SO HERE IS MY DILEMMA: CONTRARY, AS THE CONFUSING, SURPRISING, OCCASIONALLY UPLIFTING BUT MORE OFTEN UPSETTING 2016 DRAWS TO A CLOSE, I BELIEVE THERE ABSOLUTELY IS ONE THING I ASK MUST YOU TO DO IN 2017 AND THAT IS TO BECOME AN ACTIVE FEMINIST. THERE – I’
Normally, my stance on political and social issues is less direct, hence the dilemma. I mean, whether you identify as a feminist or not is up to you, isn’t it? My job as a journalist and Editor-in-Chief of a monthly glossy is usually to simply offer you the facts around newsworthy debates, allowing you to then make up your own mind on the issues. And I am not here to judge your views either way – this is, after all, primarily a fashion and beauty magazine. That’s our business, and the main reason women read ELLE . I’m very proud of this.
But now I think the time has come to ask something extra of you as women, to ignite that spark of activism I instinctively feel that ELLE readers in particular have, and to implore you to adopt an active and responsive feminist mindset. We live in extraordinary times, and you need to have a view on women and equality at this point in history. Now it’s time for you to make your views known as a mother, a sister, a daughter, a wife or a partner.
Some of you may already be there on the feminist frontline, whether you’re marching for equal pay or signing up to quotas in the workplace – and hurrah
for that. But I sense some of you may still be confused or, at worst, indifferent. Please don’t be indifferent, there’s no need to be: advocating equal rights for
50% of the population is not a hard concept to support. It’s a no-brainer, and it is how we should all live in society today. There is no grey in this blackand-white argument, nothing to misunderstand or not support. This is a human right and you should all be fighting for it now, in my opinion.
For this, our fourth annual feminism issue, we have teamed up with the marketing agency J Walter Thompson, who this year produced a groundbreaking study called Female Tribes ( jwt.com/ femaletribes), which looks into the roles of women worldwide. It shows what a huge, positive difference we make when we have a seat at the table because it scientifically proves how much we are worth economically. The statistics are compelling: want a more profitable hedge fund? Invest in one led by a woman: those led or owned by women have a return of 59% against an average of 37% led by men*. Want a more successful business? Hire a woman. Having more women at board-director level produces greater economic success. Want a more effective army battalion? Then put a woman in charge. Studies in Israel have found that women in combat are superior in areas of discipline, motivation, shooting, weapons use and maintaining alertness. And if you want your film to make more at the box office, hire a leading lady. There is no doubt about the power of female capital globally, but we simply don’t get the chances or choices offered to men, despite the evidence of economical and other success when equality is represented at the highest of levels.
The time has come for all of us to stand up for the opportunity we are being denied through old-fashioned attitudes, sexist thinking and often outright misogyny. I don’t think we should be afraid to call out these bad practices – