Sara Ziff Goes Live With The New York Times: How To Fix The System For Models
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| Sara Ziff, Founder of Model Alliance |
Last week, Jessica Testa of The New York Times ran an article documenting how the photographer Jonathan Leder sexually exploited young women and their bodies. For one, Emily Ratajkowski made a detailed allegation that the photographer sexually assaulted her during a photoshoot when she was 20 and that he used her nude and semi-nude polaroids from the shoot for his gallery exhibition without her written consent. Titled "The Nude Pictures That Won't Go away", the piece went viral. The exposé isn't something that is unheard-of in fashion. In fact, high-profile photographers such as Patrick Demarchelier and Mario Testino were accused of sexual misconduct by multiple models. Condé Nast, the owner of Vogue, released a statement that it would no longer work with them. Just a few hours ago, Sara Ziff, the founder and executive director of the Model Alliance (which is alluded to in my interview with Karen Elson), went live with Jessica Testa to talk about how to fix the situation for models, especially the younger ones who are more vulnerable.
The conversation was really constructive and forward-looking. Sara Ziff remarked that it is much more important to substantively discuss ways to fix the system that, time after time, failed to live up to models' expectations rather than dwelling too much on "gory" stories of personal ordeals that those models were forced to go thorough. She also perceptively observed that, because of the inherent power imbalance, models are afraid of being "blacklisted" if they raise the issue or speak out, especially when the so-called gatekeepers of the industry are those who help them "pay the bills". Sometimes, bad agents knowingly fail to protect models that they represent (although she made clear that there are good agents out there!), and some brands would not rise up to the occasion. I know from my interviews that certain industry heavyweights are using their platforms and voices to combat the status quo. Last but not least, Sara Ziff emphatically pointed out that models "aren't allowed to unionize" to effectively protect their interests, something that's unthinkable in other professions.
So how did we end up being here? It's because, with no accountability system in place, those in power mistakenly think that they can behave as if nothing happened: they are not held sufficiently accountable for their immoral behaviors. A lot of promising initiatives also lack the enforcement mechanism. We've got to give them teeth. Despite all these challenges lying ahead, Sara Ziff remained optimistic. She appreciated that people are working hard towards the issue and some stakeholders are interested in forming alliances. Her voice came across as powerful and genuine. She herself is a famous model, so she's not untethered to reality she's grappling with.
The 30-minute live was so engaging. In fact, I didn't even realize the time went so fast. Sara Ziff was so articulate and cogent that I could totally see her becoming a lawyer! Of course, this alone won't change the status quo all of a sudden. All stakeholders need to engage in a dialogue and act collectively. I think her use of the term "stakeholder" was deliberate, which allowed me to see more clearly that the issue is multifaceted, and most importantly, everyone has a part to play. In overall, it was truly reassuring to see two brilliant women tossing around ideas of how to move forward. In my law school personal statement, I said one of the reasons why I want to study law is to help models protect their rights so that they can thrive in their creative endeavors. The conversation reminded me of that initial resolution, now engraved more deeply in my heart. In the meantime, feel free to visit the official website of the Model Alliance to see all the amazing accomplishments. It would also be a good idea to make a donation to further the cause if you love fashion and believe in doing the right thing. I just did, so I encourage you to join me as well!
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