Yujean Park

Fist of the Spider Woman: Tales of Fear and Queer Desire

admin — Thu, 14 May 2009 10:34:00 +0000

A clever play on the seminal novel Kiss of the Spider Woman by Argentine writer and political exile Manuel Puig, Amber Dawn’s anthology Fist of the Spider Woman: Tales of Fear and Queer Desire promises a transgressive alternative to traditional horror literature and its stereotypical, categorical portrayals of women and their sexuality. Packed in this slim volume are seventeen individual works by sixteen authors, primarily short stories with poems dispersed in between. The very existence and formation of a work like Fist of the Spider Woman is deeply political and feminist through its aggregate of queer and progressive writers as well as its subversive representations of women, sex, love and relationships.

That being said, I really wanted to like this book. I wanted to love it with a capital L. Unfortunately, for such an exciting and politically charged production, this book ultimately failed to hook me as its reader. As is a reality for many anthologies, the quality and effectiveness varied from work to work. I did not expect shivers, gasps nor stiffened hairs as part of my reading experience; however, most of the pieces failed to render any kind of response other than blasé tolerance as I turned their pages. The promise this book carries is great, but unfortunately lacking in its execution. They did, however, contain an element of playful twistedness and imagination. I appreciated that the writers did not shy away from taboo subjects, with stories such as Michelle Tea’s “Crabs” (which I found quite enjoyable, and ended being my personal favorite) exploding in raw, corporeal descriptions fused with humor.

Overall, Fist of the Spider Woman's countering portrayal of women characters (especially its villains) is refreshing in comparison to the saturation of femme fatales and damsels in distress one is offered in typical literature, but these radical character productions are sadly overshadowed by tepid prose. Queer horror literature has such transformative potential, and though I wouldn’t say this work embodied that, it is an honest start.

Written by: Yujean Park, May 14th 2009

Quietly Sure - Like the Keeper of a Great Secret

admin — Wed, 13 May 2009 10:31:00 +0000

By Jo Dery

Little Otsu

If I could clap for a book, I would without a doubt for Jo Dery’s newest release, Quietly Sure - Like the Keeper of a Great Secret. (Come to think of it, there’s nothing stopping me, is there?) For a book with such few words, it’s surely good at captivating your attention from the get-go. Its cover doesn’t even announce a title, but instead has a playful, twee cover that manages to suggest, “This isn’t your average child’s storybook.” Although it very well could be.

Quietly Sure is a storybook. It is also a collection of drawings that stand strong on their own, but mesh beautifully together. There is very little narration, just some freely-tied snippety statements and speech bubbles containing thoughtful wonderings exchanged between characters. These characters are ambiguous, varying from snails to a faceless person identified by the plant growing in their stomach, to a bearded hunter-looking man and what looks like lizard. The writing is sparse, and is obviously not intended to contain the most eloquent or complicated revelations, but is sweet, concise, and powerful. And of course, the drawings are so meticulous that each page is to be studied and appreciated.

I consider this the kind of book that amplifies even the most dormant creativities in one’s mind. Tucked away in these pages are the most whimsical and ornate illustrations in fine blue lines that communicate curiosities, heartfelt messages to the reader. Once again, Dery shows her amazing skill as even the simplest of her drawings use the space on her pages with craft. The amount of energy, thought and focus committed to this work is evident, and it’s proven as I look through it again and again and again.

Leave this one out on your coffee table or bathrooms, or just offer it to friends. It’s a treat meant to be shared.

Written by: Yujean Park, May 13th 2009

Against a Trans Narrative

admin — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:27:00 +0000

Directed by Jules Rosskam

I did not know what exactly to expect when I inserted Against a Trans Narrative into my DVD player. Anticipating its arrival, I ran a brief Google search on the film and found myself at the official website, which seemed intentionally ambiguous.

About an hour later, I realized that Against a Trans Narrative was arguably the best movie about gender I’ve ever viewed. It’s remarkably intelligent, sensitive and powerful. A documentary that presents contesting views about gender issues, transgender identity, queer and lesbian politics, and how all of the above play out in real life, it's a captivating and educational watch. The film is a collection of dialogues—a number of small groups in intimate settings gather around a monitor and view and react to various skits. These skits range from a couple in which one of the partners is transitioning from female to male, conversations with real people who are or have transitioned genders, and personal narratives from people who identify as such. Interspersed among segments are bold spoken word performances from Willy Wilkinson.

