JEX BLACKMORE
Jex Blackmore is best known for her performances in civic spaces. Her work, which is focused on the relationship between moral religious rhetoric, sexuality, and political policy, takes aim at institutions of social and sexual oppression. She has been featured in numerous publications such as TIME, Vanity Fair, Washington Post, NPR, Cosmopolitan, and Salon. In 2015, she organized the largest Satanic gathering in history to unveil The Satanic Temple’s Baphomet monument in Detroit, which was featured on CNN’s “This is Life with Lisa Ling.”
Her reproductive healthcare advocacy has ranged from disrupting anti-choice demonstrations with BDSM performance, writing about her personal abortion experience in the viral blog entitled “Unmother,” and debating the Westboro Baptist Church. Her work is featured in the Magnolia Pictures documentary, Hail Satan?, which was an official selection at Sundance 2019. Her first exhibition "Sex Militant," held at Chicago's Co-Prosperity Sphere, was listed as one of the best art exhibitions of 2019 by the Chicago Reader and was duly protested by the Catholic Church.
Interview by Tyler Nesler
What was an early eye-opener for you in the sense of a realization that one could confront oppressions in a very public and performative way? Who are some particular artists or activists who profoundly inspired your future activities?
Learning about the successes of civil disobedience throughout history certainly left a strong impression on me. We’ve seen this during the Russian, Cuban, and Haitian revolutions to name a few, as well as in our own country during the civil rights movement. I think these historical moments taught me that public displays of defiance can inspire hope and solidarity amongst the exploited, often tipping the scales of power away from the oppressors. I believe that all politics is performative. Religion too, is completely performative. The power of performance is that it enchants, inspires and creates tension, it inspires a sense of there being something other, which is a substance we yearn for. There’s too many people and groups to list that have inspired me but I’m currently vibing off of Emma Goldman, Audre Lorde, ACT UP, Barbara Dane, Laura Poitras, and Augusto Boal. Really, there’s too many to name!
You've said that radical action is needed in these radical times. What are your thoughts on the possibility that the radical and divisive Trump regime may win another term in November, and what the implications of that might be for very vocal and visible confronters of repression and authoritarianism?
American politics have always been barbaric. We value, above all, racism, consumerism, exploitation, and American hegemony at any cost. Politically and socially, we are living in an economic apartheid. I say that because we have arrived at this particular moment in history intentionally, and by our own design. However, if history teaches us anything, and I believe it does, this system cannot sustain itself for much longer. We cannot sustain the level of wealth disparity we are experiencing and we are not prepared for the climate refugee crisis ahead of us. So, if it’s Trump or Biden, it doesn’t really matter in the broader scope of things. However, we should prepare a little differently depending on who takes power.
If Trump is elected or if he refuses to concede and is successful we will likely be pushed toward a new era of fascism, plutocracy, or at the very least competitive authoritarianism, if we’re not there already. I hate to say this at the risk of sounding cliché but I do think our current cultural and economic state resembles, at least in part, Weimar Germany. The signs are all there. However, we have an opportunity for rebellion. We would need the cooperation of the working class to be successful, and also the military as they did during the October Revolution, or the Tunisian Revolution. We would need international allies. It’s hard to imagine we could have that support. So, unfortunately, if we do get pushed in the direction of one of these depressing forms of government things will undoubtedly get more ugly, more violent, and more dangerous for dissenters. We are a military superpower and we already know military force will be used against American citizens and refugees. We are home to a growing surveillance state, a profitable private-prison system, we lack any meaningful political or judicial accountability, and have developed a violent law enforcement agency with emboldened armed militias freely executing people on the streets. I know that sounds grim, but it’s the truth. It’s already happening.
My advice would be to organize on the local scale. Work on building communications networks that are safe. Take a medics course to learn how to care for the injured. Start growing food. Find allies and write things down rather than having everything on your phone. Create an emergency plan for your family and friends. Take care of yourself and your body. Consider those with medical and mobility needs. Stockpile medicine. Meet your neighbors and get to know them. We will need to work very hard to take care of each other very soon.
From the “Sex Militant” exhibition
Sometimes public performance art or political theatre is accused of "preaching to the choir," or not directly reaching those who may not be aware of the underlying ways the issues covered in the performance impact them. What are your thoughts on the ultimate efficacy of performance as a means of protest and education? Are there ways to measure the results of these efforts?
One way of measuring success is to define your goals in advance. This is a critical part of my practice. Performance might not be well suited for every goal. In my case, I often design performance to either empower outsiders in my community, shut down the activities of extremists, or gain media attention to communicate an important message that’s not currently being covered in the news cycle. For every action or demonstration we must identify our goals and audience first. I do think activists often isolate themselves and gather to express their frustration with each other during demonstrations, rather than making things uncomfortable for those they are targeting. Performance can be very successful as a means of protest and education, however, it must be designed with these goals in mind.
