Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Women and their representations

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  • Lilith __, in reply to Jackie Clark,

    feeding womens’ hate of, and disconnection from, their own bodies.

    I think we also have to mention photo retouching. The beautiful, flawless faces we see in advertising aren't even achievable by the models! Take a look at this (mouseover for original photo).

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace, in reply to Jackie Clark,

    The first New Zealand Fat Studies conference is being held at Massey Wellington in July. I think this is a subject that will hear more about as people (mainly women) reclaim it as an academic discipline rather as something shameful. One of the organisers I see has the best name - Cat Pause.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    It's Cat Pausé (pronounced paus-eh), which is still incredibly cool. As is Cat! Her blog is here: Friend of Marilyn, and she has a tumblr too, also called Friend of Marilyn.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • JacksonP, in reply to Lilith __,

    This is why I’d rather have a long list: because high achievement isn’t some freakish thing. All kids should be aspiring to it.

    I'm enjoying the thought process. And I should repeat it with our three daughters. We have a lot to aspire to in this country, if we stop and think about it for at least a long lunch time.

    Jolisa will complete Shirley’s unfinished memoir one day …

    That would be a good read.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2011 • 2450 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Justement. That's how pervasive it is,

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark, in reply to Deborah,

    A remarkable woman.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Jackie Clark,

    This isn’t news to any woman. The words “weight loss” are so ingrained in our culture. Every one talks about losing weight, and even when women are strong feminists, fantastic mothers, admirable employers/ees – yes, they still talk about the parts of their bodies they hate.

    Quite – and I really got my nose rubbed in it watching the premiere of Golden on Sunday night. I should be really jazzed about a prime time comedy created and written by women, right? Well… I would be if the first episode wasn’t a running mean-spirited fat gag – with some awkward dick jokes for equal opportunity whateverness.

    To be fair, it might just be going for the same “broad as the side of a barn” spot as Kath ‘n’ Kim which just leaves me unmoved. But part of me also says “FFS, it’s 2012. Aren’t we supposed to be a bit beyond finding women who don’t look like emaciated stick insects intrinsically laughable?” Perhaps I'm missing something, and would welcome other points of view.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    I was going to watch it. And then for that very reason, I decided not to. I agree with you entirely that it seems to be "different year, same shit". No, thanks.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    OK I been unable to stop myself making some lists. Once you get going it's hard to keep to 10!

    here are the NZ women writers I think have to be on the influential list (in no particular order):

    Robyn Hyde
    Keri Hulme
    Janet Frame
    Ruth Park
    Lynley Dodd
    Margaret Mahy
    Lauris Edmond
    Fiona Farrell
    Patricia Grace
    Renee
    Joy Cowley
    Barbara Ewing
    Elsie Locke
    Katherine Mansfield
    Ngaio Marsh

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark, in reply to Lilith __,

    +1 to the power of 1 million

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __,

    Here’s my list of influential NZ women artists*, also in no particular order (I aimed for 10 but missed)

    Eileen Mayo
    Frances Hodgkins
    Rita Angus
    Gretchen Albrecht
    Ria Bancroft
    Robyn Kahukiwa
    et al
    Robyn White
    Olivia Spencer Bower
    Louise Henderson
    Denise Copland
    Joanna Braithwaite
    Doris Lusk

    *influential is kind of hard to judge for the younger artists...this list is way incomplete...

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __,

    And a bunch of influential actresses:

    Elizabeth Moody
    Robyn Malcolm
    Jennifer Ward-Lealand
    Lucy Lawless
    Keisha Castle-Hughes
    Anna Paquin
    Ilona Rogers
    Danielle Cormack
    Annie Whittle
    Miranda Harcourt
    Greer Robson
    Kerry Fox
    Lisa Chappell
    Madeline Sami
    Tandi Wright

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __,

    If some of yous want to attack the other lists I'm sure we could get to 100ish easy!

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __,

    This is addictive.

    Influential photographers:

    Ans Westra
    Marti Friedlander
    Gil Hanly
    Christine Webster
    Margaret Dawson
    Fiona Pardington
    Megan Jenkinson
    Tui de Roy

    um…

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa, in reply to Russell Brown,

    You left out the greatest of them all: the amazing Shirley Maddock, who produced the first NZ TV documentaries --- and made the bloody tea.

    And she wasn't even allowed to use the term "producer", since in those days, women didn't "produce"! So her earliest programmes were credited along these lines: "devised, arranged, written and directed by Shirley Maddock."

    Also: she's Jolisa's late mother-in-law. Jolisa will complete Shirley's unfinished memoir one day .

    You're right. It's long overdue. I'll get right onto it.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to Jolisa,

    women didn’t “produce”

    I’m told that women in charge of continuity in movies (now often credited as Script Supervisors) were formerly known as Script Girls .

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Perhaps I'm missing something

    No, it was utter crud. Created by its star, it seems.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Story about body image in 'Girls' tv show.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX,

    I would include my Mum, and your Mum along with "Katherine Mansfield" and "Rita Angus" and my daughter is a dead cert for a future contender.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Sacha,

    The naturalness of the girls on Girls makes the women of Sex and the City look like drag queens.

    Dear Sarah Macdonald: Fuck you very much. Please try being part of the solution instead of perpetuating the problem where women who don’t meet a certain idea of ‘appropriate’ are kinda, sorta not-quite women at all. (Might also want to do a literature search on "mannish women" as a sexist/misogynist putdown.)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace, in reply to Lilith __,

    Julia Brooke-White. Typically of women, she's not that good at self-promotion - but those in the know know. Particularly wonderful craft photography.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • JacksonP, in reply to Lilith __,

    NZ women artists

    I'd add to the artists Seraphine Pick and Alexis Hunter, who should probably be on both the Artist and Photographer lists.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2011 • 2450 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Oh people, I just have to share this: Jezebel on Cosmo's 44 most ridiculous sex tips for ladies.

    I thought I had regained my composure but then I got to the comments and became utterly helpless with laughter.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sarah Wedde,

    When the Cosmo sex tips things was posted on Metafilter, someone contributed this comment on the perfect storm of women's mag headlines which seems fairly appropriate to this discussion.

    Lower Hutt • Since Nov 2006 • 66 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Sarah Wedde,

    When the Cosmo sex tips things was posted on Metafilter, someone contributed this comment on the perfect storm of women’s mag headlines which seems fairly appropriate to this discussion.

    ANGELINA: TOO SKINNY TO CONCEIVE?

    Indeed. I will try and get this in the show.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

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