I think we're all familiar with the name Ariel Gore. If not, let me offer a quick introduction. Gore is the author of How To Become A Famous Writer Before You're Dead: Your Words In Print And Your Name In Lights from Three Rivers Press, a foundational text in the fields of creative writing pedagogy and literary citizenship; She is the founding editor of the zine Hip Mama; and she is currently doing a reading tour with her new book The End of Eve from Hawthorne Books.
Over the past week, Gore has been catching flack for the cover of Hip Mama's 55th issue, which features a self portrait of Ana Alvarez-Erreclade breast-feeding her four year old son. For more details be sure to check out Sarah Mirk's article at http://bitchmagazine.org/post/newsstands-ban-magazine-cover-featuring-a-breastfeeding-mom.
After Facebook banned the cover photo, newsstands began to follow suit. The question is why? Mirk's article offers some possible reasons. She explains that some viewers may be uncomfortable with the age of the boy, or that fact that the photo isn't displaying the female form in a conventionally sexualized manner. It's ironic that as readers we are more at ease with pictures that actually degrade women, so much so that any time we see any nakedness of the female form we expect sexual content.
But what is it about this picture that's making newsstands and readers squirm? My guess is that, in some sense, our culture encourages us to take pride in our callousness. We resist the image because it displays a sort of intimacy and tenderness that makes us feel vulnerable. We favor the idea of independence in such a perverse way that we can't even stand to witness and acknowledge the power of motherhood.
Though Gore is putting out a slightly censored version of the cover for issue 55, she's asking her readers to make a little noise at their local newsstands. To me this seems like a great opportunity to commit a simultaneously supportive and subversive act of literary citizenship.
Ask your local book vendors/magazine stands to carry the un-sanitized version of the new Hip Mama on their shelves. Or, alternatively, subscribe to Hip Mama via Etsy. Gore says all subscribers will get the uncensored cover.
Remember, when you support Ariel Gore, you're supporting a writer who has made a career of supporting other writers, poets, and artists of all types. Even if you don't subscribe, at least give it a gander and spread the word. http://hipmamazine.com/
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