When fashion promotes misogyny and violence

13 Dec, 2015 - 00:12 0 Views

The Sunday News

THE world is turning into one that is full of ferocity, where our generation is being forced to accept casual sex as a norm, where “no” means “yes”, and violence is the answer to all problems. It has somehow become extremely hard to exist as a level-headed human being.
Most of this being caused or rather influenced by pop culture. The aspects, expectations, and institutions of popular culture all in some way, shape or form contribute to our world society’s marginalisation, promotion and perpetuation of gender-based violence. I thought it fit to pen something to that effect this week in my contribution to commemorating 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

This week I seek to discuss and analyse how fashion over centuries and most recently in our present 21st century promotes misogyny and violence.

Before I do that let me explain what misogyny is — this is the hatred of women including the entrenched prejudice against them. In fashion it could be explained simply as not hatred but the exploitation of women.

Fashion has somewhat maintained gender stereotyping objectifying women, transforming sex into a commodity and in sustaining and encouraging a rape culture.

Look at the type of clothes or apparel on the market being worn by kids nowadays. They are either hardly dressed or wear apparel that is demeaning to the opposite sex. Look at the messages inscribed across the t-shirts. They might not have to write anything but have images with certain connotations, which, as our youth listen to music such as hip-hop and rap may end up believing is a way of life.

Misogyny and violence are the fashion industry’s open secrets; colossal labels are known to exploit models in some of the most unexpected ways.

You don’t have to be overly familiar with the industry to know how it works.
Whether it is the all-white background or semi-nude pics — the truth is that misogyny and sexual misconduct are instrumental themes within the industry.

There is a high level of immorality that goes on in the fashion world that is not a secret to anyone who pays attention. I hope I might be able to enlighten you about misogyny in fashion that you should know if you haven’t found out already.

Anyway here are a few debauched elements promoted by today’s fashion.
Today’s fashion promotes sexual harassment; being able to seduce and make a young girl succumb to one’s will is purported as a skill instead of a crime.

As long as there is worldwide recognition to gain and money to make, the support system of the “powers-that-be” are able to continue their predatory behaviour with no repercussions.

There are a lot of think pieces about the luridness in fashion, but the other question that is rarely posed is, why are these criminals not in jail? If you haven’t noticed fashion promotes unacceptable behaviour. It is true that fashion promotes lewd concepts and controversial beliefs in clothing form. Ironically we find this acceptable. Picture an advert where two women are in bed with some random guy because he smells good. Fashion willfully promotes advertisements that verge on pornography.

For one to thrive in the fashion industry you sadly have to know someone that knows someone.
There’s a saying that goes something like: “It’s not who you know, it’s who you blow.” Truth is, the fashion industry is all about whom you know and those relationships are equally leveraged to place young, female fashion newbies in compromising positions. Nowadays it not only targets women but men as well. If you don’t acquaint or hang with a certain group then you don’t get to sit and mingle with those on the high table.

Adding onto the mass distraction is the industry’s agenda to encourage the limiting view of women in fashion. The support of the “skinny agenda” ensures that a legion of young women prefer to starve all for the sake of being acceptable in fashion.

It is said in an industry where size 0 models dominate, fashion encourages the belief of women hating in creating a half-man, half-woman creature. Each year, women are presenting themselves to the masses with smaller breasts, no curves, and devoid of any feminity, which is at the behest of male overseers.

Whether or not everyone pays attention to the trends there are always adverts for different brands and stores featuring glamorous models in expensive apparel.

Although the fashion world often caters towards women it doesn’t treat them very well. There are many aspects of fashion that can be detrimental to women.

The fashion industry is often misogynistic, proved by the disrespect models receive, the expectations women are held to and the fact that many designers don’t create clothes for realistic women.

I read an article not so long ago that multi- award-winning American rapper — Lil Wayne — was facing a lawsuit, among many, where he is being sued by a model for using her pictures in his label.

The woman claims his brand —Trukfit —used her image without consent.
Shanise Taylor is suing Wayne over a shirt released by the brand earlier this year, which features a doctored photo of herself.
Taylor claims that she is not a professional model, but admitted she knowingly posed for the shoot in question back in 2011.

She said she was unaware that the photos would be used for anything related to Trukfit and was surprised when she saw her photo on the shirt.

The original photo is said to have been doctored to make Taylor appear as if she was not wearing underwear, rocking only a Trukfit tank top. She said she was outraged by the retouching of the photo, and claimed she wanted nothing to do with a brand selling apparel associated with misogyny and violence.

Taylor is demanding that the shirts stop being circulated, and is claiming an unspecified amount in damages as well.

Till next week, let’s link via WhatsApp or email [email protected]

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