Carnival 'Aint Just a Freakshow

Back in this chilly, chilly city, I have already seen many instances in which my feminist beliefs begin to further take their shape, ultimately becoming better understood by me. One of these particular instances is that of McGill's tradition of Winter Carnival. Something I am yet to experience and only recently understanding, Carnival and its actions would definitely shock and horrify those of Nun-ish qualities within the crowd. Student-run, sexually charged, and therefore almost immediately believed to be inherently degrading towards women, Carnival's booze-infused activities are participated in by teams with names such as "Glad-he-ate-her", "Superman That Hoe"*, and my favorite, "Hymen Hunters." However, my roommate, as I am sure others would be, was surprised to discover that I actually support Carnival and its messages. "Even though you are a feminist?" she wondered. Yes, although many feminists would be outraged by activites such as women on their knees, beer-bonging from in between men's legs on a stage in front of hundreds, with beer splashing onto their faces resembling a money shot, there is more to Carnival than its assumed degradation towards women.

First, if we are going to be accusing men of degrading women, then lets take a step back and see that men too are performing actions on stage typically believed to be degrading! I understand that during one skit, a man was pretending to go down on a woman, and just as she "came", another Carnivalian sprayed ketchup on the face of the giver. This was obviously meant to resemble period blood, an occurrence which I am sure commonly takes place during many sexual encounters (perhaps not to that extent, but keep in mind this is a performance...go big or go home!). The giver did not act embarrassed or ashamed but rather excited and began to cheer. He was even somewhat praised by his friends, as the other male teammates lined up to smear the pseudo period juice under their eyes like warpaint. The blood of the woman gave the team the power they needed to win, as they used a method of intimidation exemplifying how no act, not matter how socially taboo, was off limits for them.

Secondly, lets have a sense of humor! The team names and planned activities are hilarious! My roommates' team name last year was "Meet the Shockers"... obviously these participants enjoy what they are doing and are able to laugh at themselves, so everyone else should try to lighten up and laugh along with them.

Finally, in relation to its own sense of humor, Carnival reminds me of what I learned in a cultural studies class about Hustler magazine. Feminist writer Laura Kipnis studied the smut magazine and the controversy surrounding it, also comparing it to its competition, Playboy. She found that Hustler was not purely created to objectify women and appeal to "low-brow" cultural consumers, but rather to violate social taboos and make a commentary on the class antagonisms which surround the pornographic industry, as well as society. Hustler's focus on the fluid-omitting, "embarrassing" body opposes and even makes fun of the more respected Playboy's aesthetically pleasing images. This helps Hustler fans find comfort in their own societal standings, also allowing for actions considered too vulgar by Playboy and the rest of the society to ultimately become less shameful and rather common. Hustler, just like McGill's Carnival and its participants, emphasizes its own refusal of "good taste", taking pride and pleasure in that refusal. By spewing their chunky barf, sticky jizz, and smelly blood at those who look down upon them, Carnivalians and Hustler are aces in my books.


*For those unaware of the actual meaning of the infamously catchy Soulja Boy song, "Supermanning that Hoe" constitutes jizzing on your partner's back so that when he/she lays down on the bed after, the sheet will stick to them and thus resemble Superman's cape. I love it! ...except for the little fact that the person being "Supermanned" is automatically assumed to be a woman, and in the song she is called a ho. However, I am sure some women enjoy being called a ho in bed, so whatever gets your rocks off!