Monday, February 28, 2011

Polemic Pejic

Eye for glamour: Andrej Pejic's flawless feminine features

Andrej Pejic

The young and beautiful Serbian-Australian model is, as always, in the "eye of the storm". 
Controversy surrounds him as he keeps on modeling female clothing professionally.

For instance, in a quite intelligent article published by the British Daily Mail, Amanda Platell questions this trend, stating that it is "fashion's ultimate insult to women" and having a "male model dressed as a girl" is "demeaning to real women".

(Link to the complete article)

The story immediately got hundreds of comments, most of them backing Miss Platell, from what I've seen. But I couldn't disagree more with her! I don't find Andrej's work "demeaning" at all! On the contrary! I think that, as soon as the public opinion starts accepting males wearing garments traditionally considered "feminine", without thinking of them as "ludicrous" or "diminished" in any way, we will be advancing towards a more equitable society: If it's OK for girls to wear trousers, it's just as OK for boys to wear skirts. It'll be OK for women to operate heavy machinery or become assertive leaders in the corporate world or in politics, it'll also be OK for boys to play with dolls and for guys to unashamedly become "housewives" or to act in other roles  heretofore considered "unassertive" or "feminine".

Anyways... Andrej looks anything but ludicrous! 
He's absolutely stunning in those very same pictures chosen to criticize him!

Andrej PejicAndrej Pejic

Now: this blog's getting some 1000 visits a day... so come on, guys (and gals)! Don't be shy! I', sure you have your own personal opinions on this subject... Id' love to hear them! Leave a comment!

Source

My attention to that article was drawn by

Related Posts
(Andrej models the Gaultier wedding dress mentioned in the article)
(He shows up looking like a James Bond heroine)

10 comments:

  1. Can't agree with you more, especially when you talk about equality.

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  2. People are stupid. These are only stereotypes. The problem is only in our minds.
    Various clothing needed to detect sex object. Is the meaning of life is just sex?

    Pejic is wonderful!

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  3. If males like Pejic aren't free to wear traditionally feminine clothing, then women should not wear such things either. The fact that it's still "gender bending" for men to wear styles that are traditionally feminine --- while it's completely ordinary for women to wear styles that are traditionally masculine --- implies that women are still not considered real people.

    In other words, it's ok for women to become men-like, because men are the "norm." Because it's deviant for men to become women-like, because women are inferior. The outcry over Pejic dressing "like a woman" highlights the reality that anybody dressing like a traditional woman is marginalizing herself.

    There are only two solutions to this problem. (1) Traditional women's dress must be abandoned by everyone, or (2) It must be completely acceptable for men to wear clothing that was traditionally viewed as feminine.

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  4. Thank you for all those wonderful, insightful comments! I'll probably refer to some of your ideas in a future posting, especially to Chirenon's "two solutions"... I loved that! (I do hope that dresses never get to be abandoned by everyone, though... lol!) Take care, all of you. I really appreciate your input.

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  5. Thanks for you consistently wonderful blog, New Fashion. Like you, I don't want to see these fashion options abandoned. I want them to be egalitarian and post-gender, as we've seen happen in the case of Andrej Pejic.

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  6. I am a girl and I don't feel insulted by this. :)) Why should I? Fashion is about beauty, about exploring new trends. All I see when I look at Andrej's pics is BEAUTY. He is breathtaking either way: male & female. <3

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  7. It is a lot of talking about an equal world but it is never said anything about that men can wear makeup, jewlery, skirts etc. It is strange why this is not widely accepted even if it is becoming more and more common and acceptable

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  8. -> ' stating that it is "fashion's ultimate insult to women" and having a "male model dressed as a girl" is "demeaning to real women".'<-

    I see no insult to women..not here, not with him.
    Real women should appreciate beauty and I think the real problem they have there is that they are not happy with their own body and everything and search an outlet and found it in Andrej.

    If women are allowed to wear trousers, men should be allowed to wear skirts and 'female' lingery. Would make it easier for me to grab my boyfriends butt.

    As long as you look and feel good in it, where is the problem?

    They just want to look like him...with a female model they could say that she is no real woman and has to starve herself and take drugs to get such an unwomanly figure.

    Now with Andrej, a man who looks better than them(in their imagination-because face it, if you want a woman you ask one out, not Andrej)is the ultimative insult to their tries to reach a fashion dictated kind of beauty.

    Same with filmstars or singers, either they are happy for the performance or they have no interest in them..the jealous will spread bad words

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  9. Thank you all, once again, for posting all these interesting comments! "Post-gender", Chirenon? What an riveting concept!
    And yes, fashion is about beauty, regardless of the biological sex of the wearer.
    I was amused when a read that Pejic said, during an interview, that he prefers dresses to trousers, because he considers that girls look better in pants than he does!

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