An advocacy website called, Catapult, recently launched a campaign aimed at raising awareness towards human rights violations that women
face internationally. The campaign features
fashion magazine covers that depict various forms of human trafficking of
women. Cover lines include “728+ Pages
of Hot Street Looks” and “Hide Those Bruises with 35 Easy Makeup Tricks” for “Thirteen
Magazine” surrounding an image of a young African-American girl. Another for “Child Bride” magazine, shows an
image of a middle-eastern girl with cover lines such as "Dazzling Bridal Gowns Now for Ages 7-12” and “Exercise Secrets: You CAN get in
shape for giving birth at 14!” (McGlensey, 2014).
Baraldi (2006) talks about mixed coding and how the
juxtaposition of conflicting cultural icons creates powerful messages. The clash of pop culture fluff (many times
aimed, ostensibly at empowering women) and the harsh realities of women’s
rights violations creates a jarring message.
However, one might also view this through the lens of ethnocentrism
which, according to Baraldi (2006), is the process through which one evaluates
the behavior of others through their own set of values.
The aim of the campaign – to raise awareness of the human
rights violations of women and girls - cannot be argued with. But when creating a sense of self and
difference in the context of globalization things can get complicated (Shome
& Hegde, 2002). Shome & Hegde
further point out that in transnational circuits of capital, “civilized”
nations rely upon developing world workers for cheap labor.
The fashion industry has been criticized for its use of
cheap labor both internationally and locally.
And while the fashion industry is not involved in this campaign, the use
of fashion magazines (even if it is a critique of pop culture fluff in the face
of global horror) creates an ethical dilemma.
Also are the images of an African-American prostitute and a
middle-eastern child bride representative of the demographics of each problem
or a stereotyped perception of “other” from the perspective of
civilization. Polygamy exists in the
United States today, and there are certainly questions of consent that surround
it.
The aim of the campaign is commendable, and more attention
does need to focus on women’s rights violations globally. But the campaign also raises uncomfortable
questions about cultural perspectives and in terms of such horrific atrocities,
the creation of a sense of other so that the horrors feel farther away than
they really are.
References
McGlensey, M. (2014, March). Reimagined women’s magazines
swap cover girls for slaves. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/07/international-womens-day-magazines_n_4921241.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
Baraldi, C. (2006). New forms of intercultural communication
in a globalized world. The International Communication Gazette, 68
(1), 53-69.
Shome, R. & Gegde, R. (2002). Culture, communication,
and the challenge of globalization. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 19,
172-189.
