Gender and Jewelry: A Feminist Analysis by Rebecca Ross Russell


Gender and Jewelry: A Feminist Analysis
Title : Gender and Jewelry: A Feminist Analysis
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 1452882533
ISBN-10 : 9781452882536
Language : English
Format Type : Paperback
Number of Pages : 140
Publication : First published June 5, 2010

Jewelry responds to our most primitive urges, for control, honor, and sex. It is at once the most ancient and most immediate of art forms, one that is defined by its connection and interaction with the body. In this sense it is inescapably political, its meaning bound to the possibilities of the body it lies on. Indeed, the fate of the body is often bound to the jewelry. This study looks at gender and jewelry in order to gain some understanding into how jewelry is constructed by and constructs not just a single society, but human societies. It will explore how societal traditions that have sprung up around jewelry and ornamentation have affected the possibilities available to women across a broad spectrum of social and ethnic circumstances, determining which have served women well and which are constrictive and destructive. It also examines the possibilities for the intentional creation of feminist jewelry, including an overview of the author's own work.

Gender and Jewelry: A Feminist Analysis Reviews

  • Keith Wilson

    If you ever wondered why you wear the jewelry you wear, you may enjoy Gender and Jewelry: A Feminist Analysis by Rebecca Ross Russell. For an academic paper, conceived, it appears, while working on a combined Bachelor's of Fine Arts and Women's Studies, it is eminently readable and fascinating.

    So, why do we wear jewelry? Simple, it’s a desire for control, honor, gender identity, or sex. But, not so simple; sometimes it’s all four, or none at all.

    Consider the rings Padaung women of Myanmar wear that can extend their necks 10-15 inches, so they cannot turn their heads. You may think their practice is very strange, but look at high heels, tights jeans, and neckties and think again. All these seem to say, I am willing to limit and sacrifice myself so that you will find me desirable.

    Consider the clunky, flashy gold that male rap stars wear in violation of norms that demand that men wear little jewelry and that Blacks defer to Whites. In this case jewelry seems to assert the wearer’s self-determination.

    Russell goes on to analyze the unconscious political and social statements conveyed by more or less esoteric jewelry, from heavy anklets worn in Niger to headhunter necklaces, from engagement rings and Madeleine Albright’s pins to punk body piercing. She concludes by presenting some feminist and queer alternatives forms of jewelry.

    Gender and Jewelry is a fascinating read to anyone interested in the subject. Then, when you are done, the book can adorn your coffee table or bookcase and make a strong statement about your open-mindedness and sophistication.

    Keith Wilson writes on mental health and relationship issues on his blog,
    Madness 101