Ritual Performance - from the “Sex Militant” exhibition
Women who confront societal assumptions of female social roles and personal autonomy have traditionally faced some brutal pushback. Figures such as Shere Hite, for example, who in the 1970s argued that women were inherently sexually autonomous from men, ultimately left the U.S. to live in self-exile in Europe due to the intense criticism she faced here. Why do you think the media and government in the U.S. in particular is so fixated on controlling the ideas and personal liberties of women, as compared to other Western democracies?
I’m not completely convinced that the U.S. is exceptionally averse to feminine eroticism compared to other countries. Sexism and sexual oppression often manifest in accordance with cultural norms. For us in America, we have clenched onto religious values that glorify virginity and heteronormative relationships. This purity culture has done a great deal of harm. In part, I think it’s because our political process has been purchased by the religious right through financial donations and votes. The Republican Party needs rural religious voters to survive. This creates an environment where some of the most powerful and influential voices in our country legislate and evangelize sexual shame. This is also part of the reason why we have a horrendous sexual education system in our schools. Controlling our sexualities and reproduction is a very powerful technique to inspire mass obedience while also appeasing religious voters by validating their abhorrent beliefs. It’s all about power.
In the recent documentary that you were featured in, Hail Satan?, I was struck by the way you were ousted from The Satanic Temple due to a degree of performative outspokenness, which the organization deemed too extreme. What are your thoughts on the risks of agitprop-oriented organizations such as The Satanic Temple becoming too formalized in policies that may ultimately contradict the more confrontational principles they originally possessed? Is this an inevitable risk if an organization becomes too prominent or visible?
I do not think a contradiction of values is the eventual result for all organizations who become prominent. However, I think it takes an exceptional amount of care and commitment to process to develop an organization in a way that will succeed and ethically flourish. I also think that this process must be collectively participated in by all members. None of those things occurred within The Satanic Temple. As they began to focus more on manipulating supporters for donations without accountability for where that money went, and when they began to threaten and bully members for their expressed concerns about ethical misconduct I knew our time together was very limited. Organizations can be formalized and function very well. However, in The Satanic Temple’s case, I would use the word “corrupt” rather than “formalized”. The organization badly yearns to be deemed legitimate in the eyes of those in power but they will never achieve this aim, even if their litigious activities are successful. Our work, whatever it is, must come from a place of authenticity. I do not want to align myself within the systems of oppression that I seek to dismantle. That’s where we differ. The Satanic Temple too, became one of those systems.
Your "24-hour endurance film" An Undue Burden depicts the twenty-four hours a woman endures alone in a hotel room for a state-mandated waiting period prior to an abortion procedure. It premiered at the Ann Arbor Film Festival in March of 2020. What are some future plans for this film? Will it be available online, or are there any plans in the works to show it in public spaces such as storefronts, public transit hubs, or other civic spaces?
Unfortunately, it was unable to have a formal premiere due to Covid, which pained me quite a bit. I am currently pitching it to art institutions and organizations with the power to organize an installation. Additionally, I’m working on setting up a site so it can be viewed online. The size of a 24-hour piece of media creates quite a bit of challenges, but we’re working on it and I can’t wait to share it with the world.
In 2015, you documented your own personal experience of having an abortion through daily written entries titled On Becoming Unmother. This was a means to demystify the very personal experiences of women who go through with this procedure. What do you think the impact this project had on encouraging women to be more outspoken about their abortion experiences? The documentation does not appear to be online any longer — are there any plans to republish it or to open a forum where other women can write about their experiences?
You can access the original text on my website as a PDF here, however I would like to republish it in a space that allows for comment and reflection. I received hundreds of messages from people who have had an abortion since that work was published. I still do to this day. I have sat at my computer and soothed young folks through their home abortions while they hide it from family members they’ve lived with. I’ve walked countless people through the process, and I have heard so many stories that resemble my own. Earlier this year, I launched a project that collects abortion stories from men who have had a partner or a friend who obtained abortion as a way to bridge the silence from those who benefit from the procedure but rarely experience the shame or stigma surrounding it. The more we all talk about it, the more it will become normalized. We need to destigmatize this common procedure if we are going to secure the right for ourselves, our neighbors, and future generations.
The pandemic has obviously limited what you can do in terms of public performances or debates. How are you continuing your activist work in other ways during this challenging time?
Like millions of other people, I have found this time to be incredibly difficult. My performances, exhibitions, and events have all been cancelled and I’ve found myself struggling with depression and anxiety. My first priority has been taking care of myself, which, I believe for most women, is a radical act, and a luxury. I’m not so great at doing this, but I am working on it. I’ve decided to focus on small projects and plan for the post-Covid world, whenever that may come. I’ve also taken joy in letting others lead. In Detroit, folks have been protesting police brutality and surveillance for over 100 days. The nightly marches are powerful and have become an outlet to heal and lament our collective exhaustion and rage. Solidarity and care are critical in moments like this. An unfathomable amount of folks are in pain and suffering. We need to share the work of progress and rest, recover, and heal. We’re going to need all the strength we can summon from everyone who wants things to change. I am preparing for that now.
Read more about Jex’s projects and check for updates on her site
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Tyler Nesler is a New York City-based freelance writer and the Founder and Managing Editor of INTERLOCUTOR Magazine.
