I’m sure most of you have read in the news about the bold move of Cara Delevingne to end her modeling career. If you don’t recognize the name, you might recognize the iconic eyebrows she brandishes, or you may be familiar with this ex-super model for taking the female lead in the new movie based on John Green's novel "Paper Towns."
Delevingne had many reasons for leaving the modeling industry, one being her feminist reprove of the provocative poses she was “too young to say no to.” There are many implications made in this statement and it touches on a discussion that has been taking place surrounding the question of whether there should be a minimum age requirement for models.
I speculate that Delevingne inferred she was too young to know what the poses represented, how she was being portrayed or what message was being received from her photos. The discussion on this issue rightly quandaries whether paying (incentivizing) these young women to make sexual poses beyond their years of understanding is in fact a form of sexual harassment. Surprise surprise, we find sexual harassment muddled in the scheme of objectification.
Still, the fact that we as a society were able to identify a problem as translucent, and yet obscure, as business practices that could lead to the manipulation of young females reveals progress. For that, I invite a sigh of relief and encouragement. By now, we should all be educated (though I know we are not) on the need for more communication and consent when dealing with all matters involving females and canoodling.
There is an elephant in this room filled with bright white photo screens and studio lighting almost as discreet as the buzz from the fan blowing this supermodel’s golden locks. Delevingne has often chosen to shoot nude and sexualized for advertisements right up to a few months back in May when she modeled to promote a new scent from Tom Ford. Now, if Delevingne claimed herself to be a “bit of a feminist” and stated that the way she was assigned over-sexualized poses while a young model “made her feel sick,” why would she then be subjecting other young females to the sight of just that?
Sure, it may feel different for Delevingne to be posing in this manner at 23 rather than 16, but to any passer-by she looks exactly the same age. In fact, this ad was subsequently banned in London for not meeting the standards of the Advertising Standards Authority upon getting complaints from the public that it was degrading and objectifying toward women. This is not at all an invitation to criticize Delevingne for partaking in the ad. Rather, this is another opportunity for us to recognize the complications of finding where the line should be drawn between allowing women freedom to sexualize themselves however they please and preventing all of us from seeing each other in terms of commodity.
In the end, the outcome relies on each individual’s decision. It would behoove us to learn from the London public the important role the public plays in changing what we are sold. For a long time, it seems most of the public has been flushed down a toilet bowl spiral from the brainwashing of business advertising tactics. Only now do we hear hushed whispers about media literacy. The public has a responsibility to communicate what we want and take back control of what we are being sold and how we are being sold it.
Delevingne has a unique opportunity to take a sharp left turn from the straight road of a supermodel into the dense rugged forest, a trail that requires blazing, of a role model.
Among age minimums and advertising standards, there is an important underlying message offered to us in coverage after coverage of Delevingne's decision to step away from modeling due to body image problems. The human mind mostly learns from its surroundings. What we expose ourselves to will ultimately shape us.
Related Links:
New Disney Ursula doll sparks outrage in battle with body image
Reach the columnist at ralydfor@asu.edu or follow @ralydford on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
Want to join the conversation? Send an email to opiniondesk.statepress@gmail.com. Keep letters under 300 words and be sure to include your university affiliation. Anonymity will not be granted.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
