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A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Readers,
le, issue of Femme Fata ne! This t rs fi r ou to e om Zi Welc first ever Feminist Nottingham Trent’s you. In here, you’ll see a zine is for you, by es written by members of our cl collection of arti some constants that we hope th wi society along to come. Our ughout the years ro th ue in nt co ll y and issues wi ncentrates on V-da ant to all of co e su is t rs fi ry ve rt sues that are impo surrounding it, is and articles us. at the discussions nd of things e er th t ou g in ok Lo ki r page, we see the we have had on ou to you. As your committee, we t that are importan stimulate your intellect and to b knowledge see it as our jo in your thirst for intrigue you, d ar rw fo u yo sh pu on the topics that and understanding to new and unexpected topics u whilst exposing yo the too. a representation of ’s endless is ne zi is th , me To our society and it steadfast growth of ars ahead, and I hope you ye possibility in the much as we had putting it as it enjoy reading together! Mark Hannigan,
Femme Fatale d Editor-in-chief of an r ce fi of e ar lf We
CONTENTS 3.. 4...
Meet the Team!
prefer V Day. Valentines Day? I .. New Year, New you?
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st ur sis-ters, not ju 7.. Support yoci s-ters
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th us? Is porn screwing wi 10.. Who needs Feminism?
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We want revoluti on GRRRL style now 14.. Inte multicul rsexuality: Let s tural fe minism n make ormal 15.. Reviews and Even ts. 16.. Fashion and Femi nism 18.. Ask Aph rodesia
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Horoscop
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MEET THE TEAM!
. President y t e i c o s your nt I’m Irene, urnalism and I wa for e jo c I study zine to be a spa t to this maga ay what they wan s o women t
our , and I’m y I’m a none i l r a h C e! I’m queerfemm resident e and also your b binary-ba manager. In the d s campaign ears I’ve organise nts, e y last two minism-related ev e several f
I’m Nasim and I’m the Vice President this year’s society. I guess I was always some sort of a feminist as a kid I always remember crying about all the injustices women had to face and literally despised pink (ironically I now LOVE pink)
a and My name is Dragan tee! it mm co s ar I’m part of this ye minism is fe I joined femsoc as ways been al ve ha i g somethin d believe it passionate about anand relevant, t is still importan Lydia, our assistant Editor!
part of the I’m Natalie, and I’m is year, and I’m femsoc committee th of the zine, or also Creative Edit lly means I ia nt se es st which ju king it look was in charge of ma cceeded! su fabulous. I hope I
Esme, our general secretary!
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There are man y types of vio lence against to count. When women, they are you think abo almost impossi ut violence ag to domestic abu ble ainst women, it se. However, th is easy confin roughout the forms of viole e it world there a nce against w re so many di omen it is imp background to fferent ortant for wom rise up togeth en from all di er. fferent
e nst women, one of th ai ag ce en ol vi of a means of different forms sexual assault as d an pe When I first think ra g in us as the Rorings to mind is violence, as early of first acts that sp rt so is th ed er of Congo. long suff mocratic republic De e th in of war; women have ng ti gh atic Recently to the fi raped in the Democr en be man Empire to as re ve ha le op pe en and thousands of an army, it has be ic er Am e th Since 1998 tens of in en of 14,000 a means of war. Ev mates that a total ti es y public of Congo as ll Li J. rt be American GIs A study by Ro any were raped by still is a problem: rm Ge d an ce an oners Fr England, abuse to male pris al xu se of civilian women in ms ai cl and there were during World War II war. of war in the Iraq Why is rape and sexual abu se as an act of war so effect ive and common? Rape is frequently used as a mea ns of psychological warfare in order to humiliate the enemy. It destroys mor ale, often effects mental he alt h and breaks down communities. War rape and sex ual abuse is often systemati c and thorough. Rape and sexual abuse in war ma y occur in a variety of sit ua tions, including institutionalised sexual sla very, war rapes associated wit h specific battles or massacres, and individual or isolated acts of sexual violence. War rape may also include gang rape and rape with objects, often lea ving victims with life health problems and injuries .
