It’s nice to share


Meet Jes and Holly’s amazing project, American Able. I think the description on the site says everything, so I’m going to post it here for you:

‘American Able’ intends to, through spoof, reveal the ways in which women with disabilities are invisibilized in advertising and mass media. I chose American Apparel not just for their notable style, but also for their claims that many of their models are just ‘every day’ women who are employees, friends and fans of the company. However, these women fit particular body types. Their campaigns are highly sexualized and feature women who are generally thin, and who appear to be able-bodied. Women with disabilities go unrepresented, not only in American Apparel advertising, but also in most of popular culture. Rarely, if ever, are women with disabilities portrayed in anything other than an asexual manner, for ‘disabled’ bodies are largely perceived as ‘undesirable.’ In a society where sexuality is created and performed over and over within popular culture, the invisibility of women with disabilities in many ways denies them the right to sexuality, particularly within a public context.

Too often, the pervasive influence of imagery in mass media goes unexamined, consumed en masse by the public. However, this imagery has real, oppressive effects on people who are continuously ‘othered’ by society. The model, Jes Sachse, and I intend to reveal these stories by placing her in a position where women with disabilities are typically excluded.

DIY Mother’s Day Corsage
I don’t like buying presents for people. I do like making presents for people! Of course, I do have the luxury of being creative and working for myself so I can make these things, but I think a handmade gift is a gift someone will hold dear. This dahlia corsage is pretty amazing and gorgeous, and I’m sure your Mum or any other person will think you are wonderful if you make this for them!

Finance & the Fashion Blogger: Ignore-ance
Ashe Mischief writes about the problem of finance and fashion blogging. Personally, I have felt a twinge of resentment recently that I don’t have the money (or the credit) to buy new clothes regularly so I have more fashion content. I’m glad Ashe’s post came up, because now I am turning that resentment into a problematic for fashion blogging, across the board!

Attention: these women are not plus sized.
Over at Iced Tea and Lemon Cake, Glamour’s June 2010 issue is taken down for trying to cash in on fat acceptance without reflecting much variety in body size or race or ability! It’s the same old exclusion, dressed up as inclusivity. Don’t get sucked in!

Fat and Crazy; Not Entirely Coherent, Awkward Musing On My Fat And My Crazy And How They Party Together
Marianne discusses how the issues of fat and health intersect and disadvantage individuals. Not only do many health professionals fail to be aware of the intersectionality of these two issues, with disastrous ramifications for health, but individuals may then internalise that blame… with disastrous ramifications for health. It makes me angry!

Shit My Kids Ruined
I am not a parent so I find this blog hilarious. Also because I was generally a good child, scared of getting in trouble, I feel a need inside me to cheer on kids who express themselves to the full extent of their being, and to the detriment of material possessions! (Actually there was that one time I accidentally set the carpet on fire…)


If you haven’t seen these American soldiers remake Lady Gaga’s Telephone clip, hit that button.


My new favourite song. (Aside, I don’t agree with some of the lyrics and feel uncomfortable with guys calling women bitches but the song is pretty infectious…)

6 comments

  1. Dude! icedtea here! thank you for being awesome! i've been checkin out your blog for a while and thank you for sharing my link! you're going in my blogs i like and read often list!

  2. Natalie – that big bold headline “Summer's Coming” got me excited for a second – too cruel! You should know what sort of wintery hellishness we Melburnians are suffering right now..

Comments are closed.