Suicide Girls?

[Jeremy David]

I think you all make good points about how creepy SG is, and I myself won't
patronize it because it is indeed really creepy. However, I can't view the
unhappy models of SG as victims of anyone but themselves. I think it's
patronizing and paternalistic to want to believe that someone somehow
tricked the SG models into selling their nude pics to some skeevey website.
All the models received a clearly worded contract and chose to sign it. They
had the choice not to, but they decided that turning copyright of nude
photos of themselves over to strangers was worth the fifty bucks and the
thrill of quick Internet fame.

Being a model for SG is a raw deal, but these girls went into it knowing
what a raw deal it was. I feel bad that it didn't work out as fun as they
had planned. However, I think that the impulse to label SG models as victims
of some "male domination" system of oppression is the product of
paternalistic and patriarchal thinking. It's far more demeaning to act if
women are children who always need protection and can't make rational
choices on their own, instead of just saying that women, like any willful
being, can make a bad decision and move on.

- Jeremy

On 10/14/05, andrea wennesdae <wennesdae at darksites.com> wrote:
>
> I was in touch with Suicidegirls at around the same time that Dia joined
> the site. I thought that it would be 'cool' to be a Suicidegirl. I had a few
> conversations with Missy & Spooky. Everything seemed pretty cool until I was
> sent the contracts which stated that they would own my pictures forever &
> had the right to sell them. At the time they were also only paying $50 a
> set. As I recall, there were also stipulations regarding exclusivity. While
> they dont ban the girls from modeling for other sites, it was strongly
> discouraged & those who did were less likely to have their sets accepted,
> let alone featured.
>
> This isn't that typical in the alt-porn world. There are genuine,
> interesting sites out there who treat their models fairly & pay them
> accordingly, such as ThatStrangeGirl.com. Lux Nightmare, the site owner is
> an amazing lady who models on the site, herself. If a model wants her photos
> taken down, she will make arrangements for that to happen. I read that after
> posing for Suicidegirls, model Xiola had a nervous breakdown & asked to have
> her sets removed. They refused. I know that Dia has tried multiple times to
> have her sets removed. The Suicidegirls empire doesnt seem to be interested
> in female empowerment, but are using that notion to continue to exploit
> people & put more money in thier own pockets.
>
> How many nudie sets does 'Miss Female Empowerment' Suicide Missy have up
> on her site? NONE!! She is an attractive, hip, alternative woman, right?
> Frankly, I think its hypocritical. She is a business woman. Thats all.
>
> Im with Dee & Brian on this one. I will NOT support the Suicidegirls
> empire.
>
> --- "Deeann M.M. Mikula" <deeann at d33ann.com> wrote:
>
> From: "Deeann M.M. Mikula" <deeann at d33ann.com>
> Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 18:29:11 -0700 (PDT)
> To: "Brian J. Parker" <brian.j.parker at gmail.com>
> Cc: pgh-goth-list at listless.org
> Subject: Re: Suicide Girls?
>
> On Fri, 14 Oct 2005, Brian J. Parker wrote:
>
> > I'm a little concerned about patronizing Suicide Girls:
> >
> >
> http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2005/09/28/suicide-girls-quit-the-site-charging-exploitation-and-male-domination/
> >
>
> >From the site: "b) whether the models are treated ethically."
>
> Treated "ethically" or not, being a model really turns you into
> cattle, a bit of flesh pushed around by others for their own purposes.
> There can NOT be anything even remotely "feminist" about being
> exploited soley for your looks. I was told that being a model,
> especially doing fetish-wear modeling would be empowering. It was
> not, it was insulting.
>
> Regardless of these recent claims, I found Suicide Girls to be too
> creepy to deal with when I was recruited (and refused) years ago.
> Even ".alt" porn is ultimately demeaning to women, even if in the
> short term it seems to give them "power."
>
> This subject touches on the only typical femi-nazi sentiments I have.
>
> Deeann M.M Mikula
>
> "Well behaved women rarely make history."
> -Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
>
>
>
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