This whole controversy with Todd shoving his foot in his mouth stuck with me longer than most of these things do. So I kind of felt I had to dig a little deeper. Here we’ve side-stepped his whole ignorance of science, preserved in the title, in favor of a linguistic examination of his statement. Perhaps we’ll come back to that later?
Was struck by different interpretations of the meaning of “legitimate rape.” There are two veins within the comments on my related post from last week. That is, legitimate can be construed to mean justified or, alternatively, real/actual. I was in the latter camp in my understanding of Todd’s intent (indeed, he did correct himself to the party line of forcible (a word with its own issues)) and I feel remiss in missing the other possible connotation so clearly conveyed in the adjective legitimate.
I tossed around this ambiguity and started thinking about all names of categories of rape we’ve been given over the years and how some can be misused to justify the acts. That is, though labels like spousal and date served to expose previously un-discussed violations, I wonder if they also led to linguistic and verbal protections for the attacker in some circles. But that is off-topic a little for today.
Back on track… What about the slang legit? It has even more—and some contextually worse—connotations in this situation. Let’s try this one.
Although my intent in designing this quilt is manifold, at base, this piece simply uses the language at play and seeks at once to ask some of these questions: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How…rape. It might have different meanings for the viewer.
To illustrate my intent, a more free-ranging photoshoot is necessary, which requires a team since my neighbors are very…inquisitive. Anyway, I half-imagine the quilt traveling around the world being photographed everywhere like one of those rogue garden gnomes. We’ll see…
Now we’ll leave Todd behind. Yes, that’s a very good idea.
The Details:
Pattern: some scrappy improv; and some improvised words
Materials: flour sacking, muslin, Kona cotton, osnaburg; wide red print for backing
Techniques: machined pieced; machine quilted; and hand-bound
Finished size: 62″ x 88″
Started: August 23, 2012
Finished: August 24, 2012
This I love. It could get pricey mailing a big quilt like that around..you could make a mini quilt and it would be financially feasible and probably make it a lot farther afield. It would also provide for more maneuverability in locations.
Oh, I agree. I hadn’t imagined mailing it around but rather traveling with me.
Thanks for your ideas, though. That could be interesting too.
I was wondering if this post was blocked by the establishment. Glad I got to see your work. Don’t understand this debate at all!
Ah, sorry. I accidentally published the post after the first couple of paragraphs. Oops.
I love the idea of the quilt being photographed in different places. If you ever make it over to England, I’d love to host it
Funny
Hello!
I’m bemused by all this……maybe we English are a bit more rigorous with our use of English ( well presumably most people are when compared to Todd Akin) ….but according to the Oxford English dictionary the word rape means :
Definition of rape :
noun
1 the crime, typically committed by a man, of forcing another person to have sexual intercourse with the offender against their will:
That’s it…….against their will. Force.
What more can anyone say? Putting the word legitimate with it is not possible.
But I LOVE the quilt !!
you hit the nail bang on the head here. a quilt on a bed, a place of security and comfort…
Fast and right on the head. I would love to photograph a mini in front of Spoonbridge and Cherry here in Minneapolis for your photo essay.
Even having a picture of your quilt would be amazing to send around so people could share their stories and help bring the reality of rape to light. The shame is always put on the victim of rape as if it is somehow his or her fault whether it be by the attacker, society, or the victim his/herself. I would be proud to be part of such a project. Great job as always!
Oh, sending this full size(!!!) quilt around to be photographed in different places is a great idea. I’d be happy to “host” it, photopraph it to my limited ability and pay for the shipping to and fro. Sponsoring my part of the quilt’s journey so to speak.
Seeing it on a bed like that made me feel nauseous. In a good way, you know?
The whole “no pregnancy after rape” idiocy has made lots of headlines over here, too.
I know exactly what you mean about the feelings of seeing it on the bed. Same thing here. Powerful.
Again, I admire your ability to express yourself, both in words, and in this quilt. I agree that the shot of it on the bed is particularly unnerving.
As I said on flickr: this makes me shiver. It scares me that ignorand men really think this way, stil. If you ever send this around the world, I would love to take part and make a picture for you from BERLIN, Germany!!!
Some day there is going to be an amazing one woman show of your quilts. another excellent addition.