Foca as the one in the ch su s,’ mp ca pe ‘ra d to ly, are the idea of ntres where they ha ce n io nt Even more shocking te de in ys, women were kept reated in many wa st mi re we d an massacres. Bosnian ns itio to y unhygienic cond licemen would come po d an rs live in intolerabl ie ld so . atedly raped. Serb out and rape them em th ke ta n, me wo such as being repe more ntres, select one or rs and policemen in ie ld so s, te ma these detention ce in r he local in full view for ot lvement of the Serb vo in ct All this was done re di e th e and often with complete knowledg rces. arly the police fo ul ic rt pa s, ie it or auth
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I PREFER V DAY. Moving on to so mething that is now increa women in the singly affecti UK, the problem ng more girls of female gen as FGM. Often and ital mutilation it is incorrec , otherwise kn tly said to be not; it is cult own a ‘Muslim’ tradi ural, not reli tion, however gious. When a against her w it is girl is subjec ill or due to ted to FGM, it societal press the process in is often u res- to be seen which part of as ‘clean.’ FGM the whole of th jury to the fe is e external gen male genital organs for non italia or other women being co -medical. This inntrolled by th procedure is to eir own sexua that for a wom k ee l p urges, therefor an to be clean e it is often , she can have means women a seen sexual desire re married on s. This proce ly to have ch sexual needs, dure ildren and sa but never thei ti sf y their husba r own. nds’ Female genital mutilation does not only ruin women’s sexuality, but also causes many health problems such as recurrent infection, chronic pain, cysts, infertility, complications with childbirth and fatal bleeding. Despite the arguments for why some people still want the freedom to practice FGM, most children who were cut were cut before the age of five. It is child abuse and misogynistic, and it must be stopped. You may have seen recently articles or news reports about the mother of two was stoned to death on the order of court in Pakistan? What crime did she have to commit to endure such a brutal death? She possessed a mobile phone. Women’s right activists have launched an international campaign to call the UN to ban stoning, which is usually used against women.
These are only three differen t types of vio it happens in lence against every country women. The fa , in every sing to #Rise4Justic ct is, le way. This is w e on 14 Februa hy it is impor ry. We all hav woman who endu tant e a duty of ca res some sort re to every si of violence ag will be the gen n g le a in st women, and eration that st hopefully we ops the pande women. mic that is vio lence against Lydia Sawyer
help: how can t u o b a tion informa e m/ r o m r o F m-now.co g f p o t rg/ .s w nrising.o o http://ww i l l i b e w.on g/ http://ww women.or n .u w w w / http:/
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? U O Y W E N , R A E Y W NE Although it’s February, and most peoples’ New Year’s Resol utions have probably already been forgotten, the start of the year detoxes, diets , and exercise programs are still everywhere. Their emphasis on women is somet hing that’s consistent throughout, yet we all know everyone overindulges at Chris tmas. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to promote a healthy lifestyle, and it’s great if you want to make positive changes to your own, but there seems no to be the main target for the diet industry. According sensible reason for women suggested that 26% of both men and women were obese, to the NHS, findings in 2010 however it also showed that 42% of men were overweight, while only 32% of women were. This begs the question that surely men could get as much use from these diet progr ams or products as women can, so why on earth are they not being targeted too?
n justify what they eat. “I can pig It is a common aspect of life to hear womelunc h... I went to the gym earlier so I’m out now because I didn’t have time to eatng it is a different kettle of fish. There starving.” But when it comes to men eati lenges; yet, I wonder if the program by seem to be so many ‘Man Vs Food’ style chal ess if it showed an overweight woman, the same name would have been such a succ us amount of food. Would it receive purposefully mowing her way down a ridiculo s to watch an overweight woman want hundreds of complaints about how no one stuffing her face? Men overeating is seen as a challenge, and ultim a success, but for women it is something they need to address and change. ately Of cours ignored due to its health implications, but why do women e obesity should not be feel more pressure to lose weight than men?
