A World Where Women Lose in Female Industries

What industries are generally associated with women? Fashion, beauty, music. Glamorous screen stars and sex icons. The majority of the world's most famous women are in these industries. So why is it that men tend to become the most successful?

The most iconic woman of all time?

Raf Simons announced yesterday that this was his last season as the creative director for Dior. In my opinion, since he became the head Dior has had some its best designs- minimalist, clean and innovative. I will miss him, as I think he really brought Dior to modern day. However, with his departure the question of who replaces him arises. There are two rumoured favourites- Riccardo Tisci and Phoebe Philo. Tisci is currently the designer for Givenchy (which I am also fond of) and has an excellent resume when it comes to taking the reigns for an equally as prestigious label. Likewise, Philo is a well-renowned designer and in 2014 was named by Time Magazine as one of the world's Top 100 Most Influential People. She is currently the designer for Céline, a fashion house that has also moved towards the minimalist yet feminine design of her pieces, much like Simons.

"I'm coming for Chanel, bitch! Karl, you better sleep with one eye open."

They are both admirable candidates, but shouldn't a woman be the head of this house for once? Every single one of Dior's creative directors have been male. This is peculiar, especially since fashion is seen by the majority as a female interest and industry. But despite this, the majority of the most esteemed fashion houses- Chanel, Fendi, Balmain, Saint Laurent, Burberry, Louis Vuitton- are headed by men. There are notable women of course, such as Donatella Versace for Versace, Frida Gianni for Gucci, and Diane Von Furstenberg for her own label, but this is not enough. It is not fair that women should be taught that fashion is their hobby, their forté, when men tend to be the most successful. Without submitting to a cliché, these men do tend to be gay, but perhaps that's where the magic formula lies- femininity without being a female. Being a camp, effeminate man with 'girl' interests equates to success. This is male privilege in action.

"I hope you don't want to be a designer darling, because Kate only got Topshop and she's the Supermodel of the World..."

Don't get me wrong- I'm glad that fashion is an industry where being gay in celebrated. However, it is extremely discriminatory in other areas, ironically including the gender of its most avid followers. It isn't just fashion that has this issue- cosmetics and makeup artistry is dominated by men, fashion photographers are primarily men, Hollywood consciously pays men more- honestly, the only part of the entertainment industry where women win seems to be music (hello Adele's new album!). Even in things like cooking, the top chefs are men, despite it being taught that it is a female duty. It might be different if women prospered in 'male' orientated industries, like banking, business or sports, but this is not the case either. From what I've gathered, it's a lose-lose situation for women. I hope that Philo becoming the director for Dior could be just a baby step forward for women having a fair chance at the same success men achieve.

Now here's a woman who won! The undisputed queen of the universe- Beyoncé.

The Danish Girl and Hollywood's Trans Problem

Could this role win Redmayne his second Oscar?

The year is 2015, but Hollywood continues to whitewash, cis-wash and push heteronormativity onto the movie industry at every possible turn. Christian Bale and Joel Edgerton as Hebrew and Egyptian characters in 2014s Exodus: Gods and Kings. Johnny Depp as Tonto, a Native American, in The Lone Ranger, released 2013. Jared Leto’s (a cis male) Oscar winning portrayal as a trans woman in Dallas Buyers Club. It seems that unless you are cis, heterosexual and white, you are pushed away, to the side. This clearly is a major problem, especially in a time where equal representation is so important.

Therefore, it is no surprise that the casting of Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl has received such harsh criticism from the LGBT+ community, with many calling to boycott the film. Redmayne, a cis male, who won an Oscar for his portrayal as Stephen Hawking’s in last years The Theory of Everything, hopes to repeat that success in another touching film. The Danish Girl, directed by Tom Hooper (previous works include The King’s Speech and Les Misérables) follows the story of Lili Elbe (Redmayne), a trans woman and one of the first known recipients of gender reassignment survey. 

The past year has seen a new light and emphasis on transgender rights and issues like never before. 2015 has been the year that Caitlyn Jenner was introduced into the world. 17 million tuned into see the former Olympic athlete open up in an in-depth interview, starting an international debate. Public opinion and support for the trans community seems to be on the rise. However, the portrayal of trans people in TV and cinema is still very limited. Trans women are often used simply as comic relief, with the “joke” being a cheap mockery at their genitalia. The portrayal of trans men is next to invisible. It’s just not fair. Trans people are more than this, they are a bigger part of society. They are doctors. They are teachers. They are politicians. They are mothers. They are fathers. They are human. When will Hollywood stop the transphobia and reflect this?

