Journal Entry #3

Writing, like most art forms, is best approached and accomplished when done so with intent. This intent may be to change the reader’s minds about a topic, educate them on something about our world, entertain them for a while, encourage them to think deeply about a theory, or one of the many other reasons that someone may choose to write and share something. What the piece of writing intends to do ultimately shapes every aspect of it, from the writing style to the format.

In “The Transfeminist Manifesto” by Emi Koyama, the goal is to educate and persuade, specifically regarding pro-trans feminist theory, making a manifesto an appropriate genre of choice. The piece explores the principles of transfeminism, especially those of individual bodily agency and the right to define and express one’s gender as they please, addressing multiple counterarguments along the way. The intent behind this piece encourages the language to be as accessible as possible, while maintaining a highly intelligent, competent, and well-researched tone. The accessibility increases reach, and the writing style improves the persuasive effect of the writing. Furthermore, as the hope is to make the pro-trans feminist lens more readily available to potential readers, the decision to provide background information and to anticipate specific forms of backlash to Koyama’s claims make the piece stronger overall, such as in the section that discusses “the question of male privilege” in trans women (Koyama 247). The goals of the author of a text also impacts audience, and this piece’s audience is most likely other feminists who may or may not be trans-inclusive in their approach to feminism. As such, the text is not trying to persuade the reader to the side of feminism, broadly, but instead narrows the argument to the specific matter Koyama wants to present: pro-trans feminist theory. This makes the writing that much clearer and automatically cuts back on unnecessary information that might be provided if the text had a different goal.

A completely different, yet related idea, can be see in the children’s book Killer Whale Eyes by Sondra Simone Segundo, a short, illustrated work that tells the story of a young girl of the Haida people who was born with the eyes of a whale and ultimately leaves her human life behind to become one with the whales that are so sacred to their culture (Segundo 26). This narrative was made for Indigenous children to see themselves represented in a positive, respectful way and to educate them on the importance and themes of their stories. In this case, because the audience is integral to the goal of the work, it drastically influences the presentation. Children’s books are an excellent and important way to educate kids about the world and even themselves, making it the most accessible written medium for young children in their formative years. The language in the story is simplistic and straightforward, as one would expect in a children’s book, but an important thing that sets it apart is the use of words in the Haida language, a move that emphasizes the value of keeping this language alive and deepens the meaning of the work. As another potential goal of the work is to share Haida culture with the world, this serves to educate on how language plays such a vital role in both culture and upbringing. Killer Whale Eyes makes a strong statement that Indigenous children deserve not only to be represented properly, but for their languages to be preserved and respected.

Lastly, the Riot Grrrl movement presents itself as a case in which the goals of the writers intrinsically defined an entire subculture of feminist writing. Most active between 1989 and 1997, the Riot Grrrl movement produced numerable zines by young girls and women that demanded change, created safe spaces for solidarity and support, and shared deeply personal stories that highlighted the need for feminist action and advocacy for women. This unofficial group was one of feminist rebellion rising vocally against patriarchy and everything that comes with it (Darms). Zines are short, self-published works, usually a mix of text and images, and they became a cheap and easy way to widely circulate stories and information to the public, especially as the medium is so accessible without the need to confront traditional publishing barriers. With the express purpose of these zines being to incite feminist feelings of solidarity and a drive for change in its readers, the zines were unfiltered and direct, with one reading saying, “Burn down the walls that say you can’t…resist the internalization of capitalism…acknowledge emotional violence as real” (Darms). The style is informed by the goals of the writers, which allows for powerful, memorable phrases and art pieces to be made and shared. Though the zines are not necessarily meant to be educational, they do still provide a cultural context to those who might not have seen these sentiments put to words before, therefore further using this format to incite action.

Feminist writing inherently has intent behind it. What that intent may be and how it is put into effect varies dramatically across genres and specific writers. As such, it’s an important thing to consider not only in reading exploring feminist texts, but in producing one’s own.

Works Cited

Darms, Lisa. “Grrrl, Collected.” The Paris Review, https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2013/07/30/grrrl-collected/. 2013.

Koyama, Emi. “The Transfeminist Manifesto.” Catching a Wave: Reclaiming Feminism for the 21^st Century, Northeastern University Press, 2003.

Segundo, Sondra Simone. Killer Whale Eyes, Sealaska Heritage Institute, 2014.