The filmmakers made an active and conscious attempt to diversify those whose opinions are voiced, as showcased by the differing generations, races, genders, and ethnicities of the participants in these dialogues. For example, one of the focus groups consists primary of college aged youth, while another is an older generation who experienced and was active in the Womanist movement of the 1970s. (I appreciated this very much!)

One of the most amazing things about this film is that it skillfully and without accusation casts the spotlight on the viewer to ask them the same questions as the participants. It challenges one to reconsider their thoughts and opinions on gender, sex, and relationships with the implication that we all have feelings on the subject which inevitably inform the way we understand and relate to people. In this sense, Against a Trans Narrative is very successful in creating dialogue; while a simple goal, it’s often difficult to achieve.

Written by: Yujean Park, February 23rd 2009

Live Through This: On Creativity and Self-Destruction

admin — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:14:00 +0000

Edited by Sabrina Chapadjiev

Seven Stories Press

Live Through This is truly a feminist work. It takes the expressed experiences from individuals coming from a wide array of backgrounds, who candidly and publicly share their experiences with issues labelled taboo and private, offering strength and conscience to readers everywhere.

The format of this work is an anthology of pieces from some of the most groundbreaking American cultural producers. The magnificent list of contributors includes photographer Nan Goldin, academic and feminist bell hooks, trans activist and writer Kate Bornstein, porn star and perfomance artist Annie Sprinkle, and DIY artist Cristy C. Road. Live Through This is a collection of expressions and artworks from powerful women and transgender activists expressing their survival from a multitude of issues ranging from depression, sexualized violence, abuse, and self-destruction. It is successful at invoking both outrage and sympathies, leaving one galvanized. Each selection is unique and powerful in its own way, and takes a wide form of presentations. There are essays, photographs, poems, comics, and more - truly something for everyone - and I found myself digesting each work separately from the other. It's that good: all of the short selections stand out with their own message.

Perhaps what I got most out of Live Through This was a curiosity about the presentation that some of the strongest, most beautiful, and talented individuals suffer through unthinkably trying tribulations, that what doesn't kill us certainly makes us stronger and experiencing some of life's most unwanted traumas is by no means correlated with failure. Easier said than done, but the public vocalizing of pain and suffering from these amazing figureheads offer hope and validation for a diversity of individuals everywhere.

In a society inundated with oppressions stemming from difference (in gender, race, sexuality, class, ability, etc.), it is a remarkable thing to have survived the unliveable, as these contributors so bravely put forth. Captivating, concise, and humbling, Live Through This is easy to put down between pieces and become just as immersed upon picking it up again.

Written by: Yujean Park, August 20th 2008

Sex in Crisis: The New Sexual Revolution and the Future of American Politics

admin — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 23:12:00 +0000

By Dagmar Herzog

Basic Books

Sexual historian Dagmar Herzog's book, Sex in Crisis, takes a look at the construction of sexuality after the sexual revolution in the mid-late 1900s. She analogizes the struggle to claim and determine legitimized, acceptable sexual practices (or absence thereof) to a war, which she believes the Christian Right is winning. Herzog explores the ways in which Christian writings on sex offer detailed, enticing descriptions of sex and sexual desire, all with the aim of inducing convictions against pre- and extra-marital sex, as well as activities deemed "homosexual". She observes that the Religious Right have construed homosexuality as the opposite of heterosexuality, with glorifications of one and hostile criticisms of the other.

This opening chapter is about the increased anxiety the American public has about sex and lays out a number of complicated issues that have emerged after the sexual revolution, many of which Herzog addresses in future chapters: the morality and physiological health of viewing pornography; the contradictory message that arises when public representations of sexuality in mass media have heightened, but people are told to remain chaste; the myriad questions regarding the female orgasm; and the effects of Viagra on the ways we imagine healthy, functioning sexuality, and sexual desire. Herzog cites the latter as being responsible for "raising destabilizing questions about the connections between bodies and emotions: what exactly was turning the man on - the drug or woman?" It's all about the different sides and their respective messages, which purport to persuade one of their convictions and politics.

Herzog brings in an interesting spin on the discussion of American sexuality when she uses the presidential campaign of 1992 (the first time homosexuality was openly discussed, she argues). This relevant historical analysis demonstrates the war over sex. There are other eye-opening discussions, including a fascinating chapter about AIDS and the current Bush administration's response to international AIDS crisis. She paints the picture as one in which neoliberal practices promote abstinence instead of safer sex, contributing to already existing economic and health crises in third world nations.

For a book of its size, Sex in Crisis is loaded with easy-to-understand information on every page.

