I just received an email from a student named Doris Zhang, a senior at Pitzer College. Doris is looking for some help with her Gender/Feminist Studies senior project. Doris has identified a disturbing lack of representation of APIA women in media for the tattoo community, and hopes to rectify the situation by developing her own tattoo magazine specifically focused on Asian American women with tattoos.
Here is the text of the email:
I’m a senior at Pitzer College and was wondering if you could help me out a bit with a favor. For my Gender/Feminist Studies senior project, I’d like to interview and photograph self-identified tattooed Asian American women. My intention is to create my own ‘tattoo magazine’ – think “Tattoos For Women”, but with an Asian American focus. I don’t see a lot of Asian American women being represented in the media, let alone in tattoo magazines and in the tattoo community. In addition, I think it would be so interesting to see how gender and race (amongst other factors) intersect to shape the artistic and expressive choices of Asian American women.
If you are a tattooed Asian American woman and are interested in being interviewed for this project, please email doris.zhang.2010@gmail.com.
I think this is a great project and wish Doris the best of luck in it! I hope to post about the magazine when it is released.
that sounds like such an interesting project! i wish i had tatts to show off..
Me too!
I don’t want to come off like an ass but, what she is describing sounds almost like a fetish magazine. Now I am not saying that Doris Zhang is not genuine in her goals, but…I don’t know.
As long as those Tattoos don’t make Asian women look more like the “Dragon Lady” or “Yakuza Geisha” sexual stereotypes that only tickles the white boys fantasy.
she’s talking about creating a tattoo magazine *for* asian women similar to this magazine http://www.amazon.com/Tattoos-for-Women/dp/B000VI4N9U but specifically for asian women. i’m totally down with this and will probably email her to see if she wants pix of my tattoos.
Hi Keith,
I’ve been asked by a respondent about how I would negotiate the fine line between fetishization and creating a space for Asian American women. This is what I tell participants:
“I would like to stress that this magazine intends to focus on the artistic value of your ink. I am trying to downplay the fetishized, tattooed female that can be found on many tattoo magazine covers. My project is about your stories and your experiences that are seen through a uniquely gendered and racialized lens.”
If you have more comments or suggestions, feel free to e-mail me about it. This project has only begun, and I’m always looking to improve it.
Thanks for your input,
Dor
I just found your site through google. Love the info!
Sounds interesting, what about a mexicanese? There’s a lot of us who are of mixed backgrounds.
I think mixed folks are welcome…
I adore tattoos and don’t for a minute regret getting any of them, I’m currently getting a koi tattoo sleeve done down my left arm can’t wait to get it all done! as can only afford smallsittings at a time. My local artist is extremly experienced and also very expensive but, he’s worth it! Fantastic site btw