April 03, 2004

It Ain't That Serious

My Fotki album has a folder containing some of my graphic fiddlings. I came across this comment on a photo manipulation of Pam Grier:

I'm so surprised to see this Jezzi-Bell image as one of your t-shirt designs! For centuries, black women have been portrayed as sexual objects by men and still today black women struggle with this same issue of objectification. I find this nude portrait highly offensive, degrading and demoralizing. So please do us (black women everywhere) a favor an take this objectification off your website.

My response:

1)Actually this isn't a t-shirt design, but a result of photo manipulation using Photoshop. But if I so choose I will fashion a t-shirt design from it. Like Bobby B. says, "It's my prerogative!"

2)Yes women (and not just black women) are being sexually objectified every single day. That's life. Either you refuse to let external perceptions affect you or you take others' perceptions and fashion them into something that works for YOU. YOU flip the script. YOU wrest the power of public opinion from their hands. I believe that's what Pam Grier did. When I look at pictures of her I don't see a demoralized, downtrodden black woman. I see a woman that REVELED in her sensuality and sexuality and WORKED that shyt to her advantage. Check out any pic or movies featuring Ms. Grier from back in the day. Her whole vibe was one of strength and confidence. I love working with her images and will continue to do so because they are compelling. Heck, you were compelled to leave an inane comment in my fotki album, no? ;)

3)If I were to take this picture out of my album based solely on your displeasure I would be forced to label myself a weak simpleton that is actually affected by random opinions of strangers. That, my dear, would be akin to death. Alas, I'm afraid this picture will stay. You may now skip along to albums that have more...palatable content.

One credo that I live by in life is "It ain't EEN that serious." I find that there are way too many people walking this earth that take life and themselves far too seriously. How you gone get all het up over a damn picture that Pam Grier took like 93849238409238 years ago? Bottom line no one forced her ass to do it. She is not in that pic with her hooha gaped open to the world. There isn't even any overt nudity! She was a grown ass woman that chose to take pictures and make movies that played up her sensuality. Chez Whitey ain't held a gun to her head, ya know? Honestly, that is one of my favorite images of her. Isn't it funny how different perception is?

I know that opinions on sexual objectification vary like fingerprints. Bottom line I'm just not very affected by it, as there other larger issues with which I have to deal.

Here's the pic, by the way:

In other news, my fro is on the grow! Check out the panty hose headband/fro combo:

I'm going to twist my hair tomorrow. I'll post a report on the results with a few pics.

Later gators!

Posted by Lisa at April 3, 2004 10:22 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Damn homie.. your fro is seriously on the grow

*Grrrrrrrrrrrrr jealous growl*

Mine is on the grow too, but not like that.. Do tha damn thang Miss Lisa !!!!!

Posted by: Pam - Reddy at April 3, 2004 11:53 PM

What did Jay-Z say? Gon' brush ya shouldas off! People will always have something to say but you gotta keep doing you ;) It always amazes me that people will come into a hair album and try to push their opinions on you. I like the picture personally *shrugs* ANYWAY ya hair is looking great!

Posted by: Melanizm at April 4, 2004 10:16 PM

Kudus on your response. I actuallylike that image. It was assertive, powerful yet feminin. Tasteful nudity is not such a bad thing.. and that picture looked like she had all she had under control.. ya con't beat that...kudus

Posted by: Yetty..Blue Ice at April 5, 2004 10:49 AM

Although I don't particularly agree with the whole exhibitionism thing, I don't hold anything against anyone who fancies it. I, for one, am a huge fan of Pam. Not the actress, but the sex symbol. These nouveau divas wish they could possess one tenth of the sexiness she exudes. And she did it all while sportin' a fro'! She is, in my eyes, one of the most beautiful women that ever lived.
Great subject!

Much love...
Zulay

Posted by: Zulay at April 5, 2004 06:33 PM

it cracks me up how a woman posing nude for money and fame is seen as 'powerful' and 'in control.' its ironic that men don't have to pose nude for money and power. hmmmm.

Posted by: lena at April 11, 2004 05:03 PM

It's not seen as powerful and in control by everyone. Every case is different.I try my best to refrain from making blanket statements and I'm pretty sure I didn't. The power I saw was relegated to a few images of Ms. Grier, not every woman that shows her tiddies to the world. Besides, it's been established a long time ago that men are different than women. We've always had to walk different paths to get to the same end result. So nothing to hmmm about...that's a fact of life.

Posted by: Lisa at April 11, 2004 05:27 PM

there's plenty to hmmm about. maybe if we stop accepting the status quo and being so complacent talkin bout "that's just life" perhaps things would be different? there is nothint 'powerful' nor 'in control' about any woman who is posing nude for men to just stare at her nude body tellin their friends "damn this bitch got some big titties."

Posted by: lena at April 16, 2004 11:50 PM

I'm inclined to believe that the hmmming is a subjective thing. Just because one person feels that the fate of the world rests on a woman's bared tiddies does not mean that everyone subscribes to that particular line of thinking. I try hard not to generalize. I never once said that all women that pose naked are powerful and in control. Maybe big tiddies ain't cute and maybe it is. It's a personal thing. Bottom line is you will never find me holling and screaming about what some grown ass woman chooses to do with her body. Status quo? Shoot last time I checked it was actually status quo for posing nude to be a bad thing. I'd be willing to hazard a guess that more women than not are not even down for that shit.

Now if I felt that nudity in general was responsible for the current state of the world I would be all for telling a heffa to cover herself. As it is, I do believe society has bigger fish to fry.

Bottom line is, everyone's entitled to their own opinion. A person would be committing the most insane type of fuckery to even attempt to project their issues and beliefs onto the next person. I'm a strong believer of letting people believe what they want as it very rarely affects me. Don't attempt to disabuse me of my notions and I'll return the favor.

"maybe if we stop accepting the status quo and being so complacent talkin bout "that's just life" perhaps things would be different?"

We? Hmmm...need a blanket for that statement? Change often starts with one person. But I find it's a shitload easier for people to talk about doing some shit and pass judgment on those they perceive aren't doing their part rather than shut the fuck up and start the paradigm shift their own damn selves. Actions speak louder than words. You're not satisfied with the supposed status quo then change the shit. Speaking about how fucked up the world is takes energy. Use all that brain power for good and don't worry about us intellectual peons that are apparently merrily running modern society into the ground. Eventually we'll follow the example that you and others of your ilk establish like the little lemmings that we are!

Posted by: Lisa at April 17, 2004 07:02 AM

i didn't know it was that deep. i didn't know that the fate of the world rested on that pam grier pic either, thanx for letting me know. you do not know what i am doing in my own life and just because i have an opinion about something does not mean that i am passing judgement. in my opinion women like pam grier and the modern day version, lil kim bring women down. so many of us try so hard to not be viewed as nothing more than our body parts and the pam griers of the world sure ain't helping.

Posted by: lena at April 22, 2004 12:30 AM

Um..Lena if you have a problem with Pam Grier and Lil Kim why don't you take that up with them? Lisa didn't endorse this message. Don't take anything that anyone else does as personal. Yo you are only responsible for yourself on this journey. If I want to put Pam Grier on my tee shirt or on my web site- Imma do it. And if you don't like it, it's your problem not mine.

Posted by: Amy at April 30, 2004 01:35 AM

looks like you're the one getting offended by what someone else does (namely me expressing my opinion). i don't give two shits about who you decide to put on your site. not that i visit your site anyway. have a nice day.

Posted by: lena at May 18, 2004 03:23 PM