ing them being able to squeeze into their Diet adverts predominately use women, show dress they have been dying to wear. The ing ideal pair of jeans, or that little blackgone as far to appeal to mothers, by show Weight Watchers’ new campaign has even r relationships with their daughters. how their weight lose could improve thei Even Google proves my point, when a search fo the website www.sofem r ‘diets’ comes in with the result from expected to diet and haine.co.uk, as if rubbing it in my face up th at ve as a woman I am an un he althy obsession with as Heat and Okay have my weight. Magazines al so be en cr it such icised for their fascin weight, magazines that ation with celebrities’ are both aimed at wome n. Blogger of ‘Fashion, Fitness, Food’ Lucy Mountain sees a change happening when it comes to the trend of dieting and fitness. She feels that it has become more popular for women to be fit and toned, rather than the previous emphasis on being skinny, the thinspiration blogs now being replaced by fitspiration. Lucy also believes that there is now just as much pressure for women are so much more equal in men; “I feel because society, men are now under pressu females.’ re to look good for also focus on men, adverts will begin to change and grams and products pro s Like Lucy, I am hopeful thatmor nes Diet and fit s. thi n tha e do to d nee y en being able but I think the lth, rather than focusing on wom hea to is has emp ir the ld also realise tch wou swi rs should dresses. Then, maybe, advertise ite our fav ir the in affect men, o at als gre e k eas loo to and heart dis re ssu pre od blo h hig as h suc by marketing that implications ld also improve their own demand and will realise that they coul. It’s time to question the diet industry’s exploitation themselves towards men as weldo you think is more important, health and wellbeing or of women’s insecurities. What appearance? Holli Samuel
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Support Your Sis-ters, Not Just Cis-ters Being a cis-female feminist sounds dreamy, right? Running campaigns for fellow women, having female exclusive events to create a safe space, and generally having an excellent time fighting for women... Women? What do we mean by a woman? Do we mean everybody born with a vulva that was assigned ‘female’ at birth and then identifies with that decision? I hope not, because then we’d probably be horrifically cissexist. The issue here lies with what most people tend to think of when somebody suggests the idea of a woman - a person with a vulva and mammary glands that is probably a femme. That is wrong. One cannot exclude a woman because they don’t have a vulva, or because they haven’t always been a woman, because this is transmisogyny. A woman: anybody who identifies as such, regardless of genitals and the clothes they wear. She/Her/ Hers pronouns. A man: anybody who identifies as such, regardless of genitals and the clothes they wear. He/Him/His pronouns. Unfortunately, many feminists or female support centres have this idea entirely wrong, and refuse to support or include people that fall outside of those who were assigned female at birth (AFAB) and identify with this assignation (read: cis-women). That’s pretty rubbish, because some men might need this support they may be subject to issues that women also face, especially if they are questioning their gender, or used to identify as female, or at least used to be read as female and therefore understand the misogyny women face. Another thing to note alongside exclusions of the binary genders, is the exclusion that a non-binary or genderqueer person might face. A non-binary / genderqueer person: anybody who identifies as such, regardless of genitals and the clothes they wear. Doesn’t identify with being male or female, or might identify as both, or might be genderfluid and change their mind as often as they change their undergarments. They/Them/Their pronouns (or many other gender neutral alternatives). For example, as a non-binary AFAB person who happens to identify as a femme, I would be welcome at women only events because for all intents and purposes, I look and dress ‘like a woman’. However, I don’t feel comfortable going to these events because I would feel like I’m lying about my gender to the cis-women that put the events on. It’s likely even worse for AMAB folk that want to come to these events, because there’s no way they’d be let in, simply for being born with a penis that they don’t even identify with (much like trans women). A really great thing we can do to help fight cissexism as feminists is to make sure we don’t exclude any gender groups, and ask people their preferred pronouns when we’re in the safe meeting spaces, and do our best to use them, regardless of what our eyes and conditioning tell us! A super important thing to remember is there’s no such thing as male and female bodies, only people’s bodies and they’re all super great! Charlie Jones