Stonewall, an upcoming film whitewashing and cis-washing the LGBT+ rights movement.

Some may argue that I am simply being “whiney”, that trans representation is growing, the casting of one cis-male in one film won’t hurt. And they are right, the representation of trans people in media is growing. Laverne Cox’s breakout role as Sophia Burset, the feisty Sophia in Orange is The New Black, made the actress and activist an international star. Transparent, a show focusing on a father who comes out a trans, has received critical acclaim and won numerous awards. But they are wrong in the sense that the casting of Redmayne as Lili Elbe is okay. The Danish Girl really is a beautiful and important story that deserves to be told correctly. If we want society to change, we must show the public that trans people are humans, with a story (The Danish Girl being a perfect example) and, in the case of trans women, not just “men in a dress”. The best way to do this, of course, is by fair and equal representation. 

I must give props to Redmayne where it is due. He has taken on yet another challenging role, and early reviews have said he plays Lili exquisitely. The British actor has also shown strong support for the trans community and I believe his heart is in the right place. But my plea to him, and to Hollywood itself is, please try and cast transgender people in transgender roles. Help tell their touching stories, and please do it correctly. 

You can catch The Danish Girl (or not) in cinemas from November 27th.  

Jeremy Corbyn: Tony Blair But Better

Much, much better. For one, he has a conscience.

I would like to imagine he said, "I got you, boo" at this moment

The Bernie Sanders of Britain. Labour's Karl Marx. Socialist Obama. All these are a few nicknames I came up with just now, but are inspired by the things I've seen people say about Corbyn. I would have to disagree with the Marx comparison- he was merely an economist- but the other two are more accurate in ways. The former being Corbyn became the left-wing's glimmer of hope in a sea thick with coal and oil; the latter that he has become somewhat a celebrity figure whilst promising change, winning the leadership with 59.5% of the vote, "stunning" the party as the Daily Fail puts it.

He was dubbed the favourite and yet, not the most popular. He is a good talker, yes, but not in the smooth, calculated manner that top politicians such as Cameron speak in. Corbyn seemed too radical, practically communist. He was too normal, serving as a backbencher for decades, never attending university, coming from a middle class background, and fashionably disheveled with a beard and no tie. He seemed genuine, real and truly wanted change that was fair and humane. That was the risk.

After Blair's leadership ended and blended into Brown's short but sour term, it was decided that Labour would have to keep its New image- pragmatic, centrist and overall a 'Tory Lite'- the party for voters who liked some Conservative values and watched Sky TV, but didn't appreciate all the people claiming benefits because they'd been laid off. When Labour suffered an atrocious loss in the 2015 elections, it was practically set in stone that straying from the plan of appealing to the right-wing press and not being too left was the plan from now on (sorry Ed). Yet, here we are, despite the pleas and cautions of Blairites and Blair alike. Corbyn leads a new era of Labour. A kind of Ex-New Labour.

 

"And now... back to this bitch that had a lot to say about me in the press the other day. Tony, what's good?"

I believe a combination of the need for hope to grapple onto, and the desire for a celebrity politician after Miliband led to the rise of Corbyn. Originally ignored by the press, by August his name was making headlines. He was a threat. People were scared. The press came for his family, his past and his appearance now. But this didn't deter supporters, inspired by Obama's Yes We Can, "Jez We Can!" was everywhere seen and heard he went. Preaching to the converted, perhaps, but it was enough to secure leadership- by a legendary landslide.

We have lots to look forward to, assuming Corbyn continues as the conscientious socialist he has for the past few decades. Personally, I'm looking forward to the Prime Minister's questions, and see Gove shake in his boots. Next, watch the Blairites resign and either join the Conservatives (perhaps UKIP) or form a new party altogether. And when it comes to 2020, we can sit back and watch Britain burn.

I, and many other disillusioned lefties, have put hope in Corbyn. I sincerely pray he doesn't become Gordon Brown Jr., or Obama UK.
Good luck...

Halsey- The Next Indie Cult Leader?

