs for men and women as men do bond naturally together, women can be seen as futile competition, but competition nevertheless. Do your thing honey, if you dare. What, to break anything? Competition of course is harsh. How many times can they say, you can’t? When there is silence, it is a sign of realizing to say anything else is impossible and so hard. How sad. I gather you do not have much to say to begin with, so I am better off.

Stereotypical image and lure in art is the muse and hero, light look on life and its pleasures and women are there for pleasure, to be looked at and made into art or used and discarded, also very lightly. How well women fit into the man-centred world and the thought, what is an artist, who is an artist essentially? The class issue is very much there as well. Many women have pictured themselves in their art as art (how are you art again?), fashion being part of their work, women’s work, which should also be asked what is women’s work as woman is not known anymore (woman is the unknown?), duties and the lot of women, so very often doing the work, which goes unnoticed but is vital for all society. She, the female artist and any woman, processes the female experience in the world, continuously. It is that heavy, also repetitious, recognizable, slowly changing with society. What is that change, who is the vulnerable again? Weak men online shouting they are women? The humiliation and doubting of her, how she is treated can be seen in her work. But yet, how important it is to make a difference between male and female artists anymore? Difference is because women are menstruators and cervix-havers? Men are penis-holders, shoulders, beard-havers, muscular door-openers? Nowadays even feminism serves men, the difference is there and it comes to play continuously organically and via organs we have. We carry organs and assume, even though it is rude towards the minorities. What kind of weight is given to the female voices, organs and what are women allowed to say and do they (the establishment) even see a problem? Flying around the globe to see art at art fairs and provide art to biennales is not knowing that flying is part of the problem contributing to climate change. The countering and questioning female voices remain silenced. There is a familiar ring to it. You do acknowledge sexism, harassment, silencing and misogyny in art? I do acknowledge there are people who really do not see themselves despite how much there are selfies. Do you even recognize what is what, when you don’t know what a woman is? How can we trust such people in places of power? What are you going to do about the stagnant state of Fine Art that serves money and constant consumption? That is what feminism is for? Buying stuff and having the look of feminism? Museum not paying a living wage for cleaning ladies is a wonderful example of art crap.

2020

To see the day when womanhood is questioned to the degree of lunacy, who is a woman. I think I feel it in my bones.

I can’t help but feel disgusted by misogyny online, by people who think they are feminists, leftists and on the absolute right and attacking women for talking their minds. The absolute right of all things, when men say who is a woman. Interestingly this has been the case always.

June 9, 2020 | Henna Timanttimetsä

Woman is this and that according to men, attractive and feminine. Doesn’t do manly things, men’s work, look like a man etc. There are rules and opinions how a woman should be and behave in this world given by women and men, I don’t care about those rules. Act my age? What is that? The most ridiculous thing today is trans-activists hurting women’s careers and lives, when women do not accept their nonsense and say it. Ultra feminine appearance repeats what a woman should do: be pretty and unable to do much (because you can’t anyway). Why do men who think are women follow the stereotype of a woman? Why do men who think are women use group ‘intelligence’ to put down and silence women online and offline? Phobia? To scare women has been a strategy from stopping women from doing what they want, I’m not sure..do you know how long? Is woman’s body an object to look at and admire until it fades and it/her can be discarded? You can correct it, please do try correct how women are perceived. You can correct your body to match your inner self, your feelings of yourself and better yet, to match someone whose body you think is desirable. It is about sex and show, about being desirable, beautiful, admired and looked at. That is a profession, to be looked at. It is also very sexist. She is who she is, what is she?

When facts hurt you, offence is guaranteed. I am not sorry for saying what I think, I should be quiet or at least speak the right things, right? Your feelings need to be protected? Is proof of infantilism, I don’t think you are clever at all, simplicity, repetition, looking for the hit show and fucking on a beach..make the world go round, you have made it. That is despair. Repetition as a method and idea in art is minimalism. It represents nothing and attempts at nothing, is nothing but an object in the end. Shrinking an idea of a woman as a human being, shrinking variety and options to match an ideal? I do not accept that at all, having been shrunk to match what I look like, a doll, has been the biggest source of stress and felt fairly unjust in comparison to what I am able. Yes, it is unbelievable, but true, you are judged by your appearance and it has not been good. You aspire to look like a pretty lady? Maybe it is easier for men.

