An 10-page saddle stitch zine
The Inspiration
We'd planned a self-funded sabbatical years in advance; scheduled the time off work together, arranged a two-week stay at her sister's, selected a series of art classes, and committed to producing a work together to celebrate the experience.
She didn't bring any toiletries. She didn't come prepared for the art classes. She put me down, insulted my cultural practices, and misgendered me while wearing a t-shirt that said "leave trans kids alone." When I decided to leave early, she sent a series of text messages to my friend justifying her behavior. These were forwarded to me.
Is antisemitism bad?
She's stood over my bed after lights out and ranted about how she didn't understand this Jewish stuff I was getting into; she didn't trust those Temple people. I've been asking around on the internet if antisemitism is bad, and a number of people have stepped forward to suggest that, no, it's really not. It seems like a number of well-intentioned folks from all walks of life are under the impression that antisemitism occurs on a global scale, influencing international events, or only sort of academically. People think it's crummy to display a swastika, without realizing that I, specifically, take psychic damage when I see one.
One thing I'd appreciate more people understanding is that part of the harm that occurs when antisemitism occurs is that it takes four Jewish people to educate every time it comes up. Antisemitism is ancient and layered. Jewishness is not a monolith. Jewish people's relationships with Judaism are varied and nuanced. Judaism is not the same thing as Jewish culture.
Antisemitism is embedded in the hegemonic culture so deeply that many well-intentioned people can't recognize harmful patterns, and feel threatened and attacked when those patterns are called out. During my marketing for this project, I encountered several of the most common tropes: assuming all Jewish people are the same, assuming Jewish culture is the same as the hegemonic culture, speaking as if Christians/Christianity is the "heir" to Judaism, and explaining to a Jewish person how to be Jewish.
When I asked the people who were expressing these perspectives follow up questions, they would get really angry and quite rude. How dare I challenge what they had already learned. Many of these folks were ex-evangelicals, who had left their churches because they recognized the harm the church was doing to queer people, but hadn't left the antisemitism they'd picked up there behind.
This is how antisemitism finds its way into queer bedrooms and queer platonic spaces. That's why this zine isn't just for Jewish people, or for people who might relate to having a laugh at a Karen, but rather it's for everyone who is ready to move forward.
The Process
I printed the text messages and cut out each sentence or distinct thought. I sorted them into related clusters. Themes of fragility and anger surfaced.
As I analyzed the text messages and refined the selection that would be included in this work, I also revealed the writer's intention. My friend did not suddenly become a hater; rather, she used the toolbox of hatred [i.e. hate speech, white supremacy, transphobia, circular thinking] to evade accountability when it was inconvenient for her.
With these themes revealed, I developed some of the sketches I had created early in the trip into watercolor paintings. I also ripped apart a number of the collaborative art projects we had created or begun together in order to reallocate my contributions to those works.
Once these materials were prepared, I collaged them together and the Book of Karen was brought into existence.
Zine Funders
Thirty-four amazing people supported this zine by funding a Kickstarter. Thank you very much Shauna, Justin S., Dalassa, Emily J, Benjamin C., Bibliotequetress, Evan C., Mark H., Kelley T., Rose G., Geoffrey P., Jenn, Alexandra K., Mike S., Lindsay T., Sam M., Rabbit, Daniel V.W., Benjamin H., Richard, J., Patrick C., HolzmanTweed, Hippodameia, Shannon S., Lori M., Sarah F., Cindy, Ali K, SpookyxPickle, Jhoanna R., Stephanie dP., Afton J., Sara S., & Veronica F.!
