I've currently had the honor (well, am still in the process really) of being interviewed by a French magazine. The topic of this month's publication is "women" and what that really means- can we redefine it. I was asked, as a strong business woman (their words, not mine) to answer a few questions. I was so touched. Since this publication will never be on the internet I thought I would share some of my answers.
Interviewer: We were incredibly intrigued by your Selfie Project and empowering views on what that should be. With things like Kim Kardashian's Selfish- selfie book- recently being released, are your views on selfies still the same? Can you talk a little about why you started the project and how you feel women fit into the current selfie mix?
Sarah: I was really nervous about starting that project and making it public because I didn't want my meaning to be misconstrued. I 100% think that people should feel beautiful enough to take a picture of themselves. I'm also not sure that I've nailed "selfies" yet... but I'm having fun trying (check out my selfie project)
But I also wanted to put the "self" back in selfie. I wanted to empower all people, not just women, to take pictures that showed not only who they are, but made them feel pretty/handsome. I find that so often selfie's aren't taken to make yourself feel a certain way, but to impress others. A certain ego and unhealthy narcissism begins to form. I see people displaying themselves in ways that don't flatter or convoy their own true beauty... all because they think they need to live up to someone else's standards.
I wanted to challenge people to be creative and express who they truly are. Thus, if I post a picture of myself it is dripping with the emotion of the moment, my goofiness, or unquenched spirit. Sometimes it is a simple face shot, but it says so much more than "look at all the makeup I'm wearing for you," it shows me in that moment doing something totally me (most of the time not wearing makeup).
I hadn't heard about Kim Kardashian's book (I don't watch TV) until I ran across it at an Urban Outfitters. I think it is a perfect example of what you would get when you use an American search engine to find "Girl, Selfie". 99.9% of the pictures will have women in bathing suits - or hardly dressed- posing in pornographic ways. As a woman, and photographer, I can tell you that a majority of these photos missed the mark if they were intending on being "sexy" (unless your audience is a 16 year old boy).
I strive as an artist to swim against the mainstream river of what images of females have to be. It is for sure an uphill-hard-swim. It is a difficult balance, trying to be comfortable in your skin (proud of yourself naked) but knowing you don't have to be nude to get attention.
It is an important distinction for me. I come from a large family and have multiple female cousins younger than I am, I have a beautiful niece, and I don't want the concept of "being yourself, exactly as you are, is sexy" to be lost by the time they grow into adults. I don't want any of them to think that they need to enhance themselves to fit what women are supposed to look like, or that they should take off one more article of clothing to be found attractive.
What happened to the art of tease, confidence?
Trust me, the sexiest thing about a woman is her grin. You might look at those girls in bikinis- sure, but you will remember the fully clothed confidant girl with the smile.
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