People who repeat overly simplified slogans on and on and think all other people should think it is a good thing to hear and learn, is the very image of the today’s world, childish and uncivilised, image of a declining culture and again minimising the opposing voice. Feelings do not matter when it comes to facts: overriding the factual world is to minimise it, step on it. Hormones do make you, they make you feel, true that. To change reality to look like you, what is that? Is that freedom or denial or an attempt to dictate your fate, dictate what can be made of you artificially and what are you then, matching the natural? When reality is a drag queen show, dream of perverts walking a catwalk being wannabe starlets, men impersonating famous women, is that envy or celebration of femininity? Celebration of envy and male empowerment conquering the feminine? The desire to look like famous people is all over the place, for men and women it is normal to idolise and imitate. That is what children do. Imitation means you do not want to be you, you want to be somebody else. You can’t be you, you are unable to be you. To be yourself is too painful or you haven’t figured yourself up, why is that? We take it so far, that surgeons and doctors of all kinds do profit handsomely. It is a show we live in. Do I have to like this reality show where reality is fixed to the liking of infants and people who really do have problems? No, sure you look fun, but don’t attack in a group and claim manipulating reality is a good thing, you look even more infantile and fascist. A fascist in a dress, finally they have come out from the closet and started to demand their human rights to have silicon tits, fatty asses and vaginas posing a true woman. True? To impersonate women doesn’t mean you are one, human body is more complex than that, female life and body truly is. To think you are a woman when you do not have female body, nor experiences growing up a girl and demand all to accept your claim, delusion, a clear illness part of the world of sexes living as sexes do naturally, changes everything. We are headed to the artificial human and human experience, so the natural is not what to match with and talk about. When you do not blend in to begin with, but you try so hard to belong to the natural world of sexes where you are a freak expressing yourself. To be different is a bad thing, even though the demand and right to be yourself is the echoing chant. Do not lie please. Put a dress on and feel like a natural woman, is sexism and lying doesn’t make it better or look good, it makes you look delusional, deceitful, having something wrong with your head other than with your body, why should that fact make other facts untrue? Why should biology not matter anymore? It clearly does.

Attacking women for thinking for themselves is not feminism. Speaking for your own good and rights only is not feminism. Taking advantage of feminism and leftist ideas to promote your own career and selfish agenda is not feminism nor leftism, it is exploitation, which per se is not leftism. On the left you do not exploit anyone nor put down people who think and do differently from you. You do know democracy and how it works? You are unable to argue and bring evidence in, don’t take part in this fight, because you will lose.

Where does the interest lie? Send me a picture of your pussy. So what is interesting in a person today is genitalia.

March 10, 2020 | Henna Timanttimetsä

Who is a feminist? Is a backstabber and a gossiper a feminist, someone who puts other women down deliberately? Definitely not.

November 15, 2019November 15, 2019 | Henna Timanttimetsä

People can say of themselves and of others all sorts of things, that is how we form and shape groups, usually it is talk for themselves to look better than someone else or just themselves talking, so it is not unimportant what anyone says. Having a position where you can put someone down just because you can makes your person and feminism look rather strange or Christianity or whatever good doer belief, doctrine, ideology etc. you may have labelled yourself with. Talking about equality and human rights, what is talked about someone in the world of humans matters, that is why gossip is a very much used weapon against anyone. You feel bad and you share it, create an image of someone and of you. Gossiping is done by men and women equally, it hurts both. There aren’t many ways to make it better or benefit the one who is gossiped about as you know boxing something that has been unboxed is very difficult, only the case of making a living out of gossip is taking power back or making art of it. Point of gossiping is power play and it is ruthless, violent, a horrible way of constructing groups and leaving someone out, creating an image of someone. This is what adults do, this is what children do and the gossiper really believes in her or his superiority and that the poor sucker must be humiliated the one who is the target, who is flawed, weird, different in any way. Humiliation is the key, need to humiliate seems to be deep in us. It just makes me wonder how powerless people feel they are to have this kinds of ways of battle.

The case of feminism in terms of grouping and the feminist here is to support the powerless, which women still in many ways are. When you think you are a feminist you do not exploit, humiliate, leave out, put down other women, any woman, and believe me, among women it is a blood sport to humiliate and leave out. It seems to come very naturally… Feminism is not action and talk within your selected group of people which you cultivate in safety of your selected group comfortably. This brings a question of what is feminism in every day, how is it practiced? What does it mean to be human to another person? How vile and vicious can you be can be an interesting test are you that person? What does that make of you, one must ask? An antifeminist.

Juoru

Anyone ever wondered what kind of an influence one’s sex, origin and looks have in life in general and in the arts?

October 13, 2019October 12, 2019 | Henna Timanttimetsä

I claim they have more significance than anyone cares to admit. Vanity industries do pay attention to the surface much more than I and I am shocked when what I wear is paid more attention to than what kind of art I do or my looks tell what I am capable of (with which I like to play with). How much is it in the interests of the arts to keep stereotypes alive or whose interests are in question all in all, because they are not mine? One can wonder and it is truly weird one has to keep up appearance and act upon one’s appearance. I make this assumption, I should act according to my sex, sex and gender are always an issue, and appearance, because such is my strongest asset? What is the appearance of an artist today, a businessman who functions like a machine, is efficient and more importantly is male? Clichés are so much alive, I wonder the speed of progress. (What progress?) Things that instantly come to your mind when you see someone, what do they tell of you?

BTW, any modelling agency hire 45yrs old? That would be a career change, lol. Oh no, I should lose weight.

Feminism an ideology and movement, a striving force and necessity in making global revolution of equality (or it used to be, what is it now?). My philosophical, ethical and ideological ground. Perspectives into making wise revolution: what does it mean.

August 12, 2018August 12, 2018 | Henna Timanttimetsä

2.1 Introduction
2.2 Division, separation, segregation, mutilation, denial, hate, abundance, abandonment.
2.3 Movement, theory and action.
2.4 Unity what could it be?

