Laura Cohen Does Feminist Performance Art

Описание: Laura Cohen, CCSF student, performing her original piece during our Crescendo event last December. The theme during this event was centered on feminist artists, highlight both the Arts and Women's and Gender Studies Department in our fight to get the Emergency Bridge Fund.

In this month of April, which is Sexual Assault Awareness month, we hope the theme of feminism prevalent in this performance and event showcases the need to advocate and be in solidarity with women and survivors. In relation to CCSF, part of it also involves pushing for our Self Defense classes to be reinstated.

**About Laura Cohen**
"Laura Cohen has only been taking classes at CCSF since the beginning
of this year, but is already quite comfortable in the horticulture
building. They can be spotted taking classes in ikebana or performing
around the city with her improv band, SPOOOKY BOOOGIE."

Website: lauracohen.art

IG: @locoohnono/
@spoooky_booogie/

*Transcript**

“I spent 6 years learning how to dance. I spent six more years learning how to forget. I spent 6 years learning how to wear a pair of pants, because I only own skirts and that was by choice.

I spent seven years teaching myself that I don't need to tell people that my butt is big because my best friend says that “it’s too large”, but that is not up to her because I am only 14 at this point.

I spent 7 more years learning that the answer to every single answer, or question, is not exactly...I spent 7 years learning that I don't need to ask questions sometimes. I don't need to answer questions. I spent 3 years teaching myself that maybe “you don't have to say anything”.

When I walk down the street, I am walking on a catwalk. When I walk down the street, I am walking down to the bus. When I walk down the street, I am not listening to you. I am not here just so you can look at me, I didnt wear this just for you, I wore this because the Victoria’s Secret got canceled this year because they don’t want transgender models. Because they don’t want people that are actually beautiful, because they don't want to invest, they don't want to change.

Everytime I hear somebody say “Hey, baby! hey! Hey, little girl, hey” - I know you're not talking to me. I am not that little girl sweeping up the floor. No, no, no. I am not “she” I am “they”. Thank you for asking Miss, Mr, I don't care... let's find something in the middle, let's find something that's not exactly one or two spirits but three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine spirits.

They are all right “here”, they are all right “there”. Raise your eyebrow if you’ve been told this, raise your other eyebrow if you're not surprised that TIME Magazine just discovered “they” when it’s been around for centuries.

If you can’t name one person, one friend, that doesn't subscribe to the gender they were given at birth….make some new friends.

You are not waiting for your prince. You are your prince. When you walk down that catwalk, Cinderella, doesn't matter if you got stretch marks, doesn't matter if you got wrinkles, doesn't matter if you got pimples. You are a body. This is your body. It was given to you. It is the only thing you have and if you want to present it, present it. And if you want to freeze in silence, you freeze. If you need to run, then you run, and you can run to me, and I will run with you.

And I will sweep the floor with you, and I will wash that dish with you, and I will break those walls with you and I will say, “Hello, I am here, I am standing with you and you don't need to say anything”.