Between 1933 and 1934; over 48 million visitors attended "A Century of Progress Exposition;" the worlds fair located in Chicago; Illinois. Conceived of during the Roaring Twenties and born during the Great Depression; this was a sprawling event celebrating Chicagos 100th anniversary with industrial and scientific displays; lascivious entertainment; and a touch of unadulterated bad taste.Century of Progress is a collection of rare photographs from the worlds fair that has been carefully chosen from the Chicago Tribunes voluminous archives. Featuring an informative introduction by Tribune reporter and historian Ron Grossman; this book documents one of the most expansive displays of technological advancement and cultural diversity that took place in the 20th century. The lakefront exposition; on the present site of McCormick Place and Northerly Island; opened on May 27; 1933; and was reopened in 1934 at the urging of President Franklin D. Roosevelt who hoped it would stimulate the Depression-era economy.This book is an engrossing and fascinating look at the numerous sides of the "A Century of Progress Exposition": the whimsical attractions; the architectural and scientific achievements; the palpable spirit of fun; and the occasionally unsavory exhibits of differing cultures. At a time when the entire U.S. population numbered just over 125 million people; the Chicago worlds fair left an indelible mark on the collective consciousness of American culture; and Century of Progress captures that feeling as only a photograph can.
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. positive feminismBy Jennifer RobisonWhat is ethical and/or moral when it comes to sexuality? Who determines this?Is sex performance/genre any more or less ethical than other performance style? Is it less or more powerful?Why is Western society so uncomfortable with its own sexual expression and choices?Desire is desire is desire...the hierarchy of desire......at the top; of course is the most accepted form; heterosexual monogamous coupling. Below this and in declining order resides queer desire; desire expressed in S/M; masturbation; desire aided by pornography or sex toys; promiscuous desire or more than one partner at a time; desire for partners from different generations; and desire expressed or fulfilled via commercial sex (Lockford 61).Lesa Lockford explores the physiological; psychological; sexual; and social feminine identity todays Western culture within her dissertation. Lockford interweaves humorous stories with first hand accounts in an academic method known as autoethnography; which breaches the line between feminist verses patriarchal points of view. She explores the social and cultural paradigms of feminine behavior as a result of womens physiology; and sexuality."To be a feminist; one has first to become one". Commonly referred to as "consciousness raising;" this process of profound personal transformation" entails self-reflexivity and the development of solidarity with other women [regardless of sex or gender]...this transformative experience "goes far beyond the sphere of human activity we regard ordinarily as `political": indeed it manifests itself in everyday performances of self: In the course of undergoing the transformation to which I refer; the feminist changes her behavior: She makes new friends: she responds differently to people and events; her habits of consumption change; sometimes she alters her living arrangements or; more dramatically; her whole style of life. Becoming a feminist then is the embodying of the maxim "the personal is political" (Lockford 32).The social implications and expectancies constructed by our predominantly patriarchal and sexually inhibited culture renders women sensitive to issues of appearance; identity; and sexual confidence. She explores the most baring of feminine issues: from the humbling system of weight loss...to the allure of make-up and a girl stuffing her bra...to the public politeness of sexless/fearing academic circles... to the independence of a confident stripper and exploration of herself as a performance artist.The subordination of women by men is pervasive; that it orders the relationship of the sexes in every area of life; that a sexual politics of domination is as much in evidence in traditionally private spheres of the family; ordinary social life; and sexuality as in the things we do in the traditionally public spheres of government and the economy. The belief that the things we do in the bosom of the family or in bed are either "natural" or else a function of the personal idiosyncrasies of private individuals is held to be an "ideological curtain that conceals the reality of womens systematic oppression. (Lockford 32-3)By societys everyday actions and words; women are dictated on how they should behave: by what we have been taught and how we are expected to behave; determines our power and the way we are perceived in society and our culture. When a woman undermines the primary social powers expectations; she becomes an outcast; a renegade; a delicious forbidden fruit.The persuasiveness of objectification...time to start the music...Lockford explores how "we women experience our agency and constitute our subjectivity given the persuasiveness of objectification" (x). The most extreme objectification situation she discovers and experiments with herself is inside sexual performance. She then discovers that society underestimates the true power of the sexual performance; and that the labels of objectification are misplaced. She then questions society itself and the labels we place upon ourselves as a result of others expectations and "moral" implications.Claiming space and giving voice to our perspectives was and is a vital touchstone for the development of empowered being and for revalorizing what traditionally has been considered important in the world (x).I think we are approaching a time where the emphasis of the individual is becoming the forefront of intellectual and social accpetance. Perhaps this makes me idealistic; a liberal feminist; etc. I choose individualism; and this book definitely breaks the ice on feminist theory and sexual performance.