Episode 3: Seeing, Being Seen, and the Panopticon of Life

Our essential question is: What does race, gender, and class have to do with seeing and being seen?

This episode Annie & Hope are joined by two specials guests Tacoma personality Bernadette Ray and business woman Soneya Lund of the Saol Salon in Yakima. From racial coming outs to deconstructing white beauty standards, the ladies ring the “Shame Bell” on ridiculous standards that society tries to hold us to. These honesty, raw, and personal stories of the womanhood will touch you.

Today’s pop critical theory is the metaphor of the panopticon, originally conceived by white dude political philosopher Jeremy Bentham and his brother. It’s basically a round prison so the guards in the middle can see prisoners, but the prisoners don’t know when OR IF they’re being seen. Remember - it’s a metaphor! But it was once built as an actual prison! What’s this have to do with us as women? As white, black, and brown women? How do (sometimes insidious) standards of beauty and conduct keep us in check?

Timeless or Terrible:

Do Your Fudging Homework:

Hope: 2 Dope Queens comprised of Phoebe Robinson who wrote You Can’t Touch My Hair and Jessica William who has a new show The Incredible Jessica James on Netflix
Annie: Go Google image search Robert K. Merton’s “deviance typology,” then go down the sociology of deviant behavior rabbit hole on Wikipedia. Spend a little time thinking about your own deviance #winkyface
Bernadette: give an authentic compliment to a woman of color
Soneya: Go read Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

Find on Facebook www.facebook.com/IWLpodcast or follow us on on Twitter @IWL_Podcast