July/August 2011: Liberty

July/August 11

{tap} style, literature, & fashion culture

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Cover photos submitted by our lovely readers– thanks to everyone who participated!

{4} A Note From The Editor Letter by Geneva Gleason {6} Inspirations Photo by Spencer Tweedy {8} NYC Pride (The Best Kind) Photo story by Cheryl Wu {38} Negative Influence Article by Hannah Rahel {40} Photo by Katherine Cambareri {42} And Sometimes Yes. Poem by Rebecca Plotkin {44} Thoughts Photo by Shea Fitzpatrick

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{tap} ISSUE 18: LIBERTY

GENEVA GLEASON Editor-In-Chief

Georgia Gleason Photography Director

TAP Magazine

Publisher

TAP is currently accepting photography, poetry, and article submissions for publication.

Please send submissions to tapzine@gmail.com

For advertising information, subscription information, and other inquiries email tapzine@gmail.com.

Š TAP Magazine 2011. All rights reserved.

www.tapmagazine.weebly.com

{a {a {a note note note from from from the the the editor} editor} editor}

{Liberty means something different to everyone, and therefore this month I am choosing to share how I see liberty and why it is so important to me.

Growing up, I have been lucky enough to live in a country and have parents who have allowed me religious and political freedom. My religion (or lack thereof) does not ask me to dress a certain way, and during election months I have worn shirts supporting my preferred candidate. While I have been technically freed from sartorial confinement, it is impossible to find infinite liberty from the scrutiny of others. People will judge you (and the way you dress) no matter how hard you try to will them otherwise.

However, it will always be in your power and well within your rights to decide how you take judgment. In my opinion, style liberty isn‟t about dressing as crazily as possible (though that‟s certainly part of it)— it‟s about confidence and knowing that your body and what you put on it is subject to your discretion and your discretion only. In light of this, I asked our readers to send in photos of how they utilize their style liberty. You can see the results on our cover and on our website. I encourage you to enjoy and exploit your style liberty— it is truly a blessing. Happy summer!}

{inspirations}

nyc pr nyc pr nyc pr

{the best kind}

ride ride ride

{negative in Everywhere we look advertisements of some

The problem with this provocative media is

sort are telling us what to buy, what to wear, what to

that women are truly trying to copy the look of the

look like, and how to act. With all of these advertise-

women they see in these advertisements. According

ments being shown to us, our head is being filled

to an article published on Associated Content on Ya-

with mixed messages. These messages are focused on

hoo, “The average woman sees 400 to 600 advertise-

influencing vulnerable young adolescents into what

ments per day (Body Image & Advertising). These

the advertisers want us to think. Fashion advertise-

advertisements influence women because they try to

ments in particular are easy to aim at young women

look like the women they see in advertise-

because they greatly influence how they think of

ments.” (Hardin, Chanelle.) If we know that women

themselves. These advertisements are controversial

are being influenced by all of these advertisements,

and provocative, leaving young women with negative

we need to make sure that the advertisements are not

and unhealthy images about themselves. The fashion

sending messages that can destroy the well-being of

industry should enforce more censorship on contro-

young women.

versial fashion advertisements that expose young

The

Advertising

Standards

Authority

women ages fifteen to twenty-five the provocative

(ASA) is constantly getting criticism for not banning

nature of sexual images.

ads that are too sexually explicit. Other times, they

Provocative fashion advertisements are dis-

are penalized for not always allowing fashion ads to

playing to young women that it is acceptable to act

be showcased where they want to be. While I do con-

inappropriate in order to be seen as trendy. These ads

sider fashion advertisements a form of art expression,

are unrealistic portrayals of how normal women be-

I do not agree that they can be placed alongside other

have in the real world. The ads portray that all

mainstream ads in public places if they are too ex-

women are to be overly sexual in the way they pre-

plicit. Not all art is expressed as publicly to young

sent themselves. The ads are impacting the way

audiences as fashion advertisements are. Just because

young women act, and it is lowering their image per-

a Coca-Cola advertisement can be placed on the

ceived by other people. These advertisements present

metro, television commercials, and billboards all

the idea that women can only be seen as beautiful

around the world, does not mean a top-less Calvin

through the suggestion of sexism. Companies are try-

Klein jeans ad can.

ing to push the limits on their ads with the idea that „sex sells‟ more than anything.

