3 September, 1981

Performance, single-channel video
Oct, 2019

I read The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which is an international treaty adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly to the public (which was not showed directly in the video documentation) through a microphone pined on my collar, but only the word women is read out loud. I was wearing a nice suit, standing on a huge stage in the Hendricks Chapel where there are national flags, red velvet curtain, large audience sitting area, and a notetaker sitting behind me looking serious. All the visual outputs are suggesting the validity of the speech I was giving, but the content of the speech was absurd because all the audience could hear was me saying “women, women, women, … ” constantly. 

Click pictures to the video link.

There is an increasing number of women who are reluctant to admit that they are feminists. Due to the stereotypes, misunderstandings, and prejudices of feminists given by the public, more and more women are having difficulty expressing their positions. Just looking at the word "women", which is what people call them without understanding the meaning behind it and the things related to it, makes it harder to achieve equal rights. 3 September 1981 is the date of entry into force of the convention.