2.1 Introduction
We, fundamentally biological beings (I’m trying not to be hugely banal about the characterisation of us and biology, us as a species, genders etc., characteristics of what comes to being human as biologically determined form and shape, organic and changing. As we know it, us and nature, which we know, is what often happens, we think we now), are dictated by random events that happen (welfare state is to make the impact of randomness of life less hurtful and cruel, right? Nations are for humans to survive and thrive, not the opposite.) Our lives are up to a point very random still, not to mention the environment and hormones (funny combination but essential); our chemistry and what it makes us feel and do, is a big part of us and our world as is our anatomy, our biological functions, thoughts and needs etc. There are lots of things that dictate us, we just don’t like to admit it as we are not in control, we can be prepared to that hard fact. We like it to look like we are in control and build the structure of control, to control others and have control, things organised, having things done and having made it, give us the power feeling. We know what we are doing. I’m interested in how much power is an illusion and what is power in terms of self-discovery, living and doing in relation to others. Denying biology is the ‘new’ way of empowerment and it is the you can be what you want-ideology, which is a wild thought, thought that we have the ultimate control or want to have control on every aspect there is to being human because we so desire. This issue has come up with transgenderism and in bringing up children, sculpting one’s body to match the inner feelings and desires completely or images seen: this is what I want for me. How it seems to me is this, where we are headed to, towards the utopia of complete control of our bodies and our destiny especially thinking what makes one happy and what we are in the eyes of those who look at us. Feminism has a lot to say about this, lot to say about competition, competing and how opportunities stay open for all that we can make an effort to make it.

Meaning of biology for us is the inseparable and something to dive into constantly which has interested me as an artist: as it does not end, how much part of nature are we and dependable of it, as bodies and minds, to speak of this sounds naive, how come? Without nature there is no us but we like to move away from nature like we were standing on it, as we have no control over it we make shields. Nature is far away as it is the unknown eventful place, in part and for many for most parts we like to be unconnected to this beast we profit from. Nature does not connect with us in suitable, comfortable manner but affects and looks like as a disaster area with which we are ill-prepared to cope which always is a big mistake as we do not know what is ahead of us. Some survive, some don’t. Biology is the unacceptable as it does not do what we want, it eats us. Does this mean we are being alienated from nature completely because it is the easy solution to staying young and good-looking forever and that is what we should want to be powerful? In the making of us there is something I have been wondering what is it all about, what is the making. The very foundation of feminism is that we are equal and we should have equal opportunities as humans but what this means in action and every day is the interesting part and how feminism puts the case of equality forward today in terms of class, ethnicity, origin, looks, wealth, status, work, occupation, education, opinions, in terms of all things that make us different form each other and what does equal mean as we all want and desire to make something of ourselves which brings in the power relation aspect. Equality is a massive task, how it is implemented and understood, it sounds good. Equality, just to say the word is a weird thing and many think as such it is a naive one. What kind of relationship we have with this biology we are born in to, how does biology shape our chances equality-wise is a major issue and can it be altered is the hard question. How we accept ourselves and others, what is the route to acceptance and what we must accept and what not.

Nature has made it we differ much from each other, but we bleed when we hurt. What is equality required and possible in our differences? Living beings share vivid emotional and sensual world which lead us to thinking what separates and unites us. Gender and sex do not dictate intellect, abilities, character nor worth is the feminist idea and good human sense; what do they dictate? Feminism the ideology is to benefit all on grass root level and having choices not to be dictated, monitored and policed. We are more or less feminine, we all have a mother, we all have a relationship to femininity through bodily features still the feminine is under constant attack. Women are the foundation of any society. When women are well taken care of all society is likely to do the same, be and do well. When it is acceptable for a man to walk like a woman, talk like a woman and wear a dress without it being strange we have come closer to gender equality. When a woman can define her femininity, rule her body, sexuality, decide for her life, we are closer to justice and truth. Feminism is diminished down by many men and women as not needed and dead old-fashioned movement, laughable and unnecessary. If women are not able to have a say over how society should work, as is the case in many countries, then society is not working for all of its members. If women are laughed at because of their sex and because it is seen weak, if they have to be ashamed of their sexuality, if they have to be afraid because they are women, it is a sorry world. If men have to be afraid of female qualities in them we live by macho dream not what is true. What is feminism now is the first and acute question. Who can be and is a feminist? What are the results of feminism and how can it accomplish needed social and cultural changes? Impact of feminism is already all over and pretty fundamental but not yet enough. It is important in this issue at hand to know whether to take a side or not, and on which one side violent gender division exists and is held tightly upon us. Decisions on what to think, how to react, how to judge and whether to judge at all. Gender is by rule problematic, always current and touchy topic where assumptions and given orders apply like an ancient legislation. Society where anything differing from mainstream is an oddity that should be covered up, silenced and removed as indecent and infernal is not living

