WYMYN BYTE

People love boxes. The difference between collectors and consumers may be a matter of boxes. Collectors save, and consumers, throw away. As an artist and educator, I collect too many things, objects, books, and supplies all waiting for some yet undreamed of use. There are a plethora of container options. Some people believe, that if things can be categorized and safely stored in a box or a drawer, all is well. In a similar vein, we can thank “ The Baby Box Lady, Monica Kelsey ,” for a neat third-world solution to unwanted babies. Conceived as a child of rape, her 17-year-old, (prior to the age of consent) birth mother carried her for 9 months and gave birth only to surrender her two hours post-partum at a hospital. How traumatic was carrying a child born of rape? How did the birth mother manage the rest of her reproductive and relationship life? How did she feel about her daughter finding her? Are they in reunion i.e., have a relationship now? Was the birth father charged with rape? Di

Feminists and Barbie have never sat well together. The rise of pink by the gendered Toy industry kept me and others from the color for years. It was not until the Women’s March in 2017 and the signature  Pink Pussy Hats that many of us took back the color pink. The disturbing fashion trend of #barbiecon hot pink on the fashion runways and the hailing of Barbie as a model of feminine “empowerment?’ has me gagging. Once upon a time, women questioned the standards set by the Barbie generation and asked for more, and better. In the 2018 Hulu documentary, “ Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie ,” Gloria Steinem said, “ I am so grateful I didn’t grow up with Barbie. Barbie is everything we didn’t want to be and were told to be.” Thank you Katie Branch for the astute Barbie run down in Vogue, How America’s Favorite Doll Created A Beauty Complex. In a time when we truly have been set back and need to fight for our rights to bodily autonomy, the American culture has dangled her candy-coated dol