There's been another round of drama with SG lately. I say another round because this isn't the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last. I'm not here to speculate on the cause, its none of my business or the rest of the worlds. But here's my two cents.
SuicideGirls as it is today is a platform. They have so many girls on their roster and so so SO many events/products/customers to organise that you can't possibly expect them to be stroking your ego 24/7.
Girls - you have this incredible website that has been built up from scratch (which was drama enough, trust me!) and SuicideGirls provides you an audience. Whether you've been an SG for years and years or a single day, you have millions of people with their eyes on you. If you have a cause that you want to fight for - USE THIS PLATFORM.
Its not SuicideGirls job to campaign for you. They're a business. If they hadn't made executive decisions, this ship would have sunk years ago and then where would you be?
The wonderful human that is @missy has a full heart for all you girls. She spends her days fighting for the best for you all, SuicideGirls and members. She has two adorable children that she has to look after too. A full time job and a full time family - that's not easy. As an icon for strong, hard working women, I think shes doing rather well!
You may or may not be surprised to hear that I've had my fair share of conflicts with SG. The first Blackheart Burlesque tour was filled with...issues. I won't go into it be jesus christ shit went doooown. I wasn't the first choice of host for the UK Blackheart Burlesque show. My own country, that I wanted to represent on behalf of a company I was proud to be apart of. I'm rarely on the SuicideGirls social media, even after relentless tagging and direct messages. I have three sets just sat in member review. But I didn't throw my toys out of the pram. I solved them, like an adult with a business ready mind.
Quick flashback for you;
When I was 18 years old, @Rambo messaged me on ModelMayhem inviting me to shoot for SG. I was ecstatic, a company I had idolized for years and years came TO ME. I was apprehensive, I'd heard about the dreaded contract and I didn't want to be owned by anyone. Thankfully after some discussion with Rambo I discovered that SG had done away with said contract and she shared with me all the exciting opportunities I could be involved in. I agreed, and off I went to Covent Garden to meet the controversial figure (from all the previous SG 'drama') I'd heard about - @sean.
Sean almost cancelled on me that day. He wasn't impressed with my existing portfolio and he'd already shot a ton of girls.
Thank fuck he didn't. I don't think I'd have ever had the confidence to become the person I am today. A full time working model and performer.
So we shot the set you now know as 'Nautical Dreams'. And then off we trotted to the Doctor Who exhibition.
This industry is now my job. I can't just yell profanities and run away, it would be career suicide (no pun intended). I hope from this little snippet of my experience that you can see that if SuicideGirls can't just hand everything to you, its not the end. Perhaps they've made the mistakes of building up some egos and not being able to maintain that level. But its run by human beings, like you and me, and they make mistakes.
The company has evolved. What was once Missy's feminist college project has blown up worldwide. And for SG to exsist, they have to do whats best for business.
Take a look at WWE. No body likes The Authority. But they know whats best for business. They've come under fire, especially Stephanie, for not treating their female wrestlers equally to their male counterparts. But they're the damn biggest wrestling company in the world.
So ask yourself, would you rather SG stayed underground, refusing to conform to the modern worlds need of unpopular decisions? Or do you want to keep this global phenomenon that has changed girls lives and given them a chance to make a difference off their own backs and own hard work.
Maybe one day you won't need SG anymore, like you grow out of your imaginary friends. But if they made you what you are today, don't try and sell it back to them. Its damn right rude. If you feel like a product, then stop selling yourself. Be a human, not how many Instagram followers you have.
xxx