"Anatomy is Not Destiny:" Feminism and Living Your Life

Yesterday, I went to an art exhibition of a British artist who goes by the name Linder. There are a few things you should know about Linder: she’s from a working-class family from Manchester, she is a visual and performance artist, and she’s a feminist. A proponent of the in-your-face kind of feminism. Naked bodies everywhere kind of feminism. Her work is a mix of collages, photos and text art that sends the same messages of considering how women and sex are portrayed. But, actually, I am not actually going to tell you about Linder’s exhibition. I am going to tell you about one of my favorite of her works, which just had on the wall, “Anatomy is Not Destiny.” Think about it.

When I got home last night, I was still thinking about how anatomy is not a destiny, yet how society treats it as such and therefore makes assumptions on how we are going to lead our lives according to our gender. Then, guess what the internet brought me? An inspirational video of frat brothers from Emerson College raising money for their fellow brother, who it turns out is transgender female to male who doesn’t have enough money for his surgery. Somehow, I had just assumed that a bunch of frat brothers wouldn’t let someone transgender into their frat. But then I remembered, “Anatomy is Not Destiny.” So, if someone who is transgender fits in with the brothers at a fraternity, of course they should be there!

This has all made me realize, do what you want regardless of the social constraints you may feel. Anatomy is not destiny and neither is anything else in your life. You and your desires are your only destiny and you are the one who controls it. Male or female or however else you chose to identify, take control of the destiny of your own life.

Also, if you want to help someone else out with their destiny, Phi Alpha Tau has an indiegogo to raise the money for their brother Donnie’s surgery and will give the extra money to the Jim Collins Foundation.