Delhi gang rape: India outrage over fashion shoot

[theHandpuppet]

I'm just so astounded I don't know what to say. Two of the "fashion photos" are shown at link.

BBC News India
6 August 2014
Delhi gang rape: India outrage over fashion shoot

An Indian fashion shoot showing a woman being groped on a bus has caused anger, with social media users saying it glamorises the 2012 Delhi gang rape.

Photographer Raj Shetye's images show a model fighting off men on a bus, in a scene reminiscent of the rape and murder that shocked India.

Many social media users said they found the photos "disgusting" and "horrible".

Mr Shetye said the shoot was "just a depiction of the situation of women in our country" and not based on the rape....

MORE at http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-28670663

[merrily]

1. I am not comfortable with using images of sexual

assault and battery, plus restraint, by two men against one woman, on public transportation, no less, to sell "fashion."

I think of "groping" on public transportation as someone grabbing a quick feel as they exit. That is bad enough, to be sure, but the first photo at the link is far beyond just being groped on a bus. (Shame on the author of the article for characterizing it that way.)

Surely, there has to be some other way to create "just a depiction of the situation of women in our country."

Not buying that this was well-intentioned social criticism of the males involved--none of whom looks distressed-- and not simply sensationalism to create free publicity for the ad--every advertiser's dream. And they succeeded.

[ismnotwasm]

2. I posted this on FB

With the additional information: the woman who was raped and murdered on a bus was also so mutilated, That one of the assailants reach up and pulled her intestines out.

This is sexy? Assholes.

[ReRe]

3. That....

... is so disgusting. That isn't a fashion photo shoot. It's sadistic pornography. And thank God everyone raised hell over it. Had they not, you would see those photos soon on billboards all around Delhi. It hits me as the glorification of the brutal rape that occurred.

[freshwest]

5. +1

[IronLionZion]

4. What are they trying to sell?

pepper spray and self defense classes?

Who would buy clothing because of these images? Unless they're trying to say if you are thin and wear fashionable clothes, you will be assaulted on public transit?

[redqueen]

6. This isn't advertising - not sure why it is being referred to as a 'fashion shoot'.

He said the clothes worn by the models had all been made by top designers, but none had been credited publicly because the shoot was not for commercial gain.

He says he was 'throwing light' on the issue of rape in India. Not sure why he thought glamorizing it would be helpful. Hopefully he learns from this.

I wonder if the people behind these *actual* ads learned anything.









?4

[CrispyQ]

8. This one really galls me:

If it didn't say Wrangler, you wouldn't even know what they were advertising. I would never buy a pair of Wranger's after viewing this ad.

[redqueen]

9. I hope you wrote to them and let them know.

Not contributing to companies that engage in sexist or misogynistic advertising is important, but letting them know that we would never consider buying from them, and especially telling them why is critical.

[CrispyQ]

7. Aren't you supposed to actually see the clothes & how they look, in a fashion shoot?

This was a publicity stunt for publicity's sake at the expense of women everywhere.

"It is not based on Nirbhaya," he said. "But being a part of society and being a photographer, that topic moves me from inside... I stay in a society where my mother, my girlfriend, my sister are out there and something like this can happen to them also."

And you've glamorized rape, asshole, & made the world less safe for your mother, girlfriend & sister. But hey, you got some name recognition & some PR, so what the hell, right?

[redqueen]

10. Goddess, I bet you're right... it was for attention.

I tend to ascribe these kinds of things to stupidity rather than malice far too often.

Sadly there are many who seem to think that since assholes are sometimes motivated by attention seeking, we should just ignore them. But no, these are teachable moments and we should use them.

[theHandpuppet]

12. Oh I'm sure it was deliberate

I'd also like to hear from some of the designers who got a lot of free PR from this.

[redqueen]

13. The designers names weren't published because it's not an ad. nt

[theHandpuppet]

11. I look at all of the outrageous photos throughout this thread and I ask,

"What rape culture"?