Meet the Woman Who Waged an Artistic War Against Her Street Harassers

[polly7]

Brooklyn oil painter Tatyana Fazlalizadeh got fed up with dudes invading her space. So she started telling them so—very publicly.
—By Nina Liss-Schultz | Wed Nov. 27, 2013 3:00 AM GMT

For many women, just walking down the street can mean being subject to harassment by men—from subtle comments to overtly hostile remarks. Back in 2012, fed up with such treatment, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, an oil painter by trade, decided to speak out: She produced an illustrated self-portrait with a caption—"Stop Telling Women To Smile"—and plastered copies all around her Brooklyn neighborhood. Since then, Fazlalizadeh has created countless posters, literally taking to the street to combat sexist harassment. Each piece features a different woman, with a caption that reflects her own experiences with public harassment. With $35,000 raised on Kickstarter, Fazlalizadeh has now taken her project, named after that first caption, on the road. In January, after traveling to Chicago and Boston to interview women there about how they experience public space, she'll be heading to the West Coast.

MJ: Yes, I've noticed that many of your poster subjects are women of color. Did you intend that as your focus?

TF: Not necessarily the focus, but it was important to have these images and voices in this project. I'm a woman of color. I've lived in black neighborhoods all of my life, and most of the time I get hit on in my neighborhood—and mostly by black men. And so I wanted to have my specific experience and my perspective on street harassment out there. I also feel like this is a feminist issue and is going to be a part of a feminist conversation, and I wanted images of women of color in that conversation—feminism historically has left us out. And I'm learning more about how race is a part of street harassment, and how the differences between what a woman looks like and who she is affects how she is treated outdoors. So black women, Mexican women, Indian women, mixed women and their stories have been part of the series, and as the project continues there will be even more diversity. There'll be queer women, trans women, all of these women who have different perspectives.

Full article: http://www.motherjones.com/media/2013/11/tatyana-fazlalizadeh-artist-street-harassment-stop-telling-women-smile

Something unique and powerful, I congratulate women like these who really are fighting back and affecting the disparity women do face daily. Education in a very real and public way, it's great to see.

aaand, as usual I messed up the title - fixed!

[NJCher]

1. this is a good way to get out the message

It will have an impact. I applaud her for organizing her artistic career with Kickstarter to make her statement heard beyond Brooklyn.

Interesting. I think I will take my social activist class to Brooklyn to see her work and--if she's around--maybe she can talk to the class about this project.

I'd also like to let her know that feminism did not leave out women of color. In the article she states:

I also feel like this is a feminist issue and is going to be a part of a feminist conversation, and I wanted images of women of color in that conversation—feminism historically has left us out.

In the early days of feminism (Friedan, Steinem), we feminists made attempts to bring in women of color with only occasional success. Some of the response was that they felt their allegiance to black activism, not women's rights. I was in a leadership position and I remember it well.



Cher

[NJCher]

2. have some fun

watching this video at her web site. It's time-lapse photography of painting:

http://www.tlynnfaz.com/Video

It's around 5". Worth it if you like art.

Also I note that she has worked with the Philadelphia arts mural project. We may have some friends in common.


Cher

[polly7]

3. Thanks NJCher, I'd missed that.

I think her art is fantastic! I hope you do get to take your class to meet her, it sounds like you'd have a great time.

[awoke_in_2003]

4. Hopefully some get the message...

us men can be a bit dense sometimes. K&R