feminist of the week: kat muscat
Name: Kat Muscat
Age: 22
Occupation: Voiceworks editor
How would you describe yourself and your life?
I’m a Melbourne-based word nerd who is happiest in a good beer garden with some friends or a bunch of manuscripts. I cannot cook or run very fast. At the end of last year I completed a double degree in literature and philosophy but am still getting used to life post–concession prices.
One thing a number of Voiceworks eds mentioned over the years is that their mental and emotional state was pretty much directly linked to how things were going with the magazine. And it’s true. We’ve just finished launching my first issue, ‘Space’ (#89), across the country, which has been fantastic – I got to attend the Perth, Sydney and (obviously) Melbourne gigs. So life has been super exciting and busy.
What does feminism mean to you?
Feminism means tackling the structures and attitudes in society that just don’t make sense. It doesn’t make any sense that we continue to have a culture of victim blaming when it comes to sexual assault. It doesn’t make sense that bros get paid more than ladybros for the same job. It doesn’t make sense that in 2012 we still haven’t figured out how to support both raising a family and a woman’s career. That the domestic sphere is still largely understood to be ‘woman’s work’. That we judge the worth of a woman based on her physical appearance; men can be silver foxes and females of the same age are hags. All these blatant or sneaky double standards that don’t do anyone any favours need to be addressed. Feminism wants what is best for everyone. It means being able to ask why things are the way that they are. And if the answer isn’t good enough, to work towards something that is.
Do you think feminism has a place in today’s society?
Fuck yes. Of course it does. The fact that I feel like all this should be prefaced with ‘I don’t mean to sound all militant about it but…’ is a pretty clear indication that the work isn’t done yet. You still get a lot of really strong, intelligent women and men who don’t identify or who actively want to distance themselves from feminism because it’s seen to be unattractive or unnecessary. Which kinda baffles me. We still live in a patriarchal society that can’t come to terms with its own unhealthy and ridiculous systems of privilege. There are still huge institutional and cultural shifts that need to take root before we can even begin to question the relevance of working towards equality.
Which feminist stereotype annoys you the most? Why?
They’re all pretty awful. Anita Sarkeesian (the lady behind http://www.feministfrequency.com/) has done a great video series of snappy refresher courses on where these tropes come from, some relevant examples from pop culture and an insightful rundown on just how much they suck and why.
My pet hate one is probably the ‘nitpicking feminist’ because it’s so insidious. Smart people who won’t be lured into the whole ‘feminists hate dudes!’ misdirect will still be tricked into this kind of response. It’s a weird, defensive and massively counterproductive weighing up of evils. And it can be used with something akin to good intention, I guess. The whole ‘yeah, it’s pretty shitty that we still judge women for how they dress, but that’s nothing compared to female circumcision’. What? Of course that’s worse. But it’s not what we were talking about. This tactic is especially frustrating since it’s pretty unlikely anyone at the table is going to then meaningfully campaign against female circumcision. So the whole point of bringing it up is to make the feminist argument at hand seem petty and self-serving. A lot of time and energy gets wasted in these sorts of discussions, because you have to spend half of it reaffirming the importance of the original point.
If you could pass on one piece of advice to other feminists, what would it be?
Never feel like you’re not allowed to be critical. Take the time to learn your stuff, get your head around history and get involved in the community. And from that strong standing, be confident in your assessments. Fear of sounding like a bitch is an incredibly powerful way to stifle important conversations – and it’s still so much a part of how we’re raised that it’s a difficult one to shake.
I worked in bars and clubs for years before getting the Voiceworks editorship. Often male customers would say things like ‘Smile, sweetheart, it’s a shame to see such a pretty girl frown’. This wasn’t something my guy coworkers ever had to contend with. Even if the customer wasn’t doing it intentionally, the idea behind that kind of thing is: it doesn’t matter if it’s 4am and you’re exhausted, just don’t look it. If I pulled them up on this, I was a bitch who couldn’t take a compliment – not a person on the sleepy side of the night shift. Sometimes you’re going to be labelled a bitch for calling it how you see it. Call it anyway.
Also, don’t fall into the trap of feeling that other feminists are obliged to agree with you – or that you’re ‘doing feminism wrong’ if your arguments and opinions don’t match up with those around you. Women are one hell of a diverse group, and no-one wins when we pretend that it’s not. Race, class and nationality have massive bearings on everyone’s personal politics. Always be respectful and open to that.
Do you think it is possible for women and men to treat each other equally without falling back upon the conventions of femininity and chivalry? Is this notion desirable to you?
Conventions of femininity and chivalry don’t strike me as real equality. They’re like the polite cousin that values peace over progress and is really boring at dinner parties. So while there’s nothing wrong with being feminine or holding the door open, these things should not be at the core of how we relate to each other or what we value.
I think it’s much more productive to reconcile the diversity in how individuals interact with gender. Women are no less authoritative if they wear heels. Men with traditionally feminine attributes shouldn’t be seen as somehow weaker. People who defy conventional gender roles shouldn’t be seen as targets for ridicule. Let’s get our heads around more tolerant and intelligent ways of relating to ourselves and each other – not settle for whatever is less offensive to the status quo.
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Kat Muscat would love to see more feminist critiques in Voiceworks magazine. The deadline for the next issue, ‘Equals’ (#91), seems perfectly suited to this! The writers’ deadline is Sunday the 9th of September. You can find their submission guidelines here: http://expressmedia.org.au/voiceworks/index.php/submissions/
