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Digital Exhibits

Myth California 1982 to 1983

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/agyEAhwrVUU/default.jpg

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Title:

Myth California 1982 to 1983

Source:

http://youtu.be/agyEAhwrVUU

Description:

In the beginning of this extremely rare archival video from the early 1980s about the protests against the Santa Cruz Beauty Pageant Nikki Craft, De Clarke, and Ray Gruneich discuss their political perspectives on how mass media objectifies women and how that objectification relates to other violence against women, including racism and colonialism.

Also included is footage of some of Nikki Craft's creative actions protesting corporate-sponsored beauty pageants where women are required to parade their bodies around for the entertainment of others, and allow themselves to be objectified, in order to get college scholarships .

This, and other organized street actions took place for six years in Santa Cruz California in the 1980s, and were organized by Nikki Craft and Ann Simonton. Due to these protests, the pageant, after being in Santa Cruz for a half a decade, finally extricated its financial (and other, ties) and moved to San Diego..

The Barbies and World Globe were created as a portion of Nikki Craft's college thesis in ceramics. It was called "But is it Art or Is It Politics?" and was unveiled in the parking lot of the Dream Inn the day the contestants and judges arrived. The Dream Inn was a major sponsor of the pageant. The float was driven on the streets of Santa Cruz for a week. Craft was threatened with arrest numerous times.

To read more about these protests visit:
http://www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/Nikki/BeautyClarke4.html
http://www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/Nikki/BeautyClarke3.html
http://www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/Nikki/BeautyClarke2.html http://www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/Nikki/BeautyClarke1.html

Date:

2009-02-06T06:22:42.000Z

Imported Thumbnail:

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/agyEAhwrVUU/default.jpg

Citation:

“Myth California 1982 to 1983,” Digital Exhibits, accessed March 29, 2024, https://exhibits.library.ucsc.edu/items/show/1592.