Sunday, October 20, 2013

Term Project Proposal : Unisex Alternatives


      For my semester project I have decided to produce a faux magazine mock-up for my portfolio. It took me a while to decide to what demographic to cater to. I then had an epiphany: why should I just cater to one demographic? During one of the lectures Professor Cacoilo had made a statement along the lines of “My job will be fulfilled once I no longer have to teach this course. Why should we have one specific course for ‘Women’s Media’? It should just be Media." We have women’s: art, history, Literature, etc.

      I realized that not only does society impose this segregation in academics, but in everyday living. From day one of birth, boys are given blue, and girls are assigned pink.Why is should this even be a discussion? This format goes onto adulthood on multiple platforms including but not limited to: clothes, electronics, toys, films, fragrances, and even cinema. After all there is a whole industry for ‘chick flicks’.My objective for this magazine will be to further blur the lines of gender imposed limitation, and hopefully branch out to other demographics. Why should a fragrance be deemed too girly or manly? After all it ultimately doesn't matter, since it’s our body’s chemistry that determines our scent. 

     
       The magazine is expected to include numerous socially friendly – and occasional risqué – gender bending tips. Like all magazines I will make an effort to include: articles, main events, news, and hopefully literature and critiques on social issues.I will also make an effort to create a lot of my own content for the magazine - like short essays and provocative editorials. The main goal of this publication  is to provide unisex alternatives, however the magazine might likely also include other topics to add variety. That is why would like to call the magazine  something along the lines of Unimedia. As a play on words like: unity, unisex, and university, since it’ll most likely largely be distributed around campus. However at the moment the content is being developed as priority before I can fully grasp the direction this project can go.

5 comments:

  1. This is something I think about often: why "unisex" is usually coded for "masculine". I know it's because women embraced certain aspects of men's clothing as they yearned for their own liberation (as well as it being functional and enjoyable to wear). Perhaps you could include a piece about this or quotes from different perspectives in your magazine. I'd like to see more feminine traits represented in unisex and androgyny!

    The history of the high heel might prove useful in your research: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21151350 & http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-wade/high-heel-history_b_2613029.html

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  2. This is a very interesting approach to the project at hand. I comprehend your intent, and I do support it as well. It should be a great project to work on, and more so admire when it's reached completion. As for advice or suggestions, I'd definitely add the element of satire to every page of your publication. Or have one mainstream picture that counters the rest. It'll provide humor for a good dynamic in your piece without it being solely informative. Good luck!

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  3. You should have a fat girl model skimpy lingerie. Seems so funny because of it misfitting our society, but it would (well hopefully) open eyes.

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  4. This is an awesome idea, and I wish there were more major gender neutral/ inclusive publications. Usually magazines that are geared to a specific gender perpetuate stereotypes and put people down. You could also try putting things in the zine that rail against heteronormativity, because the LGBTQ community is often overlooked and misrepresented in your typical magazine.

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  5. very interesting topic...things to look at on a wider scale would be lotions, soaps, body washes targeted to specific sexes. For example, Old Spice vs Bath and Body Works

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