why? feminist gold explained

I'm often asked about the origins of this T-shirt..  So here you go.

Who am I? I'm a mom to two boys, 15 and 10, and a designer, and a boutique owner. My store, Diana Kane, has been in Park Slope, Brooklyn for fifteen years.  My husband publishes our community paper, The Park Slope Reader, check it out. About two years ago I came across the #YesAllWomen twitter hashtag illuminating women's experience of male harassment and aggression. The hashtag exploded after a southern California shooting spree by a man whose hatred of women was cited as a primary factor in his crimes. I lost myself in the posts that flooded Twitter. It was eye-opening, and it was agonizing. I was angry; sad; but more than anything I felt solidarity. I started to pay more attention to the gender gaps. I started reading more... Chiminanda, and Roxane Gay, Rebecca Solnit, Rebecca Traister, and blogs, and and and..  Eventually, I decided I wanted to put my values on my chest, reclaim the word Feminist. I looked around, but couldn't find anything that met my criteria. What I wanted was eco-friendly, high quality, and flattering, with gold foil for bling and interest. I reached out to my brilliant graphic designer friend Jennifer Muller for font suggestions and a tee shirt was born. 

Cool things happened instantly: people loved it. Lots of people. People I love and admire, even people I've loved and admired from afar. My kids love it too, and so do their friends. When they wanted to be able to wear it, I made youth and unisex versions.

This little t- shirt has initiated some of the best conversations I've ever had. Conversations that have stretched my heart and mind, and those of others.

It has made me think more deeply about how we show our values (often without much thought to the fact that we're always showing our values).

Reach out! Get involved! Be connected.  #FeministGold

My boys, Max and Otto, at the beginning of summer, 2016

What started with a t-shirt, has continued into various projects- all aimed at generating conversation and recognition of women, and all others, who have been subjugated as a regular part of American society.

Please don't hesitate to get in touch. We'd love to collaborate, assist, and create with the idea that advancing equality is in everyone's interest and to everyone's benefit. Let's do this thing.

 “My own definition is a feminist is a man or a woman who says, yes, there’s a problem with gender as it is today and we must fix it, we must do better. All of us, women and men, must do better.”— Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, We Should All Be Feminists

“I might be a little grayer than I was eight years ago, but this is what a feminist looks like."— Barack Obama, POTUS

“I will continue saying I am a feminist until it is met with a shrug."— Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau