BY CHLOE FU **Content Warning: contains spoilers and plot references.** I have watched Studio Ghibli for as long as I can remember. My Taiwanese-Japanese parents invested in an ever-growing collection of Ghibli DVDs – with Chinese subtitles to help me practice my Mandarin. As a child, I fell in love with the touching soundtracks, beautiful illustrations, and epic storylines typical of the Ghibli film suite. Yet recently, when I began watching them again in an act of Netflix binging, I realised that Ghibli films have never lost their appeal because at their core are strong, highly relatable female leads. How does Studio Ghibli create larger-than-life, yet believable heroines? This article dissects Ghibli’s character designs and plot developments and explains why Studio Ghibli films should be a staple of the feminist watch-list. Multidimensional Character Designs – Ghibli creates Realistic Women What is interesting is that most of Ghibli’s protagonists are female. This is made even more interesting by the fact that these characters embody everyday women. When we think of animated female characters, Disney princesses are often depicted as positive role models for modern girls. Disney advocates argue that despite gender stereotypes, characters like Cinderella and Belle demonstrate values such as determination, courage, and honesty. However, these arguments fail to address how the princesses are primarily created to look attractive. For example, although Elsa from Frozen (2013) and Moana from Moana (2016) represent a transition from the classic damsel-in-distress, they nonetheless reflect beauty norms. This is not to say that female heroines cannot have beauty and brains. Rather, it introduces the problem that women must be concerned with their appearance, even when they are saving the world or are embarking on a journey of introspection. Compared to their Disney counterparts, there is less detail in the appearance of Ghibli heroines. There is no superfluous make-up or intricate hair, no shiny dresses with decorative features, and most protagonists are in practical outfits that suit their active roles. For instance, Princess Nausicaa from Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind (1984) is dressed in durable clothing and protection gear so she can ride her glider in a heavily polluted, post-apocalyptic world. Further to being practical, the Ghibli characters’ costumes are comparatively gender-neutral. Nausicaa, Kiki from Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), and San from Princess Mononoke (1997) are clad in muted blues, blacks, and greys. When the protagonists wear conventionally ‘girly’ colours, like Chihiro’s pink uniform in Spirited Away (2001), or Sheeta’s pastel yellow and salmon combination in Castle in the Sky (1986), the clothing is practical. Moreover, the lack of gendered colours is emphasised in the clothing design of male characters. This is most evident in the air pirates of Castle in the Sky – their female captain, Dola, wears navy blue, while her sons sport pink tights. Most importantly, Ghibli’s female leads do not have, or need, ‘grand physical transformations’. A classic Disney princess trope is the moment when the character ‘transforms’ and becomes beautiful. While outfit transformations may at times signal emotional growth or freedom – like Elsa’s scene during Let it Go – one should wonder what values these transformation scenes purport. Visual gratification should not come at the cost of reinforcing the harmful idea that a woman’s value rests in her physical appearance. It is against this backdrop that renders Ghibli films refreshing in comparison. The lack of grand transformations presents a unique perspective where girls and women look believable when they are brave, adventurous, caring, and determined. The absence of beautiful outfits or detailed appearances makes the audience focus on the character for the raw female tenacity she possesses. It heightens her acts of self-sacrifice and strength by removing unnecessary visual distractions. Source: https://goggler.my/my-studio-ghibli-nausicaa-of-the-valley-of-the-wind/ | http://www.moriareviews.com/sciencefiction/nausicaa-in-the-valley-of-the-wind-1984-warriors-of-the-wind.htm | http://www.cornel1801.com/animated/castle-in-the-sky-1986/12-dream-of-all-mankind.html Similarly, Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli’s co-founder and key animator, discusses how Chihiro’s realism is prioritised over her appearance in Spirited Away. Miyazaki points out that the film’s fundamental goal was to produce a heroine to whom young girls can relate to. He explains that he decided to make Spirited Away after realising how ten-year-old girls had no imaginary characters they could identify with. Miyazaki states: “[I]t was necessary to have a heroine who was an ordinary girl, not someone who could fly or do something impossible. Just a girl you can encounter anywhere... Every time I wrote or drew something concerning the character of Chihiro and her actions, I asked myself the question whether my friend’s daughter or her friends would be capable of doing it. That was my criteria for every scene in which I gave Chihiro another task or challenge.” This extract captures the essence that underlies the character designs of all of Ghibli’s female leads. For example, this can be seen in the heated argument in The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013) between Kaguya and Lady Sagami, Kaguya’s coach in court etiquette. Kaguya’s angry exchange over Sagami’s attempt to make her princess-like is summarised in the following transcript: Sagami: “You’ll never be a fine princess looking like that” Kaguya: “That’s stupid! Even a princess must sweat and laugh out loud sometimes! Or want to cry. Or get angry and shout!” Sagami: “No. A noble princess…” Kaguya: “Then a noble princess isn’t human!” Through Kaguya’s observation, Ghibli brings to light the expectations that constrain princesses, and women more generally. That is, to be a ‘perfect princess’ entails giving up what makes us human. This simple exchange provides space for serious reflection for women and girls alike – is it even possible, or indeed worthwhile, to become the ‘perfect female’ who society has made us desire to be? This seemingly ordinary scene highlights the studio’s conviction in portraying physically and emotionally realistic heroines. Through character designs with minimal emphasis on their appearance, Studio Ghibli creates female leads who are not defined by their physical appearance, but by their courage, independence and strong sense-of-self. When Studio Ghibli turns their focus away from the visual character design, and towards the depiction of emotional complexity and resilience, they create characters that girls and women can relate to. Plot Development - Men Aid but Never Save The most distinct characteristic of Ghibli plots is the absence of ‘forced’ romance. ‘Forced’ romance is the exhausting narrative whereby the female and male protagonists ‘somehow’ fall in love. An example would be Frozen, where the central focus on sisterly love also includes Anna and Kristoff simultaneously developing romantic feelings for each other. Disney princesses might inspire courage, ambition and fearlessness. But the need to include romance suggests that women are unable to be courageous, for instance, without a love interest. In that sense, the absence of a male figure tends to negate female courage. Moreover, this traditional narrative of ‘forced’ romance is limiting because it suggests to the audience – who are mostly young girls - that a ‘happy ending’ must involve (a predominantly heterosexual and monogamous) romance. Although one can argue that Ghibli films like Howl’s Moving Castle feature romantic love, it is nevertheless clear that the film centres around Sophie’s journey to save herself and Howl. The plot development of Ghibli films is thus highly engaging because they offer an alternative to the conventional narrative. Miyazaki has expressly rejected “the unwritten rule that just because a boy and a girl appear in the same feature, a romance must ensue”. Instead, he aims to present a “true expression of love” where the characters “mutually inspire each other to live”. In many Ghibli films, the male protagonist supports the female lead rather than becoming a romantic interest. He contributes to the plot by help instilling courage and grit in, as well as providing comfort to, the heroine in her story. Ghibli demonstrates how opposite sexes can become friends who inspire each other to grow. Although the male protagonist is a key source of emotional support to the heroine, he never seeks to ‘save’ her. In Castle in the Sky, Pazu asks Sheeta to teach him the incantation that would destroy Laputa and in turn protect it from Muska’s exploitation. Rather than descend into an expression of romantic love, Ghibli depicts friendship in Pazu’s solidarity with Sheeta that gives her the extraordinary courage to save the castle, even if it costs their lives. “Many of my movies have strong female leads- brave, self-sufficient girls that don't think twice about fighting for what they believe with all their heart. They'll need a friend, or a supporter, but never a savior. Any woman is just as capable of being a hero as any man.” - Hayao Miyazaki Finally, unlike Disney, Ghibli does not rely on ‘unappealing’ suitors as the condition for platonic relationships. Pixar’s Brave (2012) is a recent Disney film that has been praised for its lack of romantic interests. Indeed, the movie focuses on mother-and-daughter relationships through Merida’s journey to save her mother. Like Ghibli heroines, Merida is courageous and independent. Yet it is interesting that her suitors are purposefully unattractive. The ‘princes’ Merida could choose from were either self-obsessed, lacking personality, or dull-witted. In contrast, Merida appeared momentarily in awe when a well-built warrior appeared to be a suitor. This plot makes one question why a princess is uninterested in romance only when she lacks suitable male characters, rather than because romance is simply not a priority. Furthermore, the fact that she was interested in the muscle-man reinforces problematic masculine ideals. Ghibli’s female leads have more important matters to attend to than romance. Nausicaä and San are committed to protecting the environment and their people, Haru and Chihiro are set on finding a way home, Arriety fights to survive, and Kiki and Sheeta strive to discover themselves. This notion that females can prioritise other non-romantic goals is a stark contrast to the early Disney princesses. As Shagun Gupta states, Disney princesses’ stories reinforce gender roles because its female characters are rarely concerned with “external affairs”, such as earning a living or making plans for the future. Instead, the princesses are often constrained to the house in the depictions of them singing, dancing, and doing household chores. Ghibli’s limited focus on appearance draws out the realism of its heroines. This, together with a rejection of ‘forced’ romance and portrayal of female strength and agency, is what makes the Ghibli suite a staple in every feminist watch-list. Whilst Western animation has progressed, there remains much to do in terms of portraying female leads who are at once larger-than-life and believable. I suggest taking a look at the world of Studio Ghibli.
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BY LUCJA JASTRZĘBSKA During these uncertain times of isolation, it has been devastating to watch the world lose lives along with rights. The parliament in Poland discussed the ban of abortions of foetuses with serious abnormalities along with other abortions. Poland’s abortion laws are among the strictest in Europe due to their dense Catholic population, allowing abortions only in instances of rape, incest, if the mother’s life is in risk, or if the foetus is seriously compromised. The Catholic Church argue that abortion is morally wrong because it is murder. But when does life start? At conception? At 6 months during the pregnancy? At birth? The Bible states, ‘I knit you together in your mother’s womb’. This suggests that life begins at conception. However, it could be argued that God creates a person whilst they are in their mother’s womb, adding to their character as they develop over the nine-month-period. Thus, aborting means one is interfering with the work of God. Hence, by aborting a baby, one is committing murder. However, what is up for question is not religion but the right to have the option of an abortion - the advancement of rights that women (and many men) for decades have fought so hard for. In taking advantage of the pandemic situation, conservative politicians of the Polish government have prevented their opponents from organising mass street protests of passing of the abortion bill, first put forward in 2016. Despite public gatherings being banned, people still walked the streets of Warsaw, Poznań and Kraków in protest, (standing 2 metres apart), for their basic human rights in the Stkajk Kobiet women’s strike to fight this ‘Polish hell’, in March earlier this year. After such a rich history of oppression, you would hope that an oppressive Polish government was a thing of the past. Yet if these harsh abortion laws are passed, then not much will change. It is disappointing, and as a Pole myself, to see these laws restricting women’s rights after human rights were restricted for a long time, notably during the Second World War and Communism. Passing this anti-abortion bill will bring Poland back to a time when rights were restricted and citizens had to fight every day for basic needs. As naturally stubborn people, Poles will not back down for the justice of their rights. It is this mentality which helped bring down Communism in Poland, and it will not be stopped by coronavirus, with virtual protests online alongside the in- person protests. Poland is not alone in considering changing its abortion laws during the coronavirus pandemic. Within at least seven US states such as Alaska, Kentucky and Indiana, politicians introduced bans on abortion citing public health concerns. In my opinion, women should have the right to have the choice of abortion, whether or not you agree with the practices of abortion. It is a human right that women, just as men, should have the right over their bodies. As a result women should have the choice of abortion, but they should choose life unless there are circumstances that make it difficult to choose life such as rape, or financial difficulties. Despite the laws that govern this issue, abortions are still taking place whether they are legal or accepted. If abortions cannot occur in a safe environment, like those conducted by a doctor, people end up taking matters into their own hands through extremely dangerous and often fatal backstreet abortions. Surely, it is better and far safer to legalise abortion to prevent adult women from dying from backstreet abortions? If Poland passes an anti-abortion bill, then more Polish women will travel abroad for abortions than they already do. In these quarantine times, travelling abroad for abortions has become extremely difficult due to imposed travel restrictions, leading these women to take matters into their own hands if no safer options are available. As men do not have the stress or risk of pregnancy, less stigma should be placed upon women who consider abortion in their lifetime. Men, who mostly hold office in Poland, should not be the ones to pass or withhold bills on abortion. The process should be made easier for women in which abortion is their last hope - such as if a 16-year-old girl falls pregnant and her parents will not support her or her baby. An example such as this demonstrates that if such a young girl has this baby, she will have nothing to provide this baby with meaning that both their qualities of life will be severely diminished. This is an extremely sad situation, but what is such a young girl to do? She is herself still a child so how should she be expected to raise her child with no financial aid? No two people have completely the same morals. We should be able to respect people’s personal choices and how they determine to live their lives. Ultimately, it is not for us to make judgements about people’s personal decisions which do not affect society as a whole. BY SHINAE TAYLOR In one way or another, we’re all familiar with fashion magazines. I’m talking about Vogue, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar - the kind of brand-focused print media typically marketed towards young middle class women in the Western world. While not all of us regularly consume print versions of these magazines, they certainly play a role in creating the identities of women in the contemporary period. With the print industry rapidly declining, as seen in Bauer Media’s closure of magazines such as Cleo, Madison and Grazia (Meade 2020), the future of fashion magazines is looking shaky. While magazines are notorious for controversies around photo retouching, body shaming and racial bias, the fashion industry itself is inherently exploitative. Clothes are produced by sweatshop labourers, then worn by thin, body-conscious models, sold in-store by a casual and largely female labor force, while profits go towards multi-million and billion dollar companies. Given that these magazines are centred on such an unethical industry, it is unsurprising that fashion magazines pose a range of barriers to inclusive forms of female empowerment. This article explores how fashion magazines created a new kind of hyper- individualistic, pro-consumer, ‘girl power’ identity, and asks whether the industry should be revived. A New Kind of Feminism Fashion magazines promote a brand of neoliberal (a.k.a ‘girl power’) feminism that is inherently racist, classist and discriminatory based on body size and appearance. Neoliberalism is an economic and political model focused on freedom for markets and individuals. Common features include privatisation, deregulation, low taxation and minimal government intervention in markets (Pusey 2018). Since rapidly expanding in the 1980s, neoliberalism is the dominant socio-political framework that shapes the millennial experience. Individuality, a key neoliberalist concept, has significantly impacted mainstream feminist discourse in the Western world. In the mainstream media having a high salary, running a successful business and being recognised by formal awards are three feats increasingly promoted as evidence of gender ‘equality’ and ‘empowerment’, despite being attainable by a small minority of women. Magazines like Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar emanate a hedonistic (pleasure-seeking) form of hyper-individualism that encourages women to ‘stand out from the crowd’ via the purchase of commodities. Placement of terms like ‘self-care’ next to clothing or beauty products works to associate consumption with feelings of self-actualisation and empowerment. The inclusion of high-agency, hyper-individualistic slogans, directly contradict the anti-ageing products, luxury fashion items and cosmetic procedures that are prominently and unabashedly featured throughout a magazine’s glossy pages. To be empowered, you must consume. To consume, you must be empowered, at least financially. For the majority of the population the financial ability to buy high self-esteem in the form of Calvin Klein jeans is entirely unfeasible. Neoliberal feminism, being individualist and pro- consumption in nature, is built upon the structural exclusion of women who lie outside of the white, middle class and able-bodied ideal of fashion magazines. The atomisation of the collective, in this case young women, contributes not only to a sense of alienation, but also obfuscates structural inequalities by shifting the focus from macro-level politics to the individual. The Future of Fashion Magazines Magazines are dependent on the textile, beauty and wellness industries which are founded upon the exploitation of female labourers, animals and the natural environment. In acknowledging these connections, it’s clear that any magazine dependent on these industries will cause bodily and ideological harm to people who don’t fit the narrow ideal that magazines propose. Critical theory can help to illuminate some of these connections, which are often so well hidden in the bright and colourful pages of the magazines. One of these is Marxist feminism, which recognizes “capitalism as a set of structures, practices, institutions, incentives, and sensibilities that promote the exploitation of labor, the alienation of human beings, and the debasement of freedom” (Stefano 2014). Looking at magazines from a Marxist-Feminist perspective, it’s clear that class, race and able-bodied privilege, topics well-neglected by fashion columnists, determine how women are treated by the artificial world of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. While this leads to the conclusion to dismiss fashion magazines, for some of us it’s not so easy. Magazines represent a medium for women’s voices, even if they are only the most privileged members of society. Historically they have been used to share stories, insights and support. With bright imagery and a distinctive style of collage, fashion magazines are also a unique form of creative expression. For some of us, old copies of Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar may be a source of nostalgia, identity and connection to ideas, trends and movements beyond our small social sphere. For every middle class woman enjoying the latest issue, there are scores of women who are excluded on the basis of their body size, age, race, class and disability. Fashion magazines’ danger lies in their obfuscated connections to the creation of a pro-consumption, hyper- individualistic ‘girl power’ which hurts the majority of women. This ideological paradox is an example of what Marx calls ‘false consciousness’, or in other words, a kind of ‘error’ or 'illusion’ of perception (Finlayson 2016, p.16). Considering the exploitative nature of the fashion industry, it’s hard to imagine what an emancipatory fashion magazine might look like, primarily because a resolution would depend upon a dramatic subversion of class, gender, and psychosomatic norms. If successful, this societal transformation would revolutionise our concepts of ‘fashion’ and ‘beauty’. We also have to acknowledge that historically speaking, aesthetic ideals have long been the domain of the elite and ruling classes, making it difficult to foresee what clothing would look like beyond the accepted fashion trends, which originate from a social, political and economic system built upon exploitation of labour and women’s bodies. There’s something particularly cruel about selling, quite literally, what ought to be an emancipatory ideology to impressionable young women. Gender equality isn’t something you can sell for $29.95. It’s the product of ongoing collective organisation, equal representation and dedication to creating a more livable and equitable world for humans and the natural environment. BY ROSIE BOGUMIL Content Warning: This article uses excessive explicit language I love a good sprinkle of shits and fucks just as much as the next guy. Although, it would be more apt to say I love a good sprinkle of expletives just as much as the next female-identifying individual. Since, as it turns out, men and women swear in very different ways, and for very different reasons. It’s become a bit of an urban legend that people who swear frequently are more intelligent than those that like to wash their mouths out with soap. But it is an urban legend supported by actual fucking evidence, in the form of research undertaken by Dr. Richard Stephens and his team in 2017. I for one seek great comfort in that fact when I try to justify my dirty fucking mouth to my parents and sibings, “a scientist said it’s because I have a higher IQ!”, which everyone knew was the case all along, just now I can back myself up with empirical evidence. For women, those who swear more frequently may not just be smarter, they also have more emotional intelligence than men and an implicit understanding of negotiating feminism, even in our very speech acts. Social psychology scholar Karyn Stapleton decided to examine the reasons men and women swear, according to self-reported responses (Montell, Wordslut, p. 201). Both sexes use cursing for humour and story-telling, to release anger, to hide vulnerability and to create emphasis. Interestingly, it was women alone who swear because they considered it part of their personality. It was also women alone who reported to swear as a show of intimacy and trust, suggesting something pretty fucked up about the patriarchy. If a woman swears at a man, she comes across as hot-headed, and probably ‘asking for it’. If a woman swears among other women, it is perceived as a symbol of trust, affection and solidarity. This is certainly true for myself; I swear more freely among my female friends because I am less afraid that I will be judged and also less likely to be sexually harassed while I express how fucking angry I am that yet another man stroked my ass. In fact, women who swear more creatively are leading the charge in our feminist takeover of a patriarchical language (don’t even get me started on the gendered nature of Italian and Spanish). Have you ever noticed that the most obscene curses refer to women’s genitalia? I for one am particularly uncomfortable with using the word c*nt - so uncomfortable that it is the only curse in this entire article which I am choosing to censor. But there’s a whole plethora of female-centric curses that are perceived as some of the most vulgar in the English language. A few others that come to mind are pussy, slut, skank and motherfucker. Notice anything else about those examples? Calling a woman a skank or a slut reduces her identity to her sex life, and asking to suck her pussy or lick her out doesn’t portray the complexity of the vulva, but reduces it to the vessel for a penis. These curses are inherently phallic, and portray women and sex from the perspective of a cisgender male - which seems pretty fucked, if you’ll excuse my shitty French. Here’s something else that has come to my attention: these more obscene phallic curses tend to be avoided by women. In her novel Wordslut, Amanda Montell argues that women's avoidance of slurs such as c*nt demonstrates a show of unity and mutual support for other women, which is a good explanation for why I am so very hesitant to describe a woman as a real c*nt, but use it quite freely to describe another c*nty man who tripped, fell onto my tits and happened to accidentally squeeze them in the process. Montell offers an excellent solution to overcoming this phallic shitfuckery: inventing liberating female curses. A man yells ‘suck my dick’? Try responding with ‘suck my clit’. If it takes ‘balls’ to do something apparently brave, like sexually harass an innocent woman, surely it is much braver for something to take tits? I have certainly enjoyed the empowerment of returning male cat calls with something decidedly yonic. Yonic, by the way, is not a word I invented (which I have been known to do from time to time) but is the female equivalent of phallic. Now why did I even have to Google that? Oh that’s right, probably because the patriarchy controls our use of language to the extent that ‘female-centric’ was the best way I could imagine to describe the opposite of phallic, until I learned there was an actual fucking word for it. So how about we express our anger towards a language controlled by the fucking patriarchy in the best possible way: with our dirty, skanky mouths as we tell men to suck our fucking clits. BY CLARE MEGAHEY This week across Australia, the floristry business is in full bloom, romantic partners are frantically shopping for presents, and children are going to great efforts with thoughtful, hand-crafted gifts. In case you have forgotten, Mother’s Day is on Sunday, and the pressure is on for families to plan the perfect day for the most important women in their lives. But is the day just reserved for those who have birthed or raised children, or can we also celebrate other kinds of mothers, alongside less traditional notions of motherhood? While conventionally we understand mother in the definitional sense to mean the woman who gave birth to you, society on the whole has progressed beyond this nuclear familial dynamic alone to valuing a mother as someone who brings you up and raises you. In some cultures, it is common for extended families or even whole communities to bring up children together, within a wide support network. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. Mothers remain the most important figures in this process as the bearers of life, an understanding that is universal. Mother’s Day has been celebrated all over the globe for thousands of years, even before it was widely commercialised. The world and those within it may be rich with diversity, but humanity shares these key ideas on what it means to be a mother and feels very strongly about how significant they are. You may not have birthed or raised a child, or mothered in the traditional sense, but motherhood means more than rearing or caring for someone. Motherhood is nurturing, cultivating, and passionately providing. In the twenty-first century, forms of motherhood are seemingly endless. Plenty of people mother pets or plants, or even non-inanimate objects too. Once associated with lonely, elderly women with too many felines, women are now subverting the previously insulting crazy cat lady stereotype and adopting it with endearment to express their love for the animals. Plant-obsessed millennials proudly share snaps online of the cacti and succulents they have successfully kept alive. Booklovers make DIY cloth slips to protect the books they carry around and dust their shelves to keep their collections clean. There are countless examples of mothering things that aren’t children. Whilst those who carry and care for children deserve the utmost respect, the notion of mothering is not something reserved to describe the parents and carers of offspring. Being a mother or enacting maternal practices means so much more than fulfilling a role; it comes with inevitable responsibility and unconditional love. Mothering isn’t the incessant nagging or constant embarrassment with which it is so often associated. It is the strength in how much you care, and how you show it. Motherhood can be seen in the everyday, in those who love something so deeply that they will do everything in their power to ensure its wellbeing. Everyone is driven by maternal instincts, to some degree. The more we indulge them, the richer our lives become. On Mother’s Day, make sure you spoil your mum and show her how much you love her. At the same time, however, take the opportunity to acknowledge the ways you mother in your life. Perhaps you procrasti-bake for your housemates when the deadlines get too stressful or spend too much of your paycheck on cute outfits for your furry friend who has no concept of money. Be inspired by the spirit of the day because you might find you could improve on them! Maybe your ferns could use a little more love, or fertiliser. Celebrate Mother’s Day with your family, but also with yourself. Pat yourself on the back or treat yourself to a cheeky champagne because your pets and plants are still alive. Non-traditional mothers and mothering deserve recognition too! BY LUCJA JASTRZĘBSKA Since the success of the textile design within Indigenous communities, Australian luxury fashion has been transformed from Country to Couture. For example, with big fashion names such as Gorman collaborating with Aboriginal artists. However, this stems deeper as it has also signalled a way forward, grounding community relationships for Indigenous fashion design which is vital for the grounding for Australian society in its historical roots. Firstly, in order to recognise why it is so important for Indigenous designers in Australia to be recognised, and celebrated, one needs to understand Australian history. Many do not realise that Indigenous Australians have influenced modern Australian dress for a long time. Since stealing, purchasing, borrowing and wearing Indigenous materials for over two hundred years, Europeans have been fascinated with Indigenous skills and aesthetics ever since Australia was discovered. For instance, from possum skin cloaks and booka kangaroo capes to shell necklaces in Tasmania (that are the staple item of jewellery to every wannabe surfer globally). Although traditional dress practices of the Aboriginals were banned by the colonisers, along with other practices such as their ceremonies and language. However, influential fusions of fashion also appeared expressing revolutionary signs of resistance during oppressive times. This is as the Colonialists taught western-style leatherwork and needlecraft which the Indigenous people fused with their own techniques to create a new unique style in Australia. Aboriginal fashion flourished in mid-20th century when missionary nuns in North Australia allowed Indigenous women to craft their own textiles. Although it is preposterous that they were denied to do so from the start, this allowed brightly coloured fabrics to be used with unique amalgamations of themes. As Indigenous Art Centres were established across Australia during the 1970s, the fruitful hybrid of art and textile design generated solely new looks which lead to the Indigenous textile revolution. This prominently features in Australian design nowadays. With Australia’s dark history of the treatment of Aboriginal people, it is extremely important that Indigenous culture is remembered and celebrated. Therefore, it is inspiring that Australia’s indigenous fashion industry is thriving today. This allows those who once suffered for being Aboriginal to be empowered within some of the biggest Australian fashion brand collaborations. One of the most prominent examples of Australian brands collaborating with Aboriginal designers is Australia’s fashion brand Gorman. In their upcoming season, they teamed up with Mangkaja Arts Resource Agency in Western Australia, producing a collaborative collection (Mangkaja x Gorman), which will be launched at the Museum of Contemporary Art in NSW and Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair. The Collaboration is Gorman’s first with Indigenous artists which does raise the question of why this collaboration was not carried out sooner? However, such collaborations may take a while to finish, as ‘Mangkaja x Gorman’ took two years to complete, it is fundamental that all cultures and human accomplishments are exhibited. One of the artists collaborating with Gorman was Lisa Uhl, her spoken language being Wangkajunga and country being Kurtal. Through her abstracted paintings, Lisa, showed her love of her country that capture the stories from her elders. Although Lisa had never been to the country she had inherited from her ancestors, as she was limited by her physical disability, her works are a tapestry of empirical experience referring to the rich colour of the Kimberly. This can be relatable for those who observe her work as many who view her paintings have not been to the country that they grew up on, yet learn of its past and history from those who lived before them. Lisa passed away at a young age due to kidney failure. A condition that restricts so many people within Aboriginal Communities due to the lack of healthy food, expense and poor water quality. Her grand talent should illustrate that it does not matter who you are, or where you come from, everyone is capable of something incredible. They should not be stopped because society demands them to stay invisible. Their talent should be celebrated. No This is why these collaborations between Australian brands and Aboriginal designers are so important. Not only does it celebrate Indigenous culture, but allows people’s legacy, such as Lisa’s, to live on in her incredible artwork. Such collaborations should also illustrate that everyone is the same. Thus, everyone deserves the same chances in life which includes basic human necessities such as healthy food and medical expenses. Let these collaborations demonstrate that much more needs to be done to show equality between Aboriginal people and Australians so that the wounds that were crying out can be healed. **Public service announcement** Telling someone they need a routine is about as helpful as telling someone they really need to not have 6 cups of coffee a day. Yes, justification is not unclear, but it is also not particularly helpful. In times like this, there is no absence of advice, but a lot of the advice clearly lacks substance. Before diving into the steps for establishing a routine, I need to clarify that establishing a routine needs to be decoupled from forced productivity and the cult of self-improvement. Routine can exist with a sole purpose of creating time for rituals. And rituals, well, they are a way of re-establishing the harmony that was shattered with the advent of COVID-19. Routines are not a way of launching yourself into forced labour but just a way of creating time to do the things that give you a little bit of joy. The issue with the productivity pressures that stem from unsophisticated self-improvement advice is that they presume that given you are working from home, productivity will increase. It is this false narrative that equates productivity to efficiency and then suggests defining efficiency as an output per hour metric. In this false narrative, it assumes that just because we have more time, we will necessarily be more productive. The issue is that it completely overlooks that emotional pressures and new burdens (such as taking on new roles) that self-isolation brings. Yes, Shakespeare may have written King Lear while under quarantine, but Shakespeare wasn’t concerned about the next time he was going to see his family. Indeed, Ahmad wrote an excellent piece about the need to ignore “all that coronavirus related productivity pressure.” She provides a phased approach to mental readjustment to these conditions of hardship. The first two stages are security and the mental shift and that create a strong foundation to then build a weekly schedule. Creating routine is necessary, but I would advise that progressing through these first two stages is necessary to create a foundation for a valuable and sustainable schedule. Establishing a routine is only possible when you are no longer in a period of denial and delusion and entered the period of acceptance. Only once you have made the emotional transition, implemented the support systems are you able to start to think about where to allocate your time. So let’s get scheduling… 1. What are your priorities? Are you on a mission to find the best banana bread recipe, are you working two days a week, or studying full-time or reading all your books on your bookshelf? While all are equally worthy of your time, you might like to think about what days, what needs to be prioritised and allocated time. For example, on Mondays I work, Tuesdays I re-read the Twilight saga, Wednesdays I learn to cross-stitch and so on and so forth. If you would like some value-add, potentially allocate different priorities to different days (e.g. Monday = work; Tuesday = drawing and Sundays = Admin etc…). Then you can allocate tasks to the days with that theme. A list could look something like this: Sunday you could reserve for admin or Sunday you could reserve for face masks and Will & Grace. It doesn’t matter. 2. Let’s think about adding in some daily rituals. What are the small rituals that bring light into your life? Coffee in the morning, journaling, meditation, some light exercise, lighting a candle, a face mask. An important caveat to note is that contrary to the narrative perpetuated by the cult of self-improvement, rituals does not need to be done in the pursuit of something else. Some things that I try to incorporate each day include reading, turning on my diffuser and my daily affirmations (albeit done to the tune of Taylor Swift’s Fearless). These are not helping me with career progression or helping my WAM, but they are the small pleasures that we all need to hold on to right now. Some other things to consider allocating some time to incorporate into your days, include:
3. Let’s add it to a calendar. I am pleased to report that the most productive thing I have in self-isolation, is draw a weekly schedule and colour code it. I am also equally happy to report that I have no shame that this is the epitome of my productiveness. EmmaStudies has created a weekly schedule template and this is a good place to start. To create the schedule I did the following: A) What are my commitments? Return to step one. Looking at your list, allocate a day and the amount of time that each activity deserves. Work on one day, uni on another, binge watching Tiger King on the other. Add them in. B) What are my routines? What are my rituals? Return to step numero deux. Think about your daily rituals and start to incorporate them into your morning and night routines. Ideally your morning and night routines should reflect these bizarre circumstances and recognise changes in circumstance. For example, in the mornings I like to journal (15mins), meditate (15mins) , do some reading (30mins), get a bit of exercise (30mins). It takes me about two hours to get through everything that I enjoy so I have allocated two hours in the morning. In the evening, I have allotted one hour to switch off and unwind in the evening. Other routines I try to add are a weekly family chat, Sunday self-care, and an admin day. I also have times with nothing to do so I can I am not perfect. Sometimes I roll out of bed and work in bed all day. It’s obviously not ideal, but I recognise that it’s just me adapting to uncertainty. C) What else? When creating a schedule practice the compassion that you would for another person with yourself. Make time for freedom and recognise that sometimes it is okay to do nothing. In sum, a schedule is not important because of what it is but because of what it represents. A schedule is a way of overcoming the denial and delusion that characterised the first few weeks of the coronavirus crack-down. It is the most visible and applaudable acknowledgement of an attempt to transition your life to the new normal. BY ROSIE BOGUMIL I have suffered from anxiety, in particular social anxiety, for a long time. Personally, I find all kinds of social interaction triggering, and even more so in large group settings. That makes lectures, tutorials, group assignments and part-time work especially difficult. But to be perfectly honest, it kind of makes everything difficult. And so, in some ways, social distancing has been a real blessing. I ordinarily find grocery shopping to be hectic and overstimulating. But as supermarkets are quieter, I find it much easier to keep calm in what is usually an overwhelming environment. I have suddenly found myself able to concentrate on lecture material instead of how many people were sitting in front of and/or behind me and/or were looking at me and/or what I would possibly do if somebody sat in my seat and/or if people would judge my OOTD and/or that I’m not using a Macbook to take notes. I have been able to build upon friendships that I had previously been avoiding, since I can’t be anxious about leaving my house when I’m not allowed to leave my house! I have been devoting more free time - which I normally have very little of - to self care. It feels fantastic to do small things for myself, like having a bath or painting, without feeling guilty that I am wasting that moment instead of doing something productive. Like I said, a real blessing. Maybe this COVID-19 situation has made you more anxious. But personally, I have found the social distancing measures helpful. I can interact with others, and I can keep up with uni, but now I can do it without hyperventilating. Isn’t that breathtaking? (But in a good way, for once.) BY ROSIE BOGUMIL Consider this: you tell a lie, a small white lie, that you only had one drink at the party. Even though you actually had a few, you still agree to be the designated driver. Are you responsible for any consequences that occur? Or perhaps you tell somebody that they look nice in those skinny jeans, and that person wears those jeans to work, and they are then reprimanded for inappropriate attire. Are you somehow blameworthy? Perhaps you were faced with a more difficult choice. Say you were driving a train, and came to a fork in the tracks, giving you two options. You could choose the first option, and kill a single person strapped to the tracks. Or you could choose the second option, and kill five people strapped to the other track. Most people will choose the first option; surely it is okay to save five people for the death of one. Would you answer change if that single individual happened to be a close friend of yours? Again, most would say yes. But why? What is it about this situation that prompts a change in response? Studying philosophy can provide answers to these somewhat unnerving moral dilemmas. Known as the Trolley Problem, the scenario detailed above is a fundamental thought experiment in the study of philosophy and ethics. Both these disciplines examine our decisions, actions and morals, and how