Victoria's Secret

Art? Yes. Somebody picked these two models, somebody told them how to pose, somebody did their makeup and designed their lacy bras. But what does this image tell us? A century ago (maybe even a few decades ago) you would not have seen these two lovely ladies pasted in the window of a Victoria’s Secret as you strolled around town. I almost completely passed them by as I was walking up a street in SF, but I just saw this bare stomach out of the corner of my eye and had to stop. And I felt completely weird doing so. And then I thought maybe I should take a picture of them for this project and when I took out my camera I felt even weirder and people passing by were giving me strange looks because it was not exactly like I was taking a picture of the Statue of Liberty. And yet, in some way, they are actually a more accurate representation of our nation.

This photo has some similarities to my paragraph on Barbie, but I just have to point out a few things about their bodies/poses that strike me as odd, as five years of ballet instruction will do - dancers are trained to read body language. The brunette has her body jutted out, her chest lifted up, her shoulders pulled back, everything is kinda on display. But then you look at her face and her lips are slightly parted, her eyes stare somewhat blankly into the distance, to me her whole expression screams defeat. Submission. Here is my body for you and I don’t really care what you do with it. Dehumanizing anyone? Is her body simply an object to help market the bra?Now look at the tan blonde. Notice the way her leg is propped open, the place her hand hangs over, inviting yet shy. What the hell does that MEAN? And we heatedly debate the idea of hijab, that black veil is so oppressive we say, oh those poor Muslim women, and I just want to ask you, my fellow female citizen of the United States of America, after taking a good long look at this photo ARE WE REALLY FREE?