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is porn screw Porn has never been so accessible or accepted in mainstream culture. With a staggering 25% of Internet searches looking for porn. With an industry values at 97 billion, worth more that Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google, Yahoo and eBay combined, its not surprising that page three girls can be seen everyday, and children’s bed clothes are branded with the playboy bunny logo, but what is this doing to the minds of men? And the relationship women have with them? Is porn rewiring the male brain? There is a wealth of opinions and evidence that says so. When men orgasm to porn a short but very strong boost of dopamine is released in to their brain and will lift their mood for an hour or two. The areas of the brain that get affected by this mood change are also the ones that are influenced by cocaine use and gambling. All three of these behaviors can scarily be addictive. The quick release of chemicals like opiad, endocannabinoid and serotonin make the pleasure centers in our brains go wild, and want more. Watching porn regularly may be considered normal, or maybe even proof that we live in a sexually liberated society. Yet there is strong evidence to suggest that heavy consumption of
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porn makes getting off to or even having ‘normal’ sex unstimulating, the rise of men wanting to engage in anal sex with their female partners supports this idea. Also the increased number of anal fissure (tearing) injuries that are reported demonstrates that women are making themselves available to these porn based desires. It is not just traditional sex that becomes unstimulating for men: porn is too. What really turns someone on the very first time they are see it, won’t quite take them to the same place the next time. The porn industry has long been aware of this, and has reacted by producing more and more provocative material. Recently there has been a huge increase in violent sex and also a growing demand for younger girls to be featured in pornography. Every day in the US there are 68 million searches for porn, 96% of those searchers were male. That is a staggering amount of men watching porn, all of whom are becoming habitualised the imagery, seeing it as normality. Systematically being desensitized by those in charge of porn and encouraged by porn websites to find new videos to replace the ones previously seen, that just don’t satisfy anymore. The incentive for these website owners? Profit. The result?
A huge group of society watching behavior altering, violent, degrading and taboo breaking porn on a very regular basis. Although there is help and information provided by organizations such as yourbrainonporn.com for men who seek help in their relationship with porn. The sigma out there and also lack of funding and awareness means this help isn’t getting to all of those who need it. The International Communications Association held a meeting in 2007 that found that 89% of pornographic scenes contained aggressive acts, with 11.5 acts of verbal or physical aggression displayed on average. A heart breaking 94% of those acts were directed at the women in the video. 95% of the women being assaulted reacted with a neutral or pleased demeanor. One act referred to on porn sites as ‘ATM’ is features in an extraordinary 41% of porn videos. ‘AMT’ stands for ass to mouth, the sex act that involves a penis being taken out of women’s anus and being immediately used for oral sex, given by the same woman. It is argued that this adds absolutely no sexual satisfaction to the man or woman. The act only exists to demonstrate that men hold the power in the situation, and an erotic use of this power is to degrade the
wing with us? woman involved, it also seems a very clear outlet for male aggression, as this sex act is not one that women would like to do in everyday life. This is also demonstrated in the use of anal sex in porn, it being featured in 55% of porn videos, hugely unrepresentative of real life sexual encounters. This is a really scary topic, because the centre of the brain in control of aggression and sexual desires are positioned next to each other. Normalizing degrading and violent porn is hugely dangerous for women. As the 2007 Ministry of Justice found that watching this type of pornography makes men more likely to commit sexual offences and also have trouble maintaining healthy relationships with women. The content and the demand for pornography is devastating to any feminist, because it appears seemingly obvious that showing sexually degrading acts for women to a mass audience will lead to the normalization of treating women like sex objects, leading to higher levels of harassment and stereotyping. It also gives things like rape myths more scope to be believed. Susan Fisk of Princeton University looked into the brain scans acquired by men as they looked at picture of women wearing bikinis. She found that looking at these pic-
tures stimulated the premotor area of the mind. This area is reserved for the use of tools. Not social, sexual relationships. Shockingly, the men were responding to the women in the pictures as though they were not even human beings.
us. We haven’t been this sexually frustrated or subjugated since the 50s. It is not ok that porn is making bad lovers, because that’s the only education they’ve ever had, and it has very little to do with the real world. It’s not ok that men feel totally compelled to masturbate to porn until they loose touch of their lives, and the real relationships and sex their missing out on. It is not ok that the new standard on sex and beauty are being manufactured by businessmen, looking for the next extreme, the next huge bust. And it’s really not ok that women’s lives are being cruelly stifled by this big bucks industry, and that images of rape and incest are fast becoming the norm, dripping into our boyfriends brain, our everyday lives, our relationships and the way we are seen be society.
