Because I have a weakness for both sewing and trashy TV, I'm a total Project Runway addict.
For this week's challenge, designers were paired off to make pageant gowns for Miss America. One team, composed of the truly crazy Vincent and always-annoying Angela, bickered the entire time. Angela at one point refused to help at all, and Vincent later demanded she stay 3 feet away from the dress form. In short, they were both acting like children.
At the end of the day, Vincent was complaining to other male contestants about having to work with Angela. And Jeffrey Sebelia (he of the nasty neck tattoo and even nastier attitude) poked his head around the corner to say, "I got one word for ya: FEMINAZI!"
I'm not defending Angela's design skills or behavior (or taste, for that matter), but that seems totally ridiculous. And this isn't the first time "feminazi" has been used as an insult on the show to describe a woman who disagrees with a self-righteous male designer.
Project Runway (season 1) winner Jay McCarroll mentioned the term Feminazi to describe eBay Style Director Constance White during the show's "Making A Splash" challenge, where White was a guest judge. It was said to fellow contestant Robert Plotkin, who earlier was criticized by White for his oft-quoted comparison of women to sports cars.
I missed Season 1 due to lack of access to premium cable, but it makes me wonder how a proudly, openly feminist contestant would fare on the show. It's no secret that feminists and fashion haven't always gotten along. But I think the two can definitely coexist, and would even venture to say that learning to make clothes, DIY-style, is definitely a feminist act. (And can be feminist activism, too!)
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i am SO pleased that you blogged on this. i was very upset last night with Jeffrey - i had really liked him up until that point! why did he have to say the F word?? i knew that i could count on you to write about it and make me feel better. i know i'm not crazy for getting all riled up. thank you feministing!
The guy sounds like an ass-hat, and his behavior concerns me--but the issue of how a feminist would fare on this show is kind of overshadowed by the question of what a feminist is doing designing a dress for the Miss America pageant. Just saying.
hm. i've broken my pop culture habit. from outside, you sound a little like a battered wife who rationalizes it that the good times are just so good. did this guy use the word "feminazi" or didn't he? did the producers choose to air it, or didn't they?
diy is great, but tolerating abuse? notsomuch.
stop watching. write the network to say why.
oh my god, THANK YOU.
like was that even relevant or necessary? no. it was just stupid.
I was similarly annoyed by that.
[SPOILER...]
And I was sad to see Malan go. He was crazy, but in a way I found strangely endearing.
That word. feminazi. it enrages me. to compare a woman who simply wants to stop being criticized because of her gender with a nazi...
I agree..it's necessary to boycott the show. In fact, I may write to the show myself to complain.
Fashion can be feminist, but mainstream fashion is far from embodying feminist values. To be honest, I see this show as a guilty pleasure sometimes. I allow myself to give into the pressures of society for that hour, acknowledge how I long to be thin, "beautiful". It's so tempting. But I live for feminism. It has to come first.
[hemming, hawing] Why is it okay to characterize Vincent as "crazy," "nuts," "about to explode," or any of the other ways he's been described, here and in numerous other PR discussions?
yes, thank you thank you thank you.
as if i didn't have enough reason to disdain jeffrey already!
I'm also glad you mentioned this, that comment felt like a slap last night.
But to be honest, this all seems to be a theme for the PR I have noticed before:
Men who hate/fear women and yet design clothes for women. Look at some of Santino's designs (open for interpretation of course) and also notice how the male contestants in this season and last receive Nina Garcia's opinion and authority. They rarely talk about Kors like that. Just my opinion, of course.
>>>the question of what a feminist is doing designing a dress for the Miss America pageant
As far as I know, Angela doesn't identify as a feminist at all.
>>>>Why is it okay to characterize Vincent as "crazy," "nuts," "about to explode," or any of the other ways he's been described, here and in numerous other PR discussions?
I think largely because of the basket hat. Yikes.
Why boycott the show? Because one of the contestants is an ass - the producers can't control what the designers say. Personally I'm glad they showed it so I know not to root for the guy.
I only remember Santino being a jerk to Nina - but he also insulted Kors. If I missed something, could you fill me in?
I was so confused when he said that- to me, "Feminazi" is a term used when a woman pushes for (gasp!) equal treatment. When did it become the norm to use it to identify women who are just bitchy?
Also, as soon as I heard him say it, I was shocked, but I also knew that tons of feministing fans were making the same face I was, and it was a nice thought.
=)
First, I love Project Runway. Second, I am so glad you mentioned this becasue I was so pissed off. I didn't like that guy at all to begin with, and this just made it worse. But why would anyone suggest we boycott the entire show because one asshole (who certainly doesn't speak for the show, he speaks for his own viewpoint and stupidity) said something messed up? I don't boycott a newspaper when a person written about in an article says something horrible... Why should the producers have cut it? It shows he's a total jerk.