Ashley Frangipane, better known under the anagram Halsey, recently released her full-length debut album into the world. After much anticipation for this release- and a leak- Badlands charted at number 2 on the Billboard, which if you care about music, is the only chart that matters. This is higher than the debuts of Marina and the Diamonds (who Halsey admitted she was a fan of), Lorde, and the same as the often-compared Lana Del Rey.

the next Lana Del Rey?

What interests me is how, in such a short space of time, she has entered the playing field of indie-pop music and almost monopolized it entirely. A mixture of social media and a calculated image has led to a relatable, attractive and enthralling pop singer who is down to earth enough to want to be friends with, but just out of reach enough to be your idol. This is something that I believe artists like Marina and the Diamonds and Lana Del Rey failed to do with their most iconic albums Electra Heart and Born To Die.

Halsey is a smart woman. She knows what many young people like at this moment in time. This group of teenagers are potentially the most powerful in the music industry. They like American Apparel, coloured hair, smoking, chokers, songs about doing drugs and having your heart broken. Disorders like depression being seen as a beautiful sadness, with side effects such as wild nights driving through cities and crazy boys you fall in love with. All these elements combined with just the right amount of sex appeal and the correct political views come together to form Halsey. 

Now, I really want to like her. I agree with her stance on feminism, racism and the likes. Her image is appealing. Her personality on Twitter and Instagram is friendly and warm. She's pretty and her fashion sense isn't unlike mine. But there's just one issue- her music. I find her music dull and falls flat at every opportunity to go down the route of rich, raw music. Her lyrics are good, yes, but the music is dreary and plain. Nothing excites me the same way her counterparts do. Tracks like Ghost and Hold Me Down have so much potential leading up to the chorus and... They fall like a soggy piece of bread. They ooze commercialism that is predictable and boring. Whether she had much input on the production I don't know, but her team need to fire them A.S.A.P.

She looks exciting here, though

Another issue makes me question how genuine she really is. I believe that 'Halsey' is a well-crafted image that appeals to the mass at this moment in time. Her lyrics aren't too different from the type of soft sadness you find on tumblr and the like- though still beautiful. But her album is mean to piece together into a concept, Badlands. Badlands is an area around L.A., an area of America she feels she has a connection with. But I struggle to wrap my head around what exactly the concept is. I'm going to use Electra Heart as an example, as there was a thoroughly imagined character built there. However, Badlands seems shallow and there isn't much depth to it all. So, it's an area. What happens? Where does it go? It seems to be linked with drugs, too much sex, money, heartbreak and just being the type of wild teen you see in movies. But it's all been done before, a thousand times. The concept Halsey claims Badlands has is superficial and badly thought out. You do a bit of digging and oops! You've hit the bottom already. There is no story. There is no tangible character. It's dull, it's flat, and it's nothing original. It saddens me.

If only I could find out what Badlands was, I'd catch a plane right there.

Oh, Halsey.

Will we being seeing more of her? Absolutely. Will she blow me away with artistic and original music? Perhaps, I am hoping so. But will she be the next indie cult leader? In that respect, we'll have to wait and see whether this is just a window of popularity or if she's unlocked the door to a castle- and she's the queen.

You can buy BADLANDS on iTunes here. 

Taylor Swift and the Battle of the Streaming Services

Taylor Swift is rich as hell. Yet, she still gets horribly frustrated that people access her ~*aRt*~ for free... because that's worse than pirating it, right?

I mean, it's not hard.

Taylor is known for having a big heart. She payed a fan's student debt off. She sends superfans Christmas packages every year. She also donates a tonne of money to charity. However, she has also been known to be incredibly stingy with who is allowed what, if it is linked to her in any way. Legally, she has the perfect right to do these things, but really? Suing fans on Etsy? Claiming copyright on videos on YouTube because they put you in a bad light? Withdrawing your music from Spotify because you feel your music is ITUNES OR DIE? Taylor Swift comes from a privileged background and perhaps struggles to understand that some people can't afford to buy all her music, merchandise and tour tickets that is a small fortune for the majority of her fanbase. Streaming on services such as Spotify or Apple Music is a legal service that allows fans to enjoy music without having to pay around £10 when they decide they love an album. But, according to Tay Tay, she wasn't making enough- a few million doesn't make the cut.

I'm pretty sure this Swiftie was just trying to pay her rent.

