The Elephant in the Room

Women and elephants never forget.
— Dorothy Parker

This is an “unofficial” member of our series, an original letterpress print created in response to the sheer multitude of issues, scandals, tragic events, and ongoing problems presented to us in 2020 and beyond. From the abuse of women by powerful men, to ongoing misogyny/misogynoir and violence, to the prescient predictions of then-candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton coming true, to the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, to a circus of legislation targeting trans women, to redoubled voter suppression efforts in 43 states after the 2020 election—women have an endless list to remember and reckon with. In addition, white women must remember and acknowledge “the elephant in the room”—our relative privilege, and our responsibility to protect and fight for marginalized women.

The print features a quote by writer, poet, screenwriter, and satirist Dorothy Parker (1893-1967). Known for her acerbic wit, Parker was also an avowed and active anti-fascist. She co-founded the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League in 1936, and served as a fundraising leader for the Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee. During the Red Scare of the 1950s, she was branded a communist and subsequently black-listed by Hollywood, which severely limited her work opportunities. She willed her entire estate and intellectual property rights to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which then passed to the NAACP upon his death. The NAACP still benefits from her work today, and continues to honor her legacy.

The mini-broadside was letterpress-printed from wood and metal type handset on jaunty curves and angles by Jessica (using Daredevil Furniture, printers’ tools of Jessica’s own invention!), and a linoleum block illustration of an elephant hand-carved by Chandler.

To continue our mission of helping women and girls take action in their own communities, a portion of the proceeds of this print go to the Dead Feminists Fund.