So let's talk about image. This image, right here, in the context of our society. What would the collective American unconscious have to say about it? What would the commentary sound like? I'm going to give it a try, so go with me here:
Minimal makeup. Maybe she tried today. There's a little effort there. Maybe she's too busy for makeup--those under-eye circles certainly make her look tired. 7 out of 10 at the most on the attractiveness scale.
That expression. Geez girl, can't you give us a smile? Your face will set that way if you're not careful. Can't you just smile at me? What, I don't deserve it?
Not exactly fat, but certainly not skinny. She can't exactly be called overweight but would certainly have to be anorexic to ever fit into a model's sample size.
Nice, colorful, overtly feminine clothing. Thank you for making your gender obvious for us, we don't like uncertainty. And good job being both feminine and covered up--don't want to tempt men with that non-existent cleavage, do ya?
And 5'10"? Yikes, way too tall for most guys. She's gonna scare them off like that. Better leave the heels at home, hun. But we like seeing those long legs out when you're running, so here's a wolf whistle so you really know just know much we're sexualizing you.
Red hair, green eyes, freckles for days. No one is ever gonna mistake her for anything other than European. Maybe not Hitler's blonde and blue-eyed Aryan ideal, but no one's going to ask her "But where are you
really from?" when she answers "California."
Ghostly white skin for days. This little white girl is never going to be "randomly" stopped at any police checkpoints as "suspicious," that's for sure. Just don't wear a bikini, cause I might blind myself with the white glare.
I started this project with the idea that seeing more images of myself might help me to like that image a little better. That the repeated exposure and seeming vulnerability of sharing those pictures would help me to combat the pervasive nature of media perfectionism. I'm not that far into the project, so I haven't reached a verdict on whether or not it's actually going to work for me or not.
But nevertheless, images have a powerful impact in society, and one we deal with every day whether we think about it or not.
Like (hopefully) most people, I've been thinking a lot about the Charleston shootings for the last two days. How many pictures of the perpetrator have you seen? How many of his victims? I'm willing to bet that you've seen quite a few more of the racist murderer than you have his innocent victims. (And how many people know his name instantly, but know even two of the victim's names?)
One thing I do happen to know for sure: we're never going to eradicate racism in this country if we give more air time to Dylann Roof than we do to his victims. Because if all we see is his evil, we won't remember the beauty and goodness that he extinguished.
So because images have power, and human beings are inherently beautiful, here are the victims. Look at them and remember their goodness and what was lost; because without that, we'll never remember why it's so vital to fight for racial justice and reconciliation in this country.
In memory of Cynthia Hurd, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lance, Rev. DePayne Middleton Doctor, Rev. Clementa Pinckney, Tywanza Sanders, Rev. Daniel Simmons, Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, and Myra Thompson.