This isn’t good news for the relationships we can have with men. Although we are supporting each other with organizations like stoppornculture.org. Whos focus on combating the pornification of our society, and ourselves. There is an ever growning need for this organization and others like it, with violence against women being normalized, and standards of what ‘normal’ sex is becoming more and more male orientated. Sex is being hijacked. There’s a clear move away from lovemaking and towards screwing. Porn undermines the importance of feeling loved and important during sex, Martha Jephcott and promotes using us as objects to spunk on. We are being sexually and emotionally neglected. There has been a substantial increase in us lying about how our sexual relationships are for filling us. Feeling the need to contain our frustration, as though we’re the crazy ones by not seeing violent anal as the norm. Its time to stop faking! About everything, our orgasms and the charade that porn has liberated
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WHO NEEDS FEMINISM? 11 11
WE WANT REVOLUTION Bikini Kill - Double Dare Ya Standout Line: ‘We’re Bikini Kill and we want revolution grrrl style now!!’ What better way to kick off the playlist than with Bikini Kill, D.I.Y punk pioneers of the riot grrrl movement. Lead by Kathleen Hana, one of the most prominent feminist activists of the 90’s. ‘Double Dare Ya’ is loud and abrasive upon first listen but also encompasses the powerful sense of female creativity of the decade.
ration. Addressing the hypocrisy of the ‘assertive’ male verses the ‘bitchy’ woman as well as tackling double-standards regarding sexual autonomy, no misogynist is safe!
you want to twerk like crazy, Azealia’s assertion of female sexuality with the famous line is refreshing to hear amongst all the male driven sexually explicit songs.
X Ray Spex - Oh bondage up yours! Standout Line: ‘Some people think little girls should be seen and not heard, but I think…’ X ray spex were one of the most innovative and refreshing bands that came out of the punk era in the late 70’s. Lead by Somalian born Poly Styrene, Oh Land - Renaissance this song was written as Girls a backlash against the Stand out line: ‘Having sexist consumerist culthree kids and still re- ture at the time. main a Virgin, it’s my version of a renaissance Azealia Banks - 212 girl’ Standout Line: ‘I guess Although great strides that cunt getting eaten’ have been achieved 212 was definitely one of throughout the 20th cen- the stand out songs of tury women in today’s so- 2012; along with making ciety still have to face incredibly high standards when it comes to how they lead their lives. Oh Land’s song acts as an ode to all of us out there who feel the pressure society puts upon us to be the ‘perfect’ woman.
Amanda Palmer: Map of Tasmania Standout Line: ‘I say grow that shit like a jungle, give them something strong to hold onto’ Amanda Palmer has always been known for her no holds barred feminism and various campaigns in response to misogyny. This song and video challenge the modern obsession with going bare down there and calls for people to respect a woman’s choice if she wishes to keep her bush.
Christina Aguilera ft Lil Kim - Can’t Hold us Down Stand Out Line: ‘Lil Kim and Christina Aguilera got yo back’ Christina and Lil Kim take almost every sexist double standard in the book and confronts them in this awesome collabo-
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Nicki Minaj - Boss Ass Bitch Standout Line: ‘I’m a boss ass bitch bitch bitch’
GRRRL STYLE NOW!! Natalie Tichareva and Dragana Javor pick their top Feminist Anthems throughout the ages. Nicki Minaj has never been shy about expressing her bold femininity. She is a talented rapper as well as sharp lyricist. This song demonstrates her reclamation of the word ‘bitch’ and cements her role as a leading rapper in a male dominated field.
we’re not smart enough or pretty enough. Insecurities often cause us to compare ourselves to each other but these are standards that no one can live up to. This song acts as a reminder that the perfect girl does not exist, we are all complex human beings and there’s nothing wrong with that.
a Hole gig where Courtney Love stage dived and was almost sexually assaulted in the crowd.