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the 21st century nor being on the nerve of things nor wanting equality at all. Sex, gender and sexuality are the most used tools of control. Identity and division are structured and ordered by our traditions. We seek to be accepted, desirable, wake attention, maybe make provocation to make ourselves and be seen. Sexuality is denied as damaging, corrupt, perverted, animal, uncontrollable, destructive force which women hold and use to destroy men, society and themselves. There are tight rules how to be a sexual human being and how to be a good human being. Sex is a taboo to be dealt with not out in the open although it is all over and nothing like ordinary. Still when one glances ads anywhere, music videos and movies anything entertainment industry produces for us to hear and see sexuality is there in the main role and in the very much learned way. It is a way to look, make statement, do business hypnotizing us and our thinking. It is way of selling using our basic needs, fears and prohibitions. We live with sex industry (like it or not) and by which rules business provides guessing what it is people desire and want and it is simple. What do we dream about in high-tech information society consuming, being entertained, sexuality making life a psychological sadistic game at worst. Disapproval and talk make controversy, breaking moral codes make headlines. What is it now, nipples, butt crack breaking the internet, look at the size of it, oh tits. The more we disapprove morals of someone the more controversial the issue gets the more fuel there is to be poured, bigger and bigger when nothing is enough. Press disapproving a racy pop artist’s performance giving her performance lots of space and media coverage, good for her and her manager. Is it disapproving or advertising and also good for the media company? What happens to journalism or us? Middle-aged women disapproving how young girls walk and dress. Is it regret or concern? What are we concerned about, what do we regret and what do we make of the idea of a young girl and her sexuality, is it a possession and an asset for that girl?

What is behind disapproval is a moral behavior code, gender assumptions, traditions, what is good to do in life and why and who gets to decide. Intolerance, ignorance, religion, narrowmindedness, worry over corruption of morals, desire to hinder change, fear what one is and showing it and plain fear for the unknown. For many sexuality is the great fright and truly an unknown island. It also makes me wonder why continuously so? Why the big mystery, fear, ridicule, shame and hiding? We desire to be sexually interesting. Most everybody thinks about sex and hopefully has sex. The most controlled sexual being is woman, her pleasure is dangerous. She cannot have it, because it is sinful, impure and evil.

2.2 Division, separation, segregation, mutilation, denial, hate, abundance, abandonment.

World as a whole is very much divided into ideological camps and bunkers which fight each other. People do not either wish to comprehend each other or simply don’t comprehend due to many often irrational reasons dividing us. How that other is thinking and feeling can

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be a huge task to take into consideration and have interest over. There has to be a strong ideology and movement to defend those who are repeatedly beaten down. Something to call mine because it is personal, political and repetitious. Behavior and patterns which are not stopping until they are stopped. It is a demand and fight for human rights to happen for women, children and men, for indigenous people and other beings. Those who are persecuted because of their gender, ethnicity, background, religion, sexual orientation, disability, difference of any kind and to defend those who cannot defend themselves. In this regard feminism is not a cause for women only ideology and movement with strong barriers around although it is accused of this, rightly so. Camps fighting within feminism is the norm. Women contribute much in welfare in all society starting from home and neighborhoods. Feminism is a necessity and vital opposition against tyranny of corporations and traditions which are creating illusions of perfection and what is right. Feminism is opposition to tyranny of man, tyranny of people as products, against objectification, against one-sided views on color, size, ideologies, values, against tyranny and castles of finance and irrational despotic decision-making. Women are and have been enslaved to the illusion of perfection, an image in our brain of what woman is, is manipulative, created to eliminate difference, clone personalities, pleasure giving machines and thinking security is found through being desirable. In addition to that women are caretakers, providers, producers of new people biologically, socially, culturally and traditionally. In this sense manipulation is harsh practice, cruel and unjust. Educating girls in to their roles as females, girls, future women, persons and people begin from very young age. We are taught to know, what is our part via our sex. Somebody else knowing what anybody’s place is and meaning in this life is the root of inequality and injustice.

A practice of likable personality is a kind of survivalist plan within patriarchal society. Practices of girliness, manhood and womanhood are to set roles, find security, a heterosexual practice of servitude, obedience and slavery. Woman is foremost a sexual being whose sexuality must be controlled, whose body is a possession and is either holy or cursed, disrespected and impure. Holy only when she does what is expected of her, is agreeable and nice. Situation is such for millions and millions of women. The way out is a hard struggle. Women who do not have a choice but to breed, feed and protect their honor which is also honor of man and family. There are tasks in society given to women on grounds of natural and on grounds of how things have been done before. How women should look like, what are feminine features and things to do. The whole gender issue should be addressed in technological language as women are much seen as objects and machines who are less than. Place of woman falls on her systematically and orderly without much questioning and without many wanting to change that pattern as it is suitable. This is how a factory functions, orderly producing brainwashed products where workers do not have a say. Case in many countries is that women have the part of reproduction and serving, which is fine if it is voluntarily chosen path in someone’s

