Because if not, we need to notice, right… about… NOW:
Most of you have probably read about the Terry Richardson malarky. If not, here you are. I have reason to believe these people because it clearly doesn’t make them look too good or their agency too happy if they publicly confront someone with so much power. And lots of people in fashion, many people I really respect, have jumped to his defense. The most common arguments from these folks and Internet commentators point fingers at the barely legal girl who has been pressured into taking her clothes off for photos that will be published in magazines and online.
Ah, blaming the victim. A personal favorite of mine!
“You can always say no. It’s the girl’s fault for not saying no. There is a choice. The girl could’ve refused.”…the girl should never be put in the position in which she has to refuse. I mean, sure, she could just not say yes, but there’s another person to blame, and that would be the person who could just not pressure a girl into performing those kinds of acts. Remember him? And for what reason, other than selfish pleasure? Nevermind the emotional damage it can do to a person. I don’t think its purpose is in the quality of the photos — nudity in fashion is no longer shocking. And as for the kind of things he has asked models to do to him, you don’t need to get some action in order to take a head-on picture of someone against a wall.
“It’s fun! Uncle Terry said it’s fun and everyone likes it!” Know who didn’t say it’s fun and everyone likes it? The people who had the opposite of fun and did not like it at all! Who are risking a lot in saying what they’re saying, whether it’s true or not, and I kind of feel like it’s true!
Seriously. Thank God for this girl.
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I thought the same thing when I read that post. Girl is seriously articulate and switched on.
That warms my cold, icy heart.
The writing stands on its own merits, but the fact that she’s 12 just a) gives me hope for the future and b) makes it all the funnier when she schools Richardson about his fake-edgy style. Like, 12-year-old girls know your “art” is bullshit, Terry. Why don’t you?
I KNOW! And she does this all whilst wearing “magical tulle coats” made of air and red toe shoes: http://www.thestylerookie.com/2009/12/its-all-downhill-from-here.html
Coolest 14-year-old EVER.
might have shouted “FUCK YES!” at my computer screen when I read this. I’m so happy somebody with this much influence in the fashion industry is saying these thoughts.
I don’t follow fashion that much, but I think this girl is totally, completely awesome. She totally gives me hope for the future, because I think with a few more people like her, there might be pushback in this industry that could make some serious waves.
Plus, nothing makes my day more than young feminists speaking their minds. Tavi, you’re great.
She is like literally my favorite. Been following her for a while now and discovered you guys through a link on her blog. Awesome.
Daaaaamn I love Tavi. I am pretty jealous of how G she is at that age; I was definitely too mopey and self-centered to do anything cool like this.
Wow. I have been skeptical of this wee bairn of fashion criticism in the past, but her talent and intellect really come across here. At the tender age of however-old-she-is, she understands that fashion is about politics and power, not just clothes.
I am SO glad to see Tavi talking about this! I’ve seen a lot of fashion blogs take really disturbing stances (including that the models just had “sour grapes” because the photos weren’t flattering, I shit you not), and there is only so much arguing one can do before I become incoherent. Hats off to you, Tavi!
Tavi’s blog has been one of my favourites for about a year, and it’s great to see how feminist she’s become. I agree with Hannah, I’m jealous of how amazing she is already, she’s out-cooling pretty much everyone else and she’s only just hit puberty.
WOAH SADY.
I read her post last night and was going to ask you if you could somehow interview her. I think it would be a nice continuation of the generations of feminism theme that started with your interview of your mom. You know she follows you on the twitter, right??
@Other Erin: Yeah, we’ve e-mailed! She’s seriously an awesome lady.
Tavi makes me feel better about the internet. I have this little narrative in my head where without the internet she would still be a completely awesome kid but maybe would not have been exposed to as many interesting influences and feminist ideas, putting her in perhaps the top 2 percent of awesome kids everywhere. But possibly I am just trying to make myself feel better about a) the existence of the internet b) the fact that I was not anywhere near this cool at her age.
I mean, I admit my sample size is approximately…well, one. But I do not recall 14-year-olds being that smart, articulate, self-possessed or awesome, when I was one!
Well done, Tavi. You’ve made me say “kids these days!” in a genuinely-impressed rather than a mock-disapproving way. 🙂
Good God that girl is awesome! I know she’s just one person but wow, she makes me so optimistic about the next generation (ok I’m only 10 years older than her, so ‘next generation’ is maybe an exaggeration, BUT ANYWAY). And also even optimistic about the fashion industry, which I hardly ever feel. I know a lot of stuff about that industry is totally-not-ok-like-WOAH, and it might be inherently irreconcilable with feminism even if we got rid of all the Terry Richardsons and fucked up body image stuff, but I kinda like to hope that the two could coexist someday. Tavi makes me so much more hopeful about that.
YES! Uhm, Sady and Tavi ARE MY TWO FAVORITE INTERNET PEOPLE EVER. I said this last week. Keep it up, ladies! <3
She makes me want to have a baby so hopefully I could raise it to be as ridiculously incredibly amazingly rad as she is. Love her so much.
Love. This. Quote. But you know what is sad? That it just might’ve taken a teenaged blogger to finally get Important People In Fashion to recognize that Terry Richardson is a sleazebag.
OMG! Yes! Thank you! To honor both her views on the subject and also her cool wacky personality!!! Also love how wordy she is.
Word Em Up,
Smog
There are few things more heartlifting than seeing a take-down executed with such effect.
I am ignoring my internal scream-fest at the people with power who won’t make sure young women don’t have to cope with douchebags like Richardson.
I am doing this in favor of cheering on Tavi for showing up and speaking out.
10 for technique, 10 for style, Tavi.
Oh oh oh oh OH, Tiger Beatdown support makes me so happy! Thank you! Especially because it is due in part to this blog that I got into feminism and became more passionate about it and eventually started writing about it on my blog, like with this messed up situation. Yayyyy. And WHOA, so many nice awesome people in the comments. <3
I had a new niece born recently, and I am fervently hoping she grows up to be Tavi.
Good for Tavi!
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[…] I had to piece together clumsily over the next decade or so. I’m not saying I would have been like Tavi by the age of 14 or anything, but might I have gotten a head start? Missed out on some really epic […]