Awesome idea!!! It would be amazing if you could get a bunch of those pictures and mail them to his office…especially if you had other women’s stories to go with it. Maybe some brave souls will step forward to help. What he said was inexcusable, ignorant and insanely offensive. People like that should not be in positions of power.
Very bold.
The image of the quilt on the bed is really powerful. It’s a beautiful quilt, C. It’s an important quilt.
Yay C, this one is disturbing & thought provoking.
Cannot fathom how you did this in 2 days.
Really powerful.
Thank you.
if you ever want to photograph it in Philly, i will gladly help!
you’ve done it again. reblogged.
godamnit, I love everything you do. effing brilliant!
As a early 30′s knitter/sewer/all around lover of handcraft, I am regularly looked at with pity or confusion when I mention my uncool addictions. Thank you for consistently giving me proof for my adult students (we’ll be discussing this in class tomorrow evening) that counter the stereotype of the quaint, but empty-headed granny knitting unwanted scratchy sweaters.
Though I’m greatly impressed, and sometimes chilled right through, by your thought-provoking works of art, it’s unfortunate that the world insists on continuing to provide fodder.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and passion. Now if only more people could process their frustration and anger in such a way (what you do is for me a perfect example of form and function even if it isn’t the dictionary definition of it. Beautiful, yet serves the function of healing/venting/etc…..paired with warming of course!)
such a clever play with the words and to put it on a quilt… send it to the idiot that said it…
This is so powerful, C. I have been unable to adequately express my fury and horror over what Akin said, and of what lies beneath it (i.e., the fact that, though he was castigated by his party, he was actually exposing a vein of what they think). Seeing your quilt and reading this post has moved me deeply.
This is a really powerful piece, and one that I think provokes different kinds of conversations depending on where the quilt is viewed. A very interesting, creative response to the comments made and the ensuing discussion around it.
i think an exhibition of your work is in order, it’s amazing no curators have jumped to put you in a show, this is thought provoking contemporary art you produce.it always has so much to say.And thank you for saying it.
Put me down to host – mini or big. I’d gladly take my part in photographing and sending along.
As usual, powerful, amazing AND beautifully executed. I have been simmering with rage about this comment. I sometimes wish I could craft this way. Your way and the way of Frida Kahlo and so many other artists, to express a pain or anger. I love that you’ve found a way to do that for those of us who are unable.
Your beautiful & thought-provoking work is what makes you one of my favorite artists. This rape survivor would be proud to host & photograph your art…I’ve already got the perfect spot picked out right in front of the Old Capitol.
i am moved to tears. love this miss c.
“Legit” rape. For my generation, “legit” is taking on a connotation of approval, so this phrase “legit rape” means… approved rape? This whole thing is jarring. Most of me cannot get over the fact that he dared to judge whether or not rape is legitimate. Again, thank you for taking on these big issues in a thoughtful manner.
Dang! Once again your art speaks volumes. I am inspired by your work. Thank you for sharing it and giving voice to those rendered voiceless by non legit power brokers.
I agree w/ Tonya R, when you are ready, a one woman word quilt show is needed.
Kapow. I’m thankful to Todd Akin for exposing a woefully common worldview usually shrouded in doublespeak and false piety.
Genius!
WOW! I thought the cross stitch was thought provoking-this takes it to the whole next level. You amaze me with your talent.
I thought about this piece all day yesterday. It is SO powerful it makes my hair stand on end! Thank you for such a provocative work. You inspire me!
Wow. This quilt makes an incredible statement. Seeing it on the bed definitely multiplied its impact for me. Job well done!
A nice pair with your “Stop the War on Women” piece.
I like to hope that these are the last gasps of white male domination. With the darkening of the American population, the colleges filling with women, it seems it won’t be long before they will be out of power. With hope.
powerful…thank you.
Wow. Great work. You are fast, thoughtful and eloquent.
This part from the link made me sad A fundraising website bannered “Help Todd Fight Back Against the Liberal Elite,” said he had raised almost $30,000 by Wednesday afternoon. I hadn’t seen that before.
I wish your quilt wasn’t needed. Thank you for sharing this
Maybe women could take a picture of your quilt (or an image of the quilt) in the location they were raped then send a narrative to Todd. It would be an interesting form of therapy. This who issue is so enlightening. I never realized how many people still had such prehistoric mindsets.