According to an article on women's interpretations of fashion photographs, “Fashion photo-

can result in several girls

nfluence}

falling

into

depression,

developing eating disorders, or getting into drugs.

We can talk about the is-

graphs generate enormous dissatisfaction among

sue as much as we like, but it‟s more important to

women because they create unrealistic expectations

focus on solving the problems instead. The most ba-

that most women are unable to meet.” (Crane,

sic way of fixing these issues is by starting awareness

Diane.) According to this article, women in their

groups that explain to young women not to be ma-

teens and twenties see these ads not as degrading to

nipulated by advertisers. We can also place advertise-

women, but instead as being “in control of their sexu-

ments that have positive effects, and get the message

ality”. This is why so many of these young women

across to young women that they should accept them-

are truly influenced by them. These modern-day fash-

selves the way they are. Let‟s face it; there are other

ion advertisements are all about showcasing the op-

ways than extreme sexual exploitation to gain a

posite image of how traditional women are supposed

viewer‟s attention.

to act in society. In order for the modern woman to be

Advertisements can be iconic. We all re-

in control of herself does not mean it is okay for her

member the controversial ads of a young Brooke

legs to be spread apart on a billboard in Times

Shields in her Calvin Klein jeans. Those images can

Square.

stick in our heads forever, and impact the way we In the Myers Psychology textbook, obser-

live our lives. I personally love those ads of Brooke

vational learning explains how people learn by ob-

Shields, but I understand why people were offended

serving others. When young women see these pro-

of their placement in public locations. This is not a

vocative ads, they want to imitate the women in

plea to end creative advertising, but it is a message

them. Even more related to the issue with controver-

that there should be a place for controversial adver-

sial advertising is the concept of modeling. Modeling

tisements. They belong is fashion magazines, not on

is the process of observing and imitating a specific

buses. Company‟s who are placing these advertise-

behavior. Something called mirror neurons fire when

ments will not be affected if they are properly adver-

observing someone performing an action, which then

tised in a less suggestive manner, and in a place

enables imitation. When the clothing line „Sisley‟

where the audience they are trying to reach will see

came out with advertisements showcasing models

them. The fact is that statistics show young women

snorting what was meant to symbolize heroin, how

are being influenced by these advertisements; if there

do we know that did not make other young women

are more rules and regulations on the censorship of

want to go smoke heroin as well? With so many con-

these advertisements, young women will benefit ex-

troversial ad campaigns for young women to see, it

ponentially.

By Hannah Rahel

{and sometimes yes.} My mouth is sealed shut By a rope weaved of a million women‟s tears You smile sweetly Through tinted glass As I gush over the ring You‟re sliding onto my clammy finger Loving every minute of my pain Of your freedom I suppose now‟s when I say “yes” I look at you And I want you But what will it take to have you?

I ask myself Is your “love” Worth hours at home Tied to a granite counter By a tarnished ring, and ink on a page?

Do I want these things for myself?

The answer Is a complicated…

Yes? But who will hold my hair When I cry into the kitchen sink?

When my knees won‟t let me scrub the floor When my back won‟t let me kiss the ground you walk on When my hands shake too hard To hand you your ice cold beer When my mangled form Won‟t fit the rotting wedding dress Shoved into the back of our closet The back of our minds Will I have a place?

Who will clean the kitchen knife After I thrust it Into your chest I won‟t.

Maybe you should keep that ring Keep your dirty words Your hours away from home I‟ll take back my freedom And hand in my wristwatch The one that ticked along with my heart Until you came home Until you proposed Until I said…no.

Rebecca Plotkin

{thoughts} “To deprive a man of his natural liberty and to deny to him the ordinary amenities of life is worse than starving the body; it is starvation of the soul, the dweller in the body.

- Mohandas Gandhi