make collection policy explicitly trans inclusive

[barnardzines]

Despite what I wrote in my last post here, since our new Barnard hosted blog doesn't allow comments, we will occasionally need to have discussions here on LiveJournal or elsewhere. (btw note that we're also on Facebook with no log in required and Twitter)

Today's query is similar to one I posted in 2008 about adding zines on femme identity by people

Comments

initial thoughts

[anonymous]

hey Jenna - I appreciate your pro-active move on updating the policy, and your upfront acknowledgement of the learning curve. As I'm sure you know, trans folks are constantly moving forward in unraveling cissexism and transphobia, and the language is always racing to keep up with that

Re: initial thoughts

[barnardzines]

Hi Micah,

Thanks for your thoughts and getting the word out!

Responding to your bracketed points:

We actually do collect zines on feminism and femme identity by people of all genders, e.g., Said the Kettle to the Pot: Feminist Theory for Anarchist Men.

"A woman's gender is self-defined." I'm bummed that that line is problematic. I think a lot of us were proud of it as it evolved in the previous collection policy discussion. :) I see your point. I think in the old context of zines by women it did work better than it does in the new proposed policy, so thanks for that.

Adding an explicit reference to trans in the last sentence seems appropriate, so thanks for that, too.

[raynorgrace]

Thanks for posting this question and I'm very interested in the outcome. Our zine policy isn't explicit, but we usually say we collect zines by "girls, women, and woman-identified people" (and then mutter something about collecting transgender-themed/authored zines, and also having zines by men that were collected by our donors and we didn't weed out. We would love to update our website too to more accurately reflect the gender diversity in our collection.
-Kelly @ the Bingham Ctr

[nodesignation]

If I could offer some friendly advice, a lot of folks find "woman-identified people" to be pretty insulting and dismissive. It's basically like telling trans women, "You're not really women, but we recognize that you believe you are, so we're going to humor you

[raynorgrace]

Thanks for your feedback-- it was certainly not our intention to be dismissive by using that language, but rather to point out that we are open to zines by people who identify themselves as being transgendered. Your suggestions are all really helpful for clarifying that point with more inclusive, supportive, and accurate language.

One of the issues is that our collection really started as being just of zines by women & girls written in the 1990s, and then expanded beyond that, sometimes intentionally and sometimes not, without us rephrasing how we describe our contributors or the evolving nature of the collection.

[nodesignation]

Thanks and good luck.

[nodesignation]

I was pointed here by another discussion and wanted to mention a few things that could be useful

caught in an undertow

[barnardzines]

Hi Everyone,

I apologize for not responding yet to all of the comments, suggestions, and criticism you have so helpfully offered. I will as soon as I can. I've just been caught in an undertow--maybe even more than one, with other work issues (talks, new librarian interviews, annual reporting) taking precedence over my beloved zine collection.

More soon(ish)!

Jenna

new version

[barnardzines]

Hi Everyone

Re: new version

[ext_666589]

I like this new version. I think the inclusion of all women (and the exclusion of men except on a case-by-case basis) makes sense for the collection.

I like nodesignation's recommendation of the phrasing "trans experience" rather than "transgender issues." I also prefer the way the first sentence reads with the (cis and trans) in parentheses. I also like the way it de-emphasizes the inclusion, which I think *should* be assumed. Duh, we collect zines written by transwomen. We said "women" didn't we???

Barnard's zines are written by women (cis- and transgender) with an emphasis on zines by women of color. We collect zines on feminism and femme identity by people of all genders. The zines are personal and political publications on activism, anarchism, body image, third wave feminism, gender, parenting, queer community, riot grrrl, sexual assault, trans experience, and other topics.