these are impacted by personal context and societal pressures. Philosophy provides the tools to analyse our behaviour, and encourages people to think critically about the world. To use a popular analogy: philosophy would like to make each individual their own shepherd, independent of any sheep. It seems to me that the importance of this is drastically underestimated. The first time I studied philosophy, my outlook on life was completely transformed. If people truly understood the life-changing impact of philosophy, then perhaps they would also appreciate the benefits of mandatory studies of the discipline. Not only has my self-awareness grown throughout my philosophical journey, I have also become more conscious of the implications of my actions on others and in broader society. When my views do conflict with others, I now have the tools to argue my own perspective in a respectful way that affirms my view, without deprecating the person whose view I am opposing. If everyone knew just a small bit of philosophy, people would no longer justify their opinions in a nonsensical manner. (“Why do you believe that?” “Because! I just do. It’s just wrong!”) If people actually stopped to actually consider the reasons behind their racial or sexual discrimination, the way those issues are debated could change. Debates could occur in a more thoughtful and attentive manner, without one side immediately condemning the other or arguing their view is fact without providing any reasons for such a view. If everyone studied a bit of philosophy, people might finally learn what it means to be considerate of others. By the way, philosophy isn’t just reserved for the archetype of the old cis white man either. In fact, if philosophy studies were mandatory, this stereotype would no longer hold any weight, and philosophy would no longer be misconstrued as an activity only available to elite intellectuals. In a society where the actions of others can seem thoughtless, the obvious solution is to put more thought into things. And how can we ensure people actually think before they act? By studying philosophy. BY FRANCES MAGIERA As Australia moves to self-isolation measures due to the coronavirus epidemic, we’re in the midst of a strange new reality. Going outside is now only permitted for essential errands like groceries, exercise or work, and gathering in groups of more than two is a fineable offence. Which means for most of us, staying indoors all day, every day is the new norm. But if you’re not an introvert or homebody, you might be struggling to pass the time outside of Zoom meetings and walking to the fridge for yet another snack. Here are some indoor activities to pass the next time you find yourself sick of binge-watching Netflix. (And if you get through this list and all else fails, you can always start making TikToks). Make Art & Get Crafty Awaken your inner Picasso by creating art, whether that’s in the form of painting, sketching, or drawing. This is a fun, creative and inexpensive way to stay busy indoors -- it can be as simple as scribbling away with a pen. Activities like colouring in have also been proven to reduce stress and increase mindfulness. Craft is another creative way to keep you occupied whilst also creating something beautiful (hopefully!). This could be papercrafts like scrapbooking or origami, textiles such as sewing, knitting, crocheting or embroidery, or even pottery! You are limited only by your imagination. So go on, get some snacks, chuck on a Bob Ross tutorial and host your very own paint and sip! Work on a Side Hustle There has never been a better time to work your on a side hustle, or work your way through your long-term to do list. Now is your chance to finally do all those things you’ve been ‘too busy’ for. Start working on that podcast, blog, Youtube channel, novel, or e-commerce company that you’ve been wanting to do but have placed on the backburner! If you don’t have something of your own or don’t know where to start, you can always upskill yourself through online tutorials and webinars. Puzzles & Games If you’ve got any board games laying around the house, now is the time to dust them off and have a round of Scrabble, Monopoly, chess or Uno. Ditto for jigsaw puzzles, which as Scomo has said, are essential items. The man has a point — you may have relegated these games to the attic since adulthood, but once you’ve spent an afternoon passing Go and collecting $200, you’ll see why they’re timeless for a reason! Brain training puzzles like Sudoku and crosswords are also great for keeping your mind busy. Reading This may be an obvious one, but now is the perfect time to cosy up with a book. You might have a reading list to get through (and if you don’t, there’s plenty of recommended reading, new releases and best seller lists online), or you can start by picking up that book you never quite finished. Audiobooks are also fantastic for listening to if you don’t want to commit to sitting down with a book. You can find free audiobooks here. Reading doesn’t have to be limited to just books either — further your knowledge by researching and reading into that thing you’ve always been curious about. If there’s ever been a time to fall down an Internet rabbit hole about conspiracy theories, astrology or true crime — it’s now. Cooking Not just a tasty way to pass the time (the best part about cooking is eating, duh), cooking is also a skill for life that can mean the difference between living off two-minute noodles and being able to whip up a full-on feast. Buzzfeed’s Tasty has great video recipes if you’re a visual learner, and you can also find tonnes of easy-to-follow recipes right here on ENID. You don’t have to focus on learning complicated recipes either — you could bake, make a staple item you’ve previously only bought ready-made before (such as bread or mayonnaise) or learn a kitchen skill like how to poach eggs. Self Care Last but not least, it’s also a good time to be taking care of yourself. During this uncertain period, it can be easy to become overwhelmed and anxious, and not being able to get out of the house and see friends can lead to loneliness, depression and a sense of despair. It’s crucial to take time for yourself to do the things that make you feel at your best, both physically and mentally. Beyond the usual ‘do a facemask, take a bath’, self care includes making sure you’re getting enough sleep and exercise, and switching off from social media when you need to, and prioritising activities that make you happy. |