BFB Q&A with Laura Lee Gulledge

Loyal readers of this blog are already familiar with Ms. Gulledge's work, from back when we announced that Act-i-vate was featuring her BFB contribution, "Sealed," as a sneak-preview of our anthology, but we thought a more personal follow-up interview with her was in order.

Laura Lee Gulledge is a former teacher from Virginia who has called New York home for a couple years now. She works as a scenic painter on projects such as the Macy's Christmas windows, hangs etchings under the street artist name Karat, and shows her drawings in Ad Hoc Gallery in Bushwick. She is currently writing and drawing a young adult graphic novel called Page by Paige which is based on her own use of art in self-discovery. It will be released in spring 2011 by Amulet Books, a division of Abrams. Find out more by visiting her website.

1) Do you now or have you ever considered yourself a feminist? Why or why not?

How could you not believe that women are equal to men? But I feel that the word "feminist" seems to have a stigma attached to it for a lot of people. A "brace yourself this woman is about to get uppity" sort of implication. Perhaps because the first wave of feminists had to be more aggressive in order to infiltrate (therefore somewhat adopting to) a male dominated system in order to change it.

But I feel that there is a breed of feminists out there like myself who are searching for a more uniquely feminine sort of power. Strength. We don't want to wear power suits with shoulder pads and be the same as men, because then we're denying the awesomeness that is woman. We might be equal, but it's silly to think that we're the same.

2) If your attitude about feminism has changed over the years, what do you think precipitated those changes?

I never thought about feminism growing up because my parents raised me with heaping spoonfuls of confidence-building-leadership-training-independence-cultivating activities. I never felt less than equal to boys. (In fact, I tended to think that us girls were far superior to the silly smelly boys.) I would help my dad with building projects in the garage and my brother would help my mom in the kitchen.

It was only in grad school that I delved into gender studies (Lots of Michel Foucault and Virginia Woolf...) because I was dealing with my own issues with sexual assault. After losing that sense of power and control it forced me to examine my preconceptions, and redefine myself as a woman both emotionally and sexually. Since then, the subjects of vulnerability, power, and the generally amusing differences between men and women have inspired LOTS of entertaining and gut-wrenching drawings.

3) Are there, in your opinion, still some barriers to gender equality that women have yet to overcome?

Feminism has definitely opened doors and cracked glass ceilings...we have the option to choose whatever profession or education we want. Hooray! BUT it seems like we can only do so as long as we also still remain sexy beasts and remain in charge of the domestic responsibilities. We're still trying to do it all and it's exhausting. (And I hate how many women feel judged if they do choose to be a stay-at-home mom rather than pursue a profession...)

But I'm optimistic, because progress IS being made. I just think it will take a while for these sort of deeply-embedded social roles to change. Change is slow. It's like a glacier, it feels like nothing is happening on the surface but deep down the landscape is being transformed.