Tracy Clark-Flory, a senior writer at Salon, wrote of anxieties running high as subjects squeezed into uncomfortable shoes and deceptive shapewear at a photo shoot for More magazine’s November 2010 feature on young feminism, which both Clark-Flory and I participated in. Her conclusion? “There isn’t much that’s feminist about a feminist photo shoot.”
The problem with fashion spreads, of course, is that they’re subject to economic considerations which contradict feminism. The publications behind these spreads work with advertisers and designers that sell garments which are unattainable in size and price range to the average woman. (My photo shoot attire, for example, cost around $1,445.) Given their limitations, it’s not surprising that they end up perpetuating a very narrow definition of beauty that doesn’t exactly embrace individuality or diversity. But while I agree with Tracy that photo shoots are rarely, if ever, feminist affairs, I think ours was far more positive than most that make the pages of glossies. And perhaps there are a few lessons that editors and women can learn from it. Keep reading »
