1 / 16

‘Covered’ Gender Resistance and Identity Narratives through Tattooing

This documentary video project explores tattooing as a means of gender expression, resistance, and identity formation. It challenges stereotypes and examines how heavily tattooed women redefine beauty and empower themselves outside of mainstream norms. The project also addresses societal reactions, family dynamics, and employment discrimination faced by these women.

bfranzen
Download Presentation

‘Covered’ Gender Resistance and Identity Narratives through Tattooing

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. ‘Covered’Gender Resistance and Identity Narratives through Tattooing A documentary video project Beverly Yuen Thompson, Ph.D. Women’s Studies Program Texas Woman’s University bevyuen@gmail.com

  2. Tattooing Once Was a Male Domain…(stereotypically considered prevalent in male subcultures such as military/sailors, prisons/gangs, outlaws/bikers, blue collar workers)

  3. Male-tattoo culture represents women as… magazines Shop girl Piercer Girlfriendswives Books

  4. The ‘Chick Spot’ Tattoo:Women’s place in tattooing is gender normative: wives of tattooists and collectors of gender-appropriate tattoos (small, cute, hidden)

  5. Feminist/ visual/ ethnographer Methods:(n= 60)

  6. Placement Size “heavily tattooed” womencrossing the line… Design

  7. Tattooed Circus Ladies 1880s -1950s

  8. Different Interesting Contemporary heavily tattooed womenexpressing themselves Challenging norms Subcultural humor Beautify Self-expression Spiritual Life milestones Unusual hobbies relationships Identities artwork

  9. Normative femininity is abandoned, along with the straightjacket of conformity to impossible ideals. This opens a space to re-create their own terms of beauty, identity, and empowerment. They can establish their own guidelines, outside of mainstream media pressures and thus retain higher self-esteem than those oriented towards achieving normative “beauty.” Redefining Beauty Outside of the Box

  10. Body Image

  11. Rock ‘n Roll Moms:“You’re a mother now…”

  12. Public Reactions:stares, touching, and rude comments.

  13. Family reactions Mom cried Acceptance

  14. Employment discrimination: legal and socially acceptable “Covering” for work or school

  15. “I Wanna Be Covered…” Conform to society True to self

More Related