This kind of mindset was obviously prevalent during the creation of Tidal, where artists such as Madonna and Jay Z felt that they weren't making enough millions. I believe there becomes a point where these celebrities lose touch of reality and forget that yes, the music you worked hard on is highly valued, and yes, you may feel that sharing it for free isn't just, but it does make you look like a money-grabbing whore considering all the money that comes from other sources. So, Rihanna, if your pockets are bottomless, why do you feel the need to have an even bigger slice of the cake when agreeing to publicly back Tidal (which by the way, flopped epically)?

when you've realised you've invested way too much money into a streaming service that rips off Spotify

Taylor, will the fighting ever end? You recently got Apple Music to pay musicians for the music streamed during trial months. Highly commendable, but let's be real- you had yourself at heart. Is it such that your art is so valuable that criticism cannot be heard and your image only purchased through your website? Is it that you aren't actually that rich and in a huge amount of debt? I would be interested to know why Taylor is so opposed to free streaming services- other than, she feels she deserves a lot of money for it.

Black Lives Matter vs All Lives Matter

"All lives matter!" screams the white person. She is sure this is a personal attack. "All lives are equal!"
Ah, young Lauren, we know this. It just appears that the establishment does not.

In a world where equality and freedom is simply a facade, it baffles me that so many people fail to see the important of Black Lives Matter. Of course all lives matter, but it has been demonstrated- particularly in the United States- that one racial group is valued above all others, with black people at the bottom of the pile. This is not justice
and this is not the behaviour a first world country, who values freedom so close to its heart, should exhibit.

mass murderer being led out like a small child

Protestor holding image of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, shot by police when holding a toy gun

Any person who believes in equality knows that all lives matter. We want the establishment to prove it. Prove that you will treat all lives as the same, and favour none above the other. As long as white privilege exists, some lives will be valued more than others. 

So wipe away your tears, because Black Lives Matter.  Currently not more than those at the top of the hierarchy, that's clear. Attention and awareness needs to be brought towards this cause because it has been demonstrated that black lives are valued less than others, and that's what we want to stop. It is simply a matter of closing the gap between people of colour (specifically black people) and white people. Hence, if you start stating that "white lives matter too!" you are only adding to the protection and worth of white lives in Western society. Of course, Asian, Hispanic, Latinx and Oriental lives matter too, but at the moment it is apparent that black people are at the very bottom of this power pyramid, and subject to the most attack- hence why Black Lives Matter is important. Because those lives do matter. Just as much as Asian, Latinx or White.

Welcome to THE HUNTEA

It is the beginning of a new era.
From today we shall spill the tea across a variety of tabletops- from celebrity scandals to album reviews, from politics to online happenings. Kind of like Perez Hilton, but much better.

Left to Right: Nilay, 15; Maya, 17; Nick, 17.

The initial post was dragging the new Conservative government to filth, but I promise not every post will be like that. So stick around, hunties, we have plenty simmering away for you.

Introductions

Maya

My name is Maya, I'm 17 and I live in London. I've been writing blogs and stories ever since I was pretty young, but this is probably the first time I'll be writing about more than makeup or Club Penguin (true story). I love Marina and the Diamonds, Lana Del Rey, FKA twigs, Grimes, Willam's Beatdown, Pretty Little Liars, the novel Lolita and intersectional feminism. You can follow me on Twitter @shampainful for daily complaints and some posts that are actually fucking hilarious.

Nick
I'm Nick, I'm 17 and I live in London. I like long walks on the beach, big dicks and fried chicken. I like Marina and the Diamonds, Lady Gaga, FKA twigs, drag queens, American Horror Story, LGBT+ rights and intersectional feminism.. This is my first time ever writing a blog, but I've been writing stories (usually whacky fantasy shit) all my life. Follow me on Twitter @cyberdiamond666 to see me angrily rant about politics, inequality, school and, especially, RuPaul's Drag Race. 

Nilay

I'm Nilay, I'm 15 and I live in London. I'm from Azusa, I'll stab a bitch. I love Marina and the Diamonds, Lady Gaga, BANKS, FKA twigs, XCX, drag queens, LGBT+ rights, intersectional feminism and Orphan Black. I've never done a blog but I write stories and stuff quite often... So it shouldn't be so hard. Follow me on Twitter @aesthetixcx because I'm actually super cool... Well I try my best. :)

So.. what are u actually gonna write lmao

We will drag your talentless faves in every way we can, and prove to all our readers that who we stan are the only people that matter. xoxo gossip girl