I just saw a tweet from a mutual that made me a bit upset so I wanted to ask an open and frank question:
Are we really still redefining beauty, here?
With coloured hair and tattoos being more and more commonplace - what does it mean to redefine the standard, break the mold, and vibe with the social suicide that was once understood as alternative community, in 2019?
With marketable, high earning alternative international models frequently gracing the front page of Suicidegirls, InkedMag, Maxim, and more - what sets us apart, now, if the same people feel shut out and feel less likely to see themselves on the front page on all platforms?
The comment came from a thick black cosplay model that she used to look at "the Suicide Girls" as an unattainable goal and how she is happy for her current alternative community. As a thick black girl who thought she was too fat for cosplay - I joined SG in 2013 because I believed in the mandate of beauty:redefined and believe this platform to be the opposite of what she saw. 6 years of being a hopeful later, and marking trends on set of the day - I am not convinced any more that she is wrong.
How do we go from here? Are black models still only front page acceptable if their blackness is their only majorly "alternative culture"? When was the last time we had a thick or fat suicide girl (Above a UK size 12-14) or acknowledged a model visibly over 35 with over 1000 likes on their set? I want to be upset and shake my fists at the PTB - but alas, the "members commitment to redefining beauty" really shows in the ratio of likes on black models above a size 6, all thick models, and anyone who seems past a DeCaprio standard of "their prime". How can we get irate at the system if our votes, likes, support, and preferences are actively supporting the current beauty structure?
Should we drop the commitment to social reform and bank it as an HBO special: because we're just Girls, at this point - if we're just defining the new societal norm.
IN ADDITION: Can we also have staff photographers make a bit more of a commitment to diversify their portfolio? It's hard to hear from heartbroken hopefuls from all over about being ghosted out of the opportunities to shoot with staff and to see then and less marketable SG veterans shooting exclusively with trusted photogs cause SG photographers are not wanting to waste their time or efforts on a set that statistically will not preform as good - like let's not let this be a structural issue.
I've had hopefuls frankly ask me, before explaining my editing queue issues, if their sets were taking longer cause "more fp sets were priority" like... come on guys. We as photographers are not even helping by some of us actively feeding into this by having a very noticeable "shooting type" or type that are usually ghosted/take longer to get edits back to.