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life. Why such control over women is still possible? How the kind of social factory has place anymore? Why woman needs to be put into a position of a dog and why women stay in that given place and when situation changes new problems emerge as men don’t keep up with women? Choices provided by society play a big part in how women manage to solve their lives. Fear of violence, death and abandonment are reasons enough to settle to what other people want. Women who want to decide for themselves to provide for themselves can end up alone. For an uneducated woman it can be a challenge and scary situation to find oneself struggling in a dead-end. What options are there, how strong are we in this kind of situation or prepared? Religions are dictating position and tasks of women and do not give women power in their lives and let them have bodies of theirs. Women cannot have themselves, especially not themselves. What is the soul of women? By denial and placing fear of punishment religions acknowledge female power within her proving of being afraid of her power. Keeping women uneducated and unaware of their power is a way to rule, but it is also way to keep society from evolving and stopping all people from finding what they could do and express. What she can do with her body and mind is too much to handle. Question is who is not able to control oneself? Maybe chaos and disorder will follow, maybe something no one else hasn’t thought and done before. Interesting is how the feminine and feminine desire realize themselves in this negative, because they are there. Prohibition of expression, suppressed individuality and contempt for the natural sex, incontrollable. Human life and body molded by God’s word, God’s word put in praxis, God’s judgment put in action by people. Dividing good and bad, holy and evil, placing burdens on people because of which sex they happen to be born. Deciding what is what, maybe not knowing the truth but thinking one knows being scared of change. Diminishing and minimising something that is very complex makes complexity even stronger. There are such contradictions in what is said, what happens and what is believed to be true it is no wonder there are conflicts. Contradictions via interpretation, to comprehend and put in order life and the representation of humans, we continue fighting in everyday life because we have free will, visibly. Paradoxes which are difficult to manage, to change and unjust to live by. An overall religious view is to see body and bodily functions as impure especially female ones and the world as such where spirit and soul matter and wander in search of perfection and harmony. It could be as if life is somewhere else all the time, is for someone else, in some other time and we in despair.

2.3 Movement, theory and action.

The word Feminism originates from French Utopian Socialist and Philosopher Charles Fourier 1837, the year of his death. [1.] Words Feminism and Feminist first appeared in public in France and the Netherlands 1872. Claims for women’s rights started to happen at large in action at the end of 19th century and beginning of the 20th century by Suffrage movement in Britain, New Zealand, Australia and in the
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United States claiming women’s right to vote and stand for parliamentary office. It is still knowing how religions dictate place of women difficult to understand the opposition feminists have faced and face today. The amount of bitter hate and disdain against feminists, women claiming their citizenship and human rights that for some are less than that of men which is God’s punishment and judgment for all women. Feminists have been treated as lunatics and criminals lacking decency. Feminism as something that will pass. Those unattractive misfits, bald angry lesbians who hate men and behave like prostitutes, unattractively angry. Those who fear say anything to put shame on dissidents. Women who don’t and did not fit nor accept the society’s mold of proper, place of woman, continuity of males as kings nor rules of hypocrisy have been self-evidently painted malaise, harmful, insane, ridiculous, hysterical, marginal and difficult. Women who didn’t accept their part as underdogs began a feisty battle which became violent towards feminists. They began peacefully demanding their rights which did not work and they began to break windows. Feminism is first a movement, demonstration and fierce action demanding and fighting for equal rights and opportunities for all. It is a fight for possibilities to choose how to live as an individual with will and mind of one’s own and as a capable decision-making thinking person. Prejudice and historical echoes have made it so that feminism is not mainstream ideology even we are bound to it as a thoroughly society changing and questioning political ideology. It is not all that common to be working class feminist even labor movement is very much women’s and children’s rights movement. Common is to hear celebrities say of not being feminists but. Desire of theirs is to pose as strong women of the business and live as sellable products earning money that being an illusion of having control over their image and being strong is a facade. Powerful yes but how? How scared can one be and how manipulation is strength? It is too common to hear the denial and keeping distance to that odd and hateful religion-like ideology that want women to be ugly, hating men or something. Ignorance is once again biggest prejudice creator around. Woman is desired as a body that brings joy for someone else but her and to concentrate on staying pretty and desirable as long as you can is one kind of power but is it strength?

After having put action out with positive results groundbreaking feminist theory started to develop and wonder position of women in society thoroughly. Feminist theory is a complex set of ideas on how genders function, are supposed to function, genders and sexes as social and cultural beings and constructions. Feminist theory is much as any academic work working and looking from the middle class points of view but is seen as radical movement still. Working class and middle class stay separately still and suspicious of each other; can they mix and work together without suspicion and prejudices and why the division is there in the first place, what is the class divide all about? What happens to equality in this picture? It is a vital issue for feminism how classes function and change, how work is seen and defined, paid and appreciated. Which classes will perish, shall there be new ones, what is the meaning of discourse over the class question all together, whom does class system serve and

