Emily Diaz
Art Activism
Final Intervention
(click link to see full pages, only put a couple images in the below section)
(Disclaimer: Interview from ANONZ may not work because it's a video but I still have the original audio file)
Bodies, Consumerism, and Inclusivity; The exploitative nature of clothed bodies under capitalism
For my project, I included visual media and interviews in the form of a Zine containing graphics, illustration, and typography. While I did use some graphics from Canva, I made various illustrations on Procreate which either depicted people who wanted to be drawn after the interview, or a visualization of their thoughts and expressions. As an illustrator and cartoonist, I wanted to make a project that would fit into my portfolio. I attempted to use color to separate each section, similar to the idea of chapters but more loose. I use aesthetics such as flowers which symbolizes growth, as we ourselves are going beings. If our bodies and identities are ever changing, I wanted something visually pleasing and also changing to symbolize that. I used the typography aspect as a challenge, but also wanted to be a little bit loose with it as I thought design would be a good way to experiment with the graphics. I wanted to draw these people in order to create simple illustrations as a visual, but also to deepen the meaning. I am representing the people being discussed, who are also discussing the people. They are contributing their voices and representing themselves additionally.
I wanted to give people a space to discuss difficult topics, from sizing to sustainability. Uninformed people seem to believe the positivity movement aims to keep people unhealthy, but it includes everyone. People of all sizes, genders, and body types are struggling to find fitting, accessible, sustainable clothing. While plus sizing is a big issue for many, even clothing length and shape causes immense difficulty. Instead of directly shaming people for buying fast fashion, we should first understand the reasons why they are doing this, and think about how these issues are systematic. If fashion can be a form of resistance including gender and size, the limitations of accessibility make this expression restrictive.
My goal is to take perspectives and allow thought. I want people to read this and to think before they say something negative about representation. It's not just “fat people”. I still see a lot of people talk bad about people with eating disorders or people that are considered plus size. People are still consistently judging each other for their bodies and it’s very upsetting. Although the issues of ethical consumerism are deeply rooted in a series of problems, having people reflect can allow people to reevaluate their choices. Additionally, as a beginning step, we can at least treat people decently, and I want to use my art in order to describe certain feelings and experiences while giving people a bit of a platform to answer questions they feel strongly about.
My final further involves visual identity and discussions of sizing inclusivity through clothing, consumerism, representation and ethics. Each question posed to the volunteers is either geared toward visual identity, sizing, representation of clothes, or accessibility to clothing. Along with each volunteer response, I did research and included some quotes from that research or from myself. As someone who has fit in tons of sizes in the past, I could see social differences each size yet the consumerism based difficulties remain the same.
Considering I made the Zine digitally, it can be posted, shared, and transmitted any way that I can through the Internet. Additionally, I can print the Zine and distribute it in that way as well. I do feel though that the physical version would be a bit off putting to people, considering there is lengthy text which might feel weird for people to read on a physical paper. People recently seem to be more inclined to read chunks of text on their phone than they are in a book. I think because most of us, especially people my age, are so inclined to reading media on our phones that we have adapted to it and gotten used to it that way. If I even wanted to, I could simply attach the Zine PDF to a QR code and leave the QR code in random spots as a sticker. That way, it would leave intrigue and people can simply scan it with their phone and access the entire project.
What I gave to the people I interviewed
(I asked people I know in person, multiple Discord Servers, Instagram, Facebook, and Art mutuals)
Info: This information will be shared in the form of a Zine which includes visual graphics, illustrations, and depictions of people. Your response, whichever one(s) you pick, will either be documented as a quote or depicted as an illustration. Additionally, you can be voluntarily represented as an illustration of yourself. This whole process is volunteer based. Read more below.
Interview Section: Questions
Do you feel everyone has accessibility to affordable AND accurately fitting clothing?
What is your definition of plus size? What is your definition of midsize? How do these sizings vary?
Do you think there should be more size inclusive representation for including mannequins or clothing displays? Do you think mannequins for most stores (in person or online) are realistic for the everyday consumer?
How long does it take for you to find a clothing model that looks similar to yourself? How long does it usually take for you to find & purchase clothing that makes you comfortable?
Do you think it is easy/accessible for different bodied people to access clothing, whether it be in relation to weight, height, or price?
Sites such as SHEIN have high accessibility to plus size and “curve” without the price increase of most retail. How do you think promoting sites like these put ethical consumerism against accessibility? Does ethical consumerism exist without accessibility, if at all?
Does the accessibility of sizes and low prices justify supporting horrible business practices and unpaid labor? Why or why not?
Do you think the relationship between accessibility, consumerism, and representation is fundamentally flawed? Why or why not?
Do you think the accessibility to differently sized clothing would be easier if there was more incentive to include body diversity as a whole (including disability, plus size, gender neutrality)?
Do you believe gender has anything to do with treatment of diversity in body type? How do you believe plus size women/men/queer people are treated? Are these treatments different?
How do you feel about the argument that plus size clothing shouldn't be an option, as plus size = obesity and should not be reinforced as it is unhealthy?
Other: Please provide any information you can regarding the discussion.
Using visual language, shared experiences and my perspective as a mid/plus sized woman, I will be exploring the relationship between inclusivity, consumerism, accessibility and representation. I wanted to bring about several topics in relation to inclusivity, sizing, and consumerism. We all need clothes. Clothing is not only a physical representation of how we want to present visually, but also keeps us warm, secured, and hopefully comfortable.
Inspirations
Ben Jones
Ben Jones' work explores the relationship of himself as a man of color, his history, and the world around him. The body is policed and politicized. Art and conversation regarding the body and identity, as a result, are revolutionary as they push against ideas of the toxic status quo. My Zine recollects experiences of people with body differences (shape, size) and explores the relationship of bodies or identity and the consumerism around them.
Stop Telling Women To Smile - Tatyana Fazlalizadeh
The portrayal of images of people after being interviewed creates a personal connection and association, inspired by this project directly.
Brye Music
Social media influencer and musician in recovery from eating disorder, using her music to inspire body positivity and reverse the stigma around fat being a dirty word.
Faythefae
Disabled influencer with an interest in fashion and advocacy. Openly discusses their disability, aesthetic fashion choices, sustainability, and visual presentation as a queer person.
The Art of Activism, Your All-Purpose Guide to Making the Impossible Possible by Steve
Duncombe and Steve Lambert
“To put it simply: as artistic activists, we need to become really good storytellers.”
In order to inspire understanding and sympathy, we must share our stories and educate. If our shared humanity is seen, perhaps people will see each other as… people and not be as abusive or judgemental.
“History makes us, whether we like it or not. Where we have been shapes who we are now, as well as what we can imagine for the future”
Historically, the beauty standards for both sexes has been evolving. Sizes, too, have been changing yet the ideals of sizing and shape are still restrictive. In order to envision a future with accessibility to all, the historically systemic perspectives and economic factors would need to be reworked.
The Matlock Method- the literature table
“Some of us have been behind it; we’ve all been in front of it. A flimsy fold-out table stacked high with flyers, reports, and books packed with facts designed to convince “the people” of what’s really going on. And we’ve all likely seen (or possibly created) artwork that seeks to perform a similar function: using bold images to “visualize data” and illustrate important information that, again, is hoped to awaken people to what’s really going on.” (172)
John Berger, Ways of Seeing
“Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at”
“To-be-looked-at-ness” -Laura Mulvey
- concepts of attractiveness; gendered expectations of visual identity, shape and size, to be looked at and perceived
Nicholas Mirzoeff, How to See the World
“It’s an invitation to others to like or dislike what you have made and to participate in a visual conversation”
Citations (Background info and quotations)
Christel, Deborah. (PDF) What plus-Size Means for plus-Size Women: A Mixed-Methods Approach, 20 May 2019, www.researchgate.net/publication/343768618_What_plus-size_means_for_plus-size_women_A_mixed-methods_approach.
czerniawski, amanda m. Beauty beyond a Size 16 - Amanda M. Czerniawski, 2016, Sage Publications, 2016, journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1536504216648157.
Dockterman, Eliana. “Clothing Sizes: How Vanity Sizing Made Shopping Impossible.” Time, Time, time.com/how-to-fix-vanity-sizing/. Accessed Apr. 2024.
Gruys, Kjerstin. “Gruys, Kjerstin. 2012. ‘does This Make Me Look Fat?: Aesthetic Labor and “fat Talk” in a Women’s plus-Size Clothing Store.’” Social Problems, Vol. 59, No. 2 (November 2012), Pp. 481-500., 3 June 2014, www.academia.edu:443/1971684/Gruys_Kjerstin._2012._Does_This_Make_Me_Look_Fat_Aesthetic_Labor_and_Fat_Talk_in_a_Women_s_Plus-Size_Clothing_Store._.
Luna, Elizabeth de. “Shein Exploited Marginalized Women for Their Influencer Trip. It Worked.” Mashable, Mashable, 27 June 2023, mashable.com/article/shein-influencer-brand-trip-exploitation.
Rebolini, Arianna. “Why Big and Tall Men’s Clothing Is so Hard to Find - Men’s plus Size Fashion Brands.” Esquire, 24 July 2017, www.esquire.com/style/a56297/big-and-tall-plus-size-mens-clothing/.
Smith, Adam. “Social Media Abuse of Plus-Sized Models Encourages Women to Be Abusive.” The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 20 Sept. 2021, www.independent.co.uk/tech/plus-size-models-online-abuse-b1923485.html.
“What’s the Difference between plus Size, Extended Size, and Straight S.” Outdoor Research, Outdoor Research, 7 Dec. 2023, www.outdoorresearch.com/blogs/stories/whats-the-difference-between-plus-size-extended-size-and-straight-size.
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