Physical & Emotional Abuse Support Group
Abuse is a general term for the treatment of someone that causes some kind of harm (to the abused person, to the abusers themselves, or to someone else) that is unlawful or wrongful. No one deserves abuse, period. Abuse can be emotional, physical, or sexual.
Yesterday, when I stumbled
on the story
(http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/beauty/glee-star-latest-fashion-victim-in-offensive-shoot-black-and-blue-is-not-the-new-black-2539137/)
about a photographer who produced
a "fashion shoot layout" with an actress
from a recently popular t.v. show, portraying
a battered woman modeling 1950's style
dresses in the act June Cleaver housework.
I was simply sickened.
What were they thinking[?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
The photographer defended the
heinous error in judgement, instead
of renouncing and retracting it.
Shame upon shame on him.
What was actress Heather Morris thinking?
The photographer set-up the shoot,
but she took direction and was the
willing participant in the photographer's
vision and ensuing images.
The 20-something year-old woman,
whose acting resume begins three
years ago, must either have grown up
totally sheltered ----- or without the seeds
of empathy for the violated ----- or
intellectual connection with the realities
of the non-entertainment world. Or possibly
she's from dysfunction herself, and has buried
herself in denial to keep from having to
acknowledge her experience. Hopefully
she's just incredibly immature.
All I know of this entertainer's work is
this photo shoot. I don't know if she's
the next Meryl Streep. Somehow I think
not. To be a great actress requires
discernment and good judgement.
As for the photographer, I hope his
trivializing of domestic violence
results in his becoming a pariah
within his industry.
That's my response.
What's yours?
on the story
(http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/beauty/glee-star-latest-fashion-victim-in-offensive-shoot-black-and-blue-is-not-the-new-black-2539137/)
about a photographer who produced
a "fashion shoot layout" with an actress
from a recently popular t.v. show, portraying
a battered woman modeling 1950's style
dresses in the act June Cleaver housework.
I was simply sickened.
What were they thinking[?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
The photographer defended the
heinous error in judgement, instead
of renouncing and retracting it.
Shame upon shame on him.
What was actress Heather Morris thinking?
The photographer set-up the shoot,
but she took direction and was the
willing participant in the photographer's
vision and ensuing images.
The 20-something year-old woman,
whose acting resume begins three
years ago, must either have grown up
totally sheltered ----- or without the seeds
of empathy for the violated ----- or
intellectual connection with the realities
of the non-entertainment world. Or possibly
she's from dysfunction herself, and has buried
herself in denial to keep from having to
acknowledge her experience. Hopefully
she's just incredibly immature.
All I know of this entertainer's work is
this photo shoot. I don't know if she's
the next Meryl Streep. Somehow I think
not. To be a great actress requires
discernment and good judgement.
As for the photographer, I hope his
trivializing of domestic violence
results in his becoming a pariah
within his industry.
That's my response.
What's yours?
My problems stems from why they did the shoot. I don't think the reasons they gave made any sense.
If they were trying to make a statement about the secrets of abuse in days past, that would be one thing. But I don't believe they were, if think it was a joke to them and that is what is offensive.
modeling 1950's - style clothes,
made-up with a blackened eye
in front of a falling-down ironing
board with the implication that
she's been battered with fists
and is possibly being threatened
with the iron itself (which is being
held in a male hand).
In one photo, her hands are
tied with the iron's electrical
cord. In another, she's pouring
the water from the steam chamber
into her mouth.
She is, of course, beautifully dressed
and wearing sexy heels.
http://carecircle.net/community/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=384
the link is working.
I think this kind of portrayal is nothing new- the media has been glamourizing gendered power imbalances for years... Although in this day and age of social justice movements, this kind of stuff should be condemned. It is outrageous and normalizes DV, but it's nothing new in my opinion. There are many films and media texts which glamourize the mistreatment of women and perpetuate these kinds of messages. The extreme end of it is pornography... But yes, I agree with you, it's sickening, especially for those that have gone through abuse to see that kind of trivialization.
There are still far too many stereotypes (abuse victims are all poor, uneducated, weak and stupid) and too much emphasis is still put on the "faults" of the victim, which "caused" the abuse. And the double standards.
My ex said to me, after being arrested and charged with assault, that the police "knew" that I was just overreacting, that he was "just an ordinary bloke who got a bit stroppy with the missus". Now, fortunately for me he was lying, but this is a believable lie because there is still far too much of that attitude within even law enforcement - let alone the wider community.
So yes, this is sickening but unfortunately unlikely to result in any real sanctions for the photographer, the actress or anyone else involved.
I could go on for a very long time. I think domestic violence is best understood as part of this pattern of gendered power imbalances. So I'd agree with gamine and livndadrem. Not all men buy into all forms of it, some don't buy into any form of it, but too many do buy into it in some form or another. Domestic violence isn't just some guys choosing to be a$$holes. Many cultures, ours included, grow them that way. The only way to eradicate it is to change cultural expectations, patterns of social structures and rewards and even punishments. But we do that in part by addressing instances such as these, by letting people know that this isn't ok, and also why it isn't ok. By not tolerating it, by certainly not rewarding it. By shunning it. All our protests can have an effect - look at the civil rights movement. We can stand up and say no. We can demand better. We can effect change.
Ok, off my soapbox...
on the soapbox!!!
Like just about all media, they knew it would cause controversy and the train of thought seems to be there is no such thing as bad press. It brought them attention, both to the photographer and the model. We will now remember their names and the more we click on the site where the photos are displayed, the more money the advertisers pay them. Maybe it's time to try a different tactic like ignoring or shunning them. It's just like the evening news, the same mentality. as long as we take the bait of their sensationalised doom, gloom and death and we continue to watch, they just keep cranking it out.