Joan Jett and The Blackhearts - Bad Reputation Standout Line: ‘A girl can do what she wants to do and that’s what I’m gonna do’ One of the biggest self Missy Elliott - Work It identified feminists in music, Joan Jett decided Stand Out Line: ‘Ain’t no Hole - Asking For It shame ladies do your Standout Line: ‘Was she she wanted to defy patrithing, just make sure you asking for it? Did she archy when she was told ahead of the game’ that girls should not This song is as much play electric guitar about self-love as by her teacher at the it is sex positivtime. In my opinion, ity, recognising the line ‘I don’t give that women are just a damn about my bad as sexual as men. It reputation’ is a line provides an imporany feminist should tant message that live by. sex work is still valid work. No Doubt - Just a girl Standout Line: ‘Your Salt n Pepa - None rule of thumb makes of Your Business me worry some’ Stand out Line: ‘Your Led by the powerhouse double-standards and fashion icon that don’t mean shit to me’ is Gwen Stefani, this ska ask you twice?’ Simultaneously defend- When people think of tune’s energy and lyrical ing a woman’s right to Courtney Love they usu- content challenges the sexual freedom while si- ally do not know that restrictions imposed on lencing those who think she was in a critically female behaviour in socithey have the right to acclaimed alternative ety. judge. This song is all rock band (Hole) who were about reclaiming your noted by critics as one of Honourable Mentions sexuality regardless of the standout bands of the Bikini Kill- Sugar, The what others think. Distillers- Seneca Falls, 90’s. Hole were one of the most Childbirth- I only fucked Robyn - Who’s That Girl? high profile bands of you as a joke, Destiny’s Stand out Line: ‘I know the time that openly dis- Child- Independent Women, there’s no such girl’ cussed feminism in their Azealia Banks- Liquorice, Even the most confident songs. ‘Asking for it’, tak- The Knife- Full of Fire, women have insecuri- en from their second al- Sonic Youth- Kool Thing, ties or doubts, ‘Who’s that bum, touches on rape and Lady Gaga- Scheiße, The Girl?’ covers all of these, victim blaming; it was in- Gossip- Standing in the whether we’re worried spired by an incident at way of control
Was she asking for it? Did she ask you twice?
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Intersectionality: Let’s make multi-cultural feminism normal As a feminist you should generously accept burdens. It’s simple; if you expect atypical suspects - like males and Tory’s to accept sexism as their problem; you must be willing to accept problems that don’t ‘obviously’ seem linked to you. I’m not Muslim, for example, but I recognize that they are disgustingly vilified in the media, and always challenge Islamaphobes. Like feminists, they are tarred with the same brush as a violent and vocal minority. Identifying that we are different but share issues will strengthen us and - it will also help us to convince people who more strongly identify with different groups. In effect, we’ll build a network of ambassadors, changing the perceptions of feminism and fighting the persistent indifference to sexist microaggressions. Similarly, we can work to end the oppressions they face. That way, the men and women willing to be feminists might feel more at home, and the struggles they face might be made that bit less difficult. So we all need to become annoyed at, and willing to fight for, a broader range of inequalities and injustices. It’s uncomfortable, and it’s awkward, but the differing levels of privilege within feminism must be directly confronted for us all to
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better understand each other. Ignoring that there will be people within the movement better and worse off than others will only lead to a trouble. But, the debate around how to go about accepting and working with this hasn’t been easy. (ref Twitter) Intersectionality, like feminism, is a misunderstood, mischaracterized idea. Some feminists dismiss is as a distraction, whilst other feminists embrace that it highlights their presence. Those nuances in our positions mean that we might all be in the same fleet of ships, but not precisely the same boat. For example, a good friend and I are both daughters of first generation immigrants. We lived in a poor area and attended local schools. However, she didn’t go to university, or work because her family believed that educating girls was squandering money when her only job would be childbirth and rearing. We look similar from afar, but our backgrounds mean that our immediate needs from society, and from feminism will not be the same. As a movement we should, must even, weave intersectionality into any activism we undertake. If people within feminism feel ignored, they will not sympathize, even if they do want to end
sexism. It’s not easy to separate your ethnicity, sexual orientation and political ideas, so asking people to compartmentalize their identities will feel unnatural and pointless. It will maintain feminism as a lofty theory, instead of an adoptable mindset, far less a practical way of being. We need to approach fellow feminists with openness. Doing that would go far towards defeating intra-feminist divisions. Considering this, feminism needs to be adaptable and open to diversity. Strength in numbers is a well-known and worn-to-the-bone phrase. Successful movements in the past have shown us that it works. So, let’s reach out to people from all walks of life, and take feminism from a fringe idea to a cultural norm. Irene Amadi