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what would world do without distinct separations. Colossal structures of research, work and education are there to be shaken. Working class (which still exists) is too scared to get radical, at least in Finland. Every society has working class of its own kind. Curious is how do they appreciate themselves, are appreciated and what kind of groups get made within. Education and work cultures reflect directly to position of women and rights of labor concern all of women. Feminist theory tends to float inside an academic bubble, thick walls round academies which may scare the common man. Feminist research does not address everyone as doesn’t science as a whole even though it is the meaning of science to be for everyone, serve welfare and the evolving of every man. Elitist academic towers can be isolating and again gaining position can be luring power element in academic competition. Academic position is much respected place to have. To talk only to certain kind of people about social change is an intriguing subject itself, matters of writing and talking but it is not enough to make that change happen at grass root level and be understood that the struggle is the same. Question is how and what message of change is put out, by whom and why? And how a change could be pursued if groups of people do not communicate with each other? It is clear change required does not happen within middleclass, in academies nor in theory. Question is what kind of groups of people globally are the ones who are oppressed enough and tired enough to act? Who don’t want empty promises, unemployment, dead-end future prospects, poor welfare and poor quality of education? Middle class and working class do not respect each other enough, know each other, speak the same language or desire to understand each other. There is mutual contempt there which stops multilevel interaction, compassion, understanding and collaboration. How could there be found mutual language and patterns for action which lack oppressive and biased hierarchical structures?

2.4 Unity what could it be?

Communist Manifesto published in 1848 demanded abolishing of child labor, education for all workers including women and children. The demand list of the Manifesto was modern, fresh and ahead of its time demanding equality, dignity and human rights for all. Importantly Manifesto stated abolishment of bourgeois individualism, changes to inherited position in society and right to property, which meant abolishment of slavery and exploitation of people, need to stop abuse of workers’ effort and time. It demanded progressively everyone’s right to work without fear, more time to schooling oneself and one’s family. Free development for each is the condition of development for all. [2.] [3.] [4.] Developed way of looking society and its people on idea level which was to be reality and revolutionary vision to be made come true, a utopia of a better world
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within reach to applying all hopefully bringing welfare, wellbeing and prosperity. Demand for abolishment of bourgeois family could have meant a beginning for women to stand on their own and have multiple paths to choose from than only having one or two. Michel Foucault states in Foucault Reader, Rabinow, 1984 that bourgeois society before Freud’s inventions repressed sexuality and especially infantile sexuality to a point where society refused to speak of it or acknowledge existence of sexuality in children and women. Crusade against masturbation is a typical example of this as is giving diagnoses for women who in any way acted differently than what was the general ‘better’ judgment. Crusade is to the point essential word to use in contexts of bourgeois society and its determination concerning use of power over women and children and in general anyone who stands on the ‘weak’ side. Weaknesses strictly categorized, the weak labeled and stigmatized. Infantilizing women in terms of sex was the norm, female sexuality was beauty in statues, very fragile but obviously too powerful to let roam free.

As Communism firstly concentrates on abolishment of the bourgeois way of life and class and gaining global labor rights, feminism concentrates on ending sexism and slavery of women, standing for girls’ rights for education and rights of those in the marginal and under threat because of their gender and sexual orientation. Feminism is against persecution, against mental and physical torture. Questions about difference and what is the difference between and why should it be pointed out are the core issues. [4.] Both ideologies, Feminism and Communism have interesting similarities in being hated, bigotedly stigmatized and activists persecuted for demanding basic human rights and equality. Focus and determination of ending dictatorship is admirable, needed and springs out from harsh reality and experience. It is good to bear in mind that slavery was ended by law 1723 in Russia where poverty has been more of a rule to this day for the large part of the population. Position of women is questionable in a macho culture self-evidently. [3.] [4.] Worldwide slavery has not ended nor extreme poverty and injustice nor exploitation of work nor abuse of women and children nor of those who do not fit in tight gender boxes. Strong political global movement and revolution is much required not as a local act but as global aggressive action (aggression here does not mean physical and violent warfare and question remains how to address anger that is boiling). People are more globally active and maybe even more aware than ever therefore it is appalling problems as extreme poverty and crimes against humanity such as human trafficking and slavery of maids exist. It is intolerable there is resistance against the demand for human rights. [5.] Feminism is at the moment making strong, new and active movement especially in Europe. Taking stand nonviolently and loud as hell.

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Feminist movement Femen is fighting on the streets facing fascists, ordinary street men, politicians as well as the police, who continually arrest bare breasted women shouting Fuck your morals, God is a woman, Ukraine is not a brothel, in gay we trust, Nudity is freedom! Strength and visibility of such fearless action and devotion to the important cause is impressive, appreciated and joyfully effective. Feminism should be exactly that and in there, on the streets, in demonstrations, during world cups which lure prostitution to flourish, in places where world leaders meet to make people in suits face anger, attacking fashion shows to let them who exploit hear out those who really have an important message: Listen to those whom you abuse and manipulate! We are many and we force you to listen. Feminism is activism, sextremism, distraction, interruption, disturbance of status quo and destruction of seemingly comfortable balance breaking that clean surface. It is an unforgiving demand in itself and notion that women have to take their place to be heard, fearlessly speak out standing tall. Feminism is demanding abolishment of sex trade, acknowledgement of the problems which women globally face, abolishment of sexism and punishment for it, concrete demand for separation of the church and state, legalization for access to free and safe abortion, women to have decision over their bodies and work, punishments for rapists to be heavier than they are. It is demand for respect, justice and dignity. Feminism is demanding human rights and lasting social change to all human beings, environment and animals. It is one of the most important global movements at the moment and the importance of change shows in the way Feminists are treated. Importance of attitude change is immediate. Importance of finding conformity a repulsive tool of oppression and fascism. Importance of learning how fascism works today and manifests itself daily in ways of monitoring, dictating, suppressing and manipulating. Place of women is displayed by showing hate against women, against Feminism, stigmatizing those who dare to speak up and act against oppression. It is one of the most important issues globally to make concrete change to better lives and rights of women, minorities and children. [6.] Situation is angering and change is slow. Hierarchy, power and position of church is immense dictating places of genders, how people should live, what is right and wrong. Religions and dictators are obstructing development of human rights for people to achieve better quality of life, better treatment and appreciation of women and children as individuals and people. [7.] I see divisions very clearly anywhere, personally and generally and I refuse to be what I should be by my sex and gender traditionally, ordered by someone who is to be above me because he or she can. I can do nothing but go against. Change is coming and there is no other way.

