KJ Elizabeth

To: simone@goldcoastfashionweek.com.au
Subject: Face of fashion week

Dear Simone,

I’m writing to express my extreme disappointment and outrage regarding the decision of Gold Coast fashion week to choose a 12 year old child as the face of this event.

It is completely inappropriate for a child to be an ambassador and “the face” for an adult fashion event, particularly considering the kinds of adult fashions this event will feature.

Not only is it inappropriate for the child, it also sends a curious message to adult women, that an adult fashion event would choose an prepubescent child to promote the week.

The ethicacy of this decision is seriously lacking, and I’m pleased to see that the decision is being universally condemned by commentators and fashion industry people alike.

I sincerely hope that Gold Coast Fashion Week will reconsider its decision.

Kind Regards,
KJ Elizabeth

Read about it here

A lot of people are saying that it’s inappropriate for the girl model concerned… which I agree with, but no one seems to have noted that it is also inappropriate for adult women. It seems to me that the image of youth and beauty that is most valued and desirable at the moment is that of teenage girls. And the younger the better. This is the image of beauty that adult women are subtly being encouraged to aspire to now. Hairless, narrow hips, no womanly curves, no muscles - the body of the tween is the new standard. And I don’t think I’d be going to far by saying that it’s somewhat pediophilic.

It also seriously undermines women’s emancipation when we equate female beauty with meek looking girls, rather than strong, curvy, toned women. I don’t think I’d be taking it too far again to suggest that what we value physically in women (the meek looking girl) is a metaphor for what society expects of a woman’s character.

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