The book can be found, at a price.
From tOP:
the 1975 book consists of 85 snapshots of fully clothed women, mostly on the street, who Winogrand (1928–1984) apparently found attractive. It somehow managed to be prurient and sexist all the same, and continues to be fodder for academic feminism to this day.
His least popular project, he struggled to find a publisher for it, and it sold poorly. Today a copy of the small, indifferently-produced book can sell for anywhere from $245 to $3,000. [...] In light of the book's weak sales and the bafflement of both critics and the public at the time, Winogrand threatened to do a sequel and joked that he would title it "Son of Women Are Beautiful."
Well, at least he could laugh about it. I find it a sad indicator of the puritanism and twisted "morality" this world still suffers from.
As the founder of Dirty Old Men's Association International (and its web site), I'll have to weigh in on "Women Are Beautiful".
I once planned, and may yet do, exactly such a project as Winogrand did her, beautiful women as main subject in street photography.
I fail *completely* to see how this is sexist. Everybody, including women, likes to look at beautiful women. Why not photograph them?
If somebody did it with men, I might be slightly less interested, but certainly not judgmental about it. Why would I be? When women admire another man, I don't get upset. When they occasionally admire me (openly enough that it penetrates my absent-mindedness), I get flattered.
Attraction is a natural part of life and nature. If it wasn't there, neither would we be. To be ashamed of it, or judgmental, is irrational. I think that kind of judgement is based either on jealousy ("not only may you not touch another woman, you may not even look at one") or shame ("I'm ashamed of my thoughts, but it helps to judge you severely for having them also").
6 comments:
I fail *completely* to see how this is sexist. Everybody, including women, likes to look at beautiful women.
Women are free to do their own book about guys they find attractive, anyway. Even if that wouldn't have been encouraged at the time today no one would care.
We need to stop pretending that men and women are the same.
I've just added another two pence worth to tOP on this. I can't believe how paranoid women are (it's virtually always women) about having their photo taken in ANY situation, even when I'm among friends. It's yet another of their hysterias, I'm afraid.
The book can be found, at a price.
Dang; I'll say!! :-P
I should make a "counter" book...as in one full of "handsome" men; I bet there would be a market for that! :-D
@emptyspaces: I, mostly, wish that WOMEN would stop pretending that they are men and that MEN stop pretending they are women!! The gender-confusion is just *REALLY* SAD to watch...and how we're, all, supposed to just turn a blind eye to it and say "as long as they're happy!!" :-(
The opposite sex needs to admire and appreciate the other in a tasteful and respectful way...not something that has been done in some decades, now...and that's where comments of misunderstanding (there are many valid reasons for many women's "paranoia,") like Peter's, come in: women have been treated like sex objects, since the 60's, where men could all just work their testosterone off...in (sorry, but there are a LOT that have!!)...and even this thing of "beauty"...what is it, really, that blinds men from seeing the INSIDE of a woman, and then the outer will follow, if she isn't a "drop dead" gorgeous creature?! That's the real jewel that men need to learn to appreciate: the heart and mind of a woman, not just the "meat suit" that she came in!! [stepping off the soap box, now...]
Thank you for reading and, hopefully, your understanding...
We need to stop pretending that men and women are the same.
I'm pretty sure most people don't.
Peter, I happen to run into another sort of "paranoia," that you might, later, have to deal with, IF you find yourself a lady that doesn't mind having her picture taken, and you both gallop off into the sunset, together; when the "newness" wears off, the sort of paranoia might be replaced with another... ;-)
Post a Comment