How many of us have been raped, sexually or emotionally? I’m sickened a politician thinks he’s qualified to rank or judge us. Amazing quilt. I would like to place it on a certain dorm room bed.
This is fan-friggin-tastic. Truly. Well done you for making this. I, too, would support a world tour.
it’s great in a terrible but profound way. maybe a more portable one would be the same message on a baby quilt,
A baby quilt. Not a mini. Another powerful message. Have you seen the interview where Ryan calls rape another, “means of conception”? Who the hell do they think they are? He’s proud of his pro-life record. I’m proud of my pro-choice record, too.
I feel like women who gave birth to children conceived from rape ought to take photos of their babies on it. You know, those babies that never happen.
Powerful. Awesome. Profound. You are a champion for us all, and that you do it through quilts… freaking brilliant. Thank you.
PS, sign me up if you need a spot on the tour (for here in Astoria, Oregon) – I would love to host a turn!
Incredibly powerful.
Am I reading correctly, you did this in one day???
I’m afraid I’m a disagree-er, lol. I love your talent, love your quilts, and follow you avidly, but think that what the man meant, by legitimate rape (it used to be called that in the law, so the phrase was understandable, to me) was penis to vagina rape. He used the wrong word, granted, but he was just making a distinction. For your UK poster who said that there, it is simple..it is not that simple here in the USA. And it shouldn’t be. It’s NOT just “committed by a man, of forcing another person to have sexual intercourse with the offender against their will”. It’s a boy penetrating another boy with a broom handle. It’s a 19 year old babysitter having sex with a 12 year old boy. It’s a lot of things, and I’m grateful that all those situations get the same protection of the law, as rape. But when I listened to the offending speech, it appeared to me that since he was talking about pregnancy, he was clarifying the type of rape where a person could get pregnant. Now, I won’t go into the whole body shutting down thing. As an OB nurse, I think while it is technically true that it is much harder to get pregnant while the body is under extreme stress, this comes under the heading of “oh, come ON now”…much like democrat Hank Johnson saying that if the island of Guam got too overpopulated it would tip over, lol. People say silly things. Stupid things, even. But I don’t believe it was a vicious or misogynistic thing..
Not arguing, just a respectful alternate opinion :)
This work is brilliant and right to the point. As others have said, seeing it on a bed has a great visceral impact. The man is an idiot and he may have “misspoken” but the ideas that he harbors behind this comment are ideas that many others have. It supports the whole “she wanted it” excuse/reason/lie about the act. Thank you.
C, I’m just seeing this now and it has so moved me. Amazing quilt. I love modern design in quilts but I’m rarely actually moved by a quilt and this one did that. Amazing and it has such an impact.
Your work is so intelligent. Thank you for sharing.
This is stunning in its clarity. I can’t think of a better medium than a quilt in this instance. “Quilt” implies comfort, love, family, support, security. What a powerful juxtaposition to an act of such violence and hatred. And I agree that I was struck by the double meaning of the word “legitimate.”
Similarly, I have been disturbed… No, to be entirely honest, effing pissed off …by the media’s use of the term “sexual assault” when they report a rape. I don’t need a euphemism for the act, thankyouverymuch. Every time I hear it I can’t help but rant to whomever is in my presence.
I would be thrilled to host the quilt (and you!) up here in Canada, should you decide to take it on the road.
a true piece of art. thank you
Starting to think more about this after reading a more recent post of yours. Moving on to thinking about the baby who is conceived through rape and his/her status as “legitmate”.
You put me to shame. You put your conscience into art…I just bitched about it. Brava!
It is so strong! Love the serious statement and serious nmasterpiece combination
Shared it on Facebook.
Brilliant! Words are so powerfull – and yours always make me think.
Thank you:-)
I once made a quilt depicting myself in prayer positions, with thought bubbles leading up to a sexual image. It shocked and frustrated my entire family and circle of friends. I didn’t do it to offend- I simply did it to expand on my own thoughts and ideas. I respect your candor.
“Cauchy Complete” is really a very excellent title for a ‘blog, especially one about quilting.
I am so glad you did this. I was so angry and frightened by this whole episode that I could not quilt for days, and I couldn’t find the best way to express what I felt. Then I saw this. This is a moving, quiet yet powerful expression of outrage. Thank you so much.