A good friend of mine recently shared this link with me, encouraging me to apply for this scholarship for college bloggers. I jumped at the chance, and just submitted my app (cross your fingers for FF! PS, if we win, we'll split the dolla dolla bills amongst all of us, of course). I thought I'd share the essay I submitted with ya'll, because I really do owe this soapbox of FF a lot: it's kept me accountable for recovery (it's hard to indulge your eating disorder when everyone and their mom has read about it), helped me process a devastating breakup and figure out how my feminism works in real life on a daily basis. So thanks for reading! Post on polyamory coming up...soon?
What began in April 2010 as a collaborative blog about sex and feminism in the unique world of Smith College quickly grew into my passion, as my entries signed with my pseudonym “The Sheriff” vastly outnumbered those by other writers on Fornicating Feminists. The blog has decidedly matured from its short and profanity-laden beginnings into discussions that incorporate social theory into the ethics of faking orgasms, but I feel the enthusiasm and authenticity of the origins in still evident in each piece. Going through eating disorder treatment, a difficult breakup, and navigating the college dating (and boning) scene for the first time with my feminist mindset intact proved to be difficult, and through writing about it in a public forum, I processed incidents, emotions, and social issues in a way I never could’ve done on my own. While I was teasing out my own feelings about spanking or porn, I also realized the power blogging had to generate conversations among my friends and (most thrilling of all) complete strangers about what healthy, authentic sexuality looks like, how women can develop that, and the role men have in unwittingly condoning oppression. Particularly powerful to me have been the reactions to the pieces I’ve written about my experiences with eating disorders, self-esteem, and the path to a positive and happy body image. High school girls I’ve worked with through my summer jobs have sent me messages that made me realize the influence one lone encouraging voice has in telling them their big thighs, their Jew nose, their flat chest are all beautiful and perfect and they deserve to interact with people who make them feel that way too. There is an inherent power in women sharing their stories of both oppression and triumph, and I’m thrilled to be a part of that.
Much love,
The Sheriff
Awesome! *crosses fingers*
ReplyDelete