l a c i s u M e h T s e n i L d e r r u l B : w Revie I was excit ed to be go ing to see of feminist my first pi drama, even ece if I was no gest fan of t the bigmusicals. B lurred Line staged at T s, which wa he National s Theatre’s ‘T not disappo h e Shed,’ did int. The dra ma which is “ is a blist described a ering journ s ey through gender poli c ontemporar tics,” has a y n all-female dissect wha cast, who t it means to be a wom sexist soci a n today in ety. a It is almos t possible to get whip drama goes lash as the from light-h eartedly ma the ways in king fun of which wome n are narro in the medi wly portray a- such as ed the silly, d girl, the ca i m northern ring mother , the black g and the bit hetto girl ch- to sudd enly movin subjects su g on to dar ch as domes ker tic violenc sault and r e , sexual as ape. The perform ance was ve ry witty an ibly though d incredt provoking - political best. The dr drama at it ama tackles s a very stro we have in ng problem our society - the way i of us are n n which ma ot critical ny or question portrayal i the media, n the media and its inf Anyone who luence on u is thinking s. of going to guarantee see it, I ca you will wa n lk away fee ling refres hed
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FASHION AN
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The fashion industry is the second biggest industry in the world; so why is such a prominent global industry faced with so many controversies? Whether it is Karl Lagerfeld making an offhand comment about nobody wanting to see curvy women except “fat mothers with their bag of crisps” or John Galliano and his anti-Semitic comments there is always a whirl wind news story surrounding the fashion industry. Arguably the most controversial issue within the fashion industry are the sizes of the models. The fashion industry has notoriously been linked to the ‘size zero’ debate. Recently the ex editor of Vogue Australia Kristie Clements revealed that she’s encountered several models who eat tissues to stay thin. Also River Island hired a model who suffered from anorexia to feature in their campaign. The problem with having really thin models to feature in campaigns in the fashion industry is that they encourage eating disorders and brings forth the
issue of body image. It doesn’t help that in these campaigns and magazine spreads the models are also photoshopped. The reason why so many models in the high fashion industry are all at a similar size is because of sample sizes. Designers use sample sizes on sample models so when they book the models they actually want (note: sample models are not the same as the runway/magazine models you may be familiar with, these models are purely there so the designer can fit their design on an actual live model) from different modelling agencies, they will fit the sample sized design that has already been made. No designer wants to alternate their design for a model unless that model was a supermodel that is coveted by the fashion industry; in that case they usually have designs made to fit them. Aside from those rare cases, that would require extra time, effort, money, material and endless reasons as to why it would not be feasible to fit each and every design to each individual model. People forget that models in the fashion industry are used as expensive mannequins simply to broadcast a design so they are bent and shaped at the will of the designer rather than
ND FEMINISM themselves. This makes it easier for magazines such as Vogue when they shoot spreads they have their sample size clothes to fit models and when models go to fashion shows they go to several bookings and they wear what is on the rack which will be of a sample size. The most common sample size is around a UK size 6. The sample size issue has always been a way for the fashion industry to cop out on the body image debate. Understandably having a universal sample size does indeed make a lot of peoples jobs in the fashion industry easier, from the designer, to the model, to fashion stylists, photographers, editors etc. However this does not solve the problem because we hear more and more stories of models starving themselves and internet blogs where they use these models as ‘thinspiration’. The fashion industry has indeed glorified the ‘perfect’ slim body shape that we females have to aspire to look like or look like already. For me, there is a simple answer in this, why don’t the fashion council demand a universal sample size of something higher than a UK 6, perhaps a UK 10? There are people in the fashion industry already trying to curb this issue. Franca Sozzani, the editor
of Italy’s Vogue, has been at the forefront of this. She famously refused to book models that are known to suffer from eating disorders or models under the age of 16 in her pages. Ms Sozzani has even made a plussize issue of Italian Vogue which led those models being booked by modelling agencies such as IMG. About the typical idea of beauty, Franca told NY magazine in 2011, “but now we did it to attract the attention that it doesn’t exist, only one kind of beauty, but that every woman can be beautiful and especially curvy women can be beautiful and very sexy”. Perhaps with people like Franca Sozzani, Alexander Shulman and Dionne Von Furstenburg the fashion industry will sit up and listen and address this issue. Nasim Salad
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