For number three I'm back way off in left field. I followed a series of links from A Blog Without a Bicycle to find: Queer Dewd. Before you click that link... be warned, it's rated 'R'.
The pictography on the blog is misleading, what with the naked men and all, however there is A LOT going on here. I only read about three posts, but this is definitely a notebook style blog. Each post I read must have been in the vicinity of 3,000 words.
The blogger, who refers to herself (I think she's a she, but I couldn't swear by it) as 'Queer Dewd' was apparently formally known as Bitch Lab. I read both of the posts that supposedly explain the name switch, but I have to admit I still don't get it.
As a feminist and women’s studies minor, this blog was fascinating, but intense. Queer Dewd uses sort of a freeform stream of consciousness angry ranting style. She is coherent, but high handed with her language at times (which is an interesting concept, as in Feminism issues of language and access to language is an issue that determines power. Think the Catholic Church using Latin to limit the flow of religious information to the lower class, requiring all religious information to come from a priest, since the bible and Mass were in Latin). You couldn't read this blog, I don't think, without already having a deep understanding of Feminism.
Queer Dewd attacks social issues from the perspective of an earthy Feminism. As any reasonably versed feminist can tell you, "feminism" was sort of a white middle class phenomenon. Even now, it focuses on a white middle class woman's perspective, often ignoring issues of race, class and sexuality as well as gender (which is different from genetic sex). Queer Dewd looks at things in a more encompassing view, taking into account issues of race, class, ability, gender perception, sexuality, and whatever else you can come up with. In other words, her interest is in the ideal of what to my mind is 'pure' feminism. The idea that equality is for everyone, but not always the same for everyone.
Queer Dewd has a real talent for words, and as some of her commenter mention, often sounds much like poetry. I think some of the highly esoteric nature of her writing adds to that feeling. Even as a well-versed feminist coming from a similar perspective as Queer Dewd, I know I will have to read what she wrote several times before I have a true comprehension of the depth and breadth of what she's saying. Honestly, it makes me feel rather shallow on one hand.
On the other hand, as I mentioned before, she is using language as barrier. I suspect she would deny this hotly, as this is a very classest thing to do. I don't feel that this is at all intentional on her part, I don't think she means to alienate others, but for how very important and universally applicable much of what she says is, I feel like the kind of people who would read it and fully or even partially understand it, are already apt to be at least in partial agreement with her. Preaching to the choir, in other words.
In a way, this brings me back to A Blog Without a Bicycle, and that bloggers discussion of feminist networking on the blogosphere. After reading Queer Dewd, I have a better grasp of what ABWaB is getting at. The community that Queer Dewd has built up around her ideals. But, both blogs bring me to the same question... what good does it talk to other feminists about feminism? Yes, there may be differences of opinion (Queer Dewd has a post about 'sex positive' vs. 'sex negative', sex positive meaning that one understands and accepts even if one may choose not to personally participate, all the bizarre aspects of human sexuality. Someone who Queer Dewd calls 'sex negative' is someone who ascribes 'good' and 'bad' sex, be it frequency of partners or that only certain power neutral sexual positions are acceptable if one is truly a feminist.) But over all, feminists are at least reading from the same book.
Isn't the audience we really need to be addressing the kind of people who are part of the "problem"? If that's the case, than this sort of esoteric networking doesn't really serve anything but ego. I'm not saying this is the case, but it's definitely something that, as a feminist blogger myself, I need to consider.
Queer Dewd is definitely a bog I will continue to read. One post is probably all anyone should try to handle in one sitting due to the extreme length (for a blog post) and the depth of the subjects often being covered. I think it's definitely a unique facet of the blogosphere.
The two posts that I read most in depth are: Why Queer Dewd? and Shame Affirmative
No comments:
Post a Comment