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Links to the books read and which are to be read over and over again. Communist Manifesto is a recommended reading for those to whom the word communist is a curse word, to whom everyone who is on the left is a communist and communism equals to mass murder and oppression. People use philosophies and ideologies to force their personal interests forward in the world, this has been true before and is true today. It is not necessarily fault of the philosophers and dissidents.

https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/communist-manifesto-ebook/

https://monoskop.org/images/f/f6/Rabinow_Paul_ed_The_Foucault_Reader_1984.pdf

“Chomsky answers by returning to other dimensions of universal human nature and reason. In his opinion, there is a universal human need for creative work and free inquiry. The possibility of satisfying this need is stifled in our society. Given modern technology and science, Chomsky argues, the means are currently available to overcome the alienation and drudgery of labor. If this has not been accomplished, the fault lies not in science but in the social and political organization of our society.”

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Fourier
www.wikipedia.org/Feminism 18.12.2013
2. http://www.marx-seura.kaapeli.fi uusi linkki 12.8.2018
3. https://www.skp.fi/asiakirjagalleria/kommunistisen-puolueen-manifesti 18.12.2013, 30.10.2013 Kommunistisen puolueen manifesti pdf.
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_Russia 30.10.2013
5.http://www.tulva.fi/blogi2.php?aid=116088 by Lauri Punamäki ja Emmi Vähäpassi 22.11.2013 Naisunionin pohdintaa miksi miesten pitäisi sallia liittyä feministiseen järjestöön 6.https://www.facebook.com/FEMEN.International 18.12.2013 Feminist organization fighting for human rights worldwide! Their breasts are their weapons. Originating from Ukraine making fierce action against patriarchy rule and exploitation of women.
7. https://www.bitchmedia.org/post/on-our-radar-feminist-news-roundup-82 21.11.2013News post by Arielle Yarwood fight is far from over, fight for women to have right to their bodies, right for abortion
8. https://womanstats.wordpress.com/?s=state+feminism 21.11.2013 woman stats project, Feminist blog/ column about state feminism in political use during Cultural Revolution in China
9.https://www.salon.com/2013/05/07/how_to_fold_a_thong_a_straight_man_working_at_victorias_secret/21.11.2013 article by Christopher Pilny for Salon
10. https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/05/topless-jihad-why-femen-is-right/275471/20.12.2013 by Jeffrey Taylor article of Femen demonstration in Belarus, demonstrators were kidnapped, tortured by secret police. 11.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirdwave_feminism 14.3.2014

LET’S Go BACK TO FLASHDANCE: THERE IS MORE TO THE MOVIE THAN THE PLOT. IT IS MORE CLEVER THAN YOU GIVE IT CREDIT FOR.

January 29, 2018October 23, 2019 | Henna Timanttimetsä

It is a fairytale kind of spectacle or anti-spectacle in a spectacle, if that is a thing. Anti-spectacle in the sense of changing of the perspective towards gender, class, work and art, romantic is the spectacle, a pattern we expect. The spectacle we are used to seeing and thinking in terms of movies and in general how class, work, gender and art function and are, are thought to represent and be like. The American dream in this case where a beautiful young woman reaches out for her dream, a place in the sun and ends up getting more or ‘all’, a romantic relationship with a Man with a Porsche, who is also the owner of the factory where Alexandra, the woman in question, works at as a welder. One big plus of the movie is it does not highlight the work Alexandra does, welding is just work with men as co-workers, it makes the movie hugely more interesting though, and her the one who lives outside the box and is allowed to do so. She is not harassed by her co-workers, her abilities are not questioned. It is truly a beautiful setting, which her choice of work, most definitely would be seen weird still today.

To explore deeper into what the movie is all about is worth our while as it has been deeply overlooked as many romantic movies that are meant for women usually are. To pay attention to details, characters, camera shots, what is being looked at and told via tensions between women and men and why those tensions exist. What happens between the sexes, between women especially, what are sexes both expected to do, look and be like. Movie is a language as is dance as is sex, sexuality, clothing and gender. You have to focus on to read it all and actually think what are we looking at, what happens there and why all the time. It is not just an entertaining show where you can relax and forget what is going on, this is told via contrasts between sleazy bars, working men and art, how women are treated in different settings and how these settings differ, how women want to be treated and what do they desire of their lives to be. Movie is never just a movie that is meant to entertain, not even those that are made for that purpose, nor is music or the dance acts that seem to be out of place. Point is easily missed when the romantic is what stays interesting and in the focus.

In a bar where ambitious fit and talented dancers show their art, act for paying customers who are watching and are a bit amazed by the unexpected shows. Contrast is also to the other bar where dancing is not the primary interest of anyone, only nude female bodies, that move in a certain way. Women are dancing for money but in a show-your-ass-kind of way, but they still want to be discovered and dream of making it. What are people watching and why, who gets attention? Watching happens for instant gratification, simplicity of getting pleasure cheap and for fun. A bar is a world of something else than the workplace and not a place of thought, burdening oneself. Customers of the bar are not the assumed ordinary art lovers, but that is the point. Why should people be provoked to think more than is necessary, why not give them what they want? To whom is art for and why is it a class issue? What is art and where is art, who is capable of art and why it is a special occasion in a special place? High and low seem to be repulsed by each other, classes stay separated like oil and water. The dance acts, art and artists, are really in the right place. Intention of the movie is not to depict a straightforward story in a manner of this is what happens: this is what we dream of happening to us. It is not a children’s story and it is not pink. It seems light, but is heavier when one starts exploring. That are the expectations and frame women are supposed to fit in, want, act upon and are shown in the movie, that those who dare, can change the game. There is social critique hidden there to be found.

To say Flashdance is a feminist movie is not quite what a true movie lover might expect. What do you think about the turn, that a seemingly light Hollywood movie is feminist in a very kick-ass way and about the structural difficult issue of choosing how to get ahead in life, on one’s own terms and talent, and not sleeping with the boss or buddy who has connections. What do you think about when after having seen and evaluated for example the scene where Alexandra goes and finds her friend who has gone to work as a stripper, moving herself in conventional stripper manner, she is grabbed off the stage by Alexandra and escorted out. In the scene Alexandra’s clothing and standing position compared to her friend tell a lot when friend the stripper ends up in a puddle on street wearing only panties and high heels and is cold. Money, she earned gets wet in the rain on the pavement. Alexandra’s loose pants and sneakers when she stands firmly behind the naked woman who has fallen down and sold her body for money to please men may seem easy and naive, but it is something very basic, a woman on the ground beaten down feeling there is no other opportunity for her.

After having read couple of critiques about the movie and clearly many have missed the point: When one is an art critic it is essential to see behind the expected, the image and be free of bias. What is the seen image telling us, what happens without words, what is the setting and who are the characters, what do they do. Do you need more clues, because explaining has to be done also in a very basic manner, obviously also for critics. When you are an art critic, don’t fall for the simple clichés. Such poor analysis destroys a lot, as does arrogance, assumptions and cynicism. Minimizing culture that is aimed at and is about women and girls is a normal practice. It is a learned reaction which comes without thinking. A black woman eating a banana in a scene where women talk about relationships, well sounds as cliché as anything, but it happens in couple of seconds, and is easily missed, but telling. To make it as you with your raw capabilities, without handouts and favours..

Flashdance, is a feminist movie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flashdance in which woman does work as a welder and pursues her dream to become a professional dancer, also in which women help each other, face sexual harassment and deal with it by acting out, consequences lurking there and threat of violence is almost a certainty. To oppose men means you have to be one and be prepared. Movie portrays different kinds of female roles, a gallery of different kinds of women. The expectations of what women should be like, playing with stereotypes with which women struggle and hold on to as coping mechanisms. They may be afraid to go against the machine or don’t know how to or should they, and those who do not fit in the accepted roles especially, seem to be out of sync or do what they need to do despite whatever. Interesting are the different kinds of female characters there, how there are systematic learned rules of behaviour that stick, codes for genders and how these codes are taken for granted. How women portrayed are in their places and obviously struggle and lack power. They try to move on up as do men, they have dreams. Men try to move inside women’s panties and sex is clearly a very basic tool of control and making it. It is the first thought, easy way out, a getaway car and motive. World of art is a dusty stagnant relic too, which needs heavy dusting. Alex, the leading women, is afraid to enter this monument of perfected trained fragile-looking fairy-like ballerinas and primadonnas. She want’s to make it on her own with her own credentials with her talent and does not need a man to do that for her.

Real life is stranger than fiction says this welder.

“I have a friend who has a simple test for a movie: Is this movie as interesting as the same things would be, happening in real life? A lot of movies aren’t, and “Flashdance” sure isn’t. If this movie had spent just a little more effort getting to know the heroine of its story, and a little less time trying to rip off “Saturday Night Fever,” it might have been a much better film.”

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/flashdance-1983

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085549/reviews

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/may/09/entertainment/la-et-cm-flashdance-musical-review-segerstrom-20130509

Reviews and critiques strongly reflect the persona of the critic who is writing. For some reason in this case feminist perspective does not shine through. Wonder why.