Written by: Yujean Park, July 27th 2008

Global Feminisms

admin — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 17:40:00 +0000

By Maura Reilly, Linda Nochlin

Merrell

Global Feminisms is a beautifully compiled collection of feminist art from all over the world, literally. Instead of focusing on works from the past, however, the earliest of the pieces in this book date from the year 1990 and looks forward to the future of feminism and art. The countless paintings, sculptures, pieces of installation art, photographs, portraits, etc. come from fifty countries and all continents (excluding Antarctica), and challenges the notion that feminism is Western-centric and male defined. It is comprehensive and easy to read, without being dry or inaccessible.

This book manages to cover such a broad arena so smoothly. Its chapters are focused: “Gender Mobility: The Lens of Five Women Artists in India,” “Post-Totalitarian Art: Eastern and Central Europe” and “What is Contemporary About Asian-American Women’s Art?” are just a few of the many chapters. The intersections of race, class and sex are presented, and many of the pieces deal with cultural, political, economic, gender and sexual identities. The artists share their experiences as women in their particular culture and have created profound works that inspire dialogue, critiques or, simply, wonder.

The art in this book is outstanding on its own with its tremendous diversity and scope – either in presentation, media and look; however, they all unite beautifully to present a successful global presentation of feminist art. And though the art can speak for itself, the writing accompanying it I fantastic and educational. A true enjoyment to read!

Written by: Yujean Park, July 30th 2007

On My Own: The Art of Being a Woman Alone

admin — Mon, 14 May 2007 02:50:00 +0000

By Florence Falk

Harmony Books

In today’s society, there’s no shortage of dialogue from women about the downfalls and loneliness of being single. Romance and the stability and reciprocal affection it brings is arguably one of the most fundamental desires for many.

On My Own reconstructs what is means to be a woman alone, and emphasizes the value of solitude. Her book is a notable publication that efforts to debunk the double standard of single men as strong, coveted bachelors and single women as undesirable spinsters. Containing short personal anecdotes and memoirs to analyses of cultural and pop culture pieces (both historical and contemporary) that refer to women being alone, Falk resists the notion that to be female and single is something to be ashamed of - that single is not an adjective connotative of failure or personal shortcomings. Instead, she insists that to be single is a valuable opportunity with capacity for self-growth, introspection and empowerment. She uses literature ranging from Ibsen’s A Doll House to Steve Martin’s Shop Girl, which perhaps was methodologically used to relate to women of diverse backgrounds, age groups and interests.

There is analysis given to a number of issues women often face, such as a desire for attention from others and the tendency to be hard on oneself. Falk is, after all, a psychoanalyst with two decades’ worth of experience. Thus depending on the reader and their personal experiences, this book can either resemble a liberating self-help book or a piece that simply offers new insights into one’s relationship status.

Written by: Yujean Park, May 13th 2007

Bento Box in the Heartland

admin — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 19:11:00 +0000

By Linda Furiya

Seal Press

Bento Box in the Heartland is a memoir that uniquely ties in the cultural experiences of protagonist and writer Linda Furiya with the foods of her Japanese heritage. Wedged between each chapter is a recipe of some of her favorite dishes, such as Chinese Home-Style Tofu and Japanese Pot Stickers. Heavily permeated throughout the book are perspicuous references to food and the passion she and her family has for their delicacies, which keep them grounded in their Japanese culture. Thus is the reason that her book is cutely labeled as a food memoir.

As Linda reflects upon the struggles and duality of being raised in a Japanese-American house in a small Indiana community – what she refers to as “Whitebread America” – a number of issues are raised. She challenges the idea of gender roles from an early age as her mother raises her to perform domestic tasks, such as washing dishes after dinner, a chore that her father and brothers are never directed to complete. The inevitable run-ins with racism are also written about, due to belonging to one of the only minority families in her community. Written about are events from people's intolerance and misunderstanding of her parents’ accents a to recounted story about a misogynistic war veteran with no shame in sharing his blatant objectification of Japanese women.

As the pages turn, they alternate from being charmingly sweet to serious with emotion; however, Linda’s voice is carried out fairly casual throughout the book. This memoir is purely to share individual experiences, rather than to tackle and attack systems of oppression and discrimination. The discrimination the author and those close to her encounter are due to subtle, socially permeated racism more so than direct attacks under institutionalized racism and sexism. Written safely and unprovocatively, it is an easy, light read that explores the challenges of being raised in a mélange of two cultures.

Written by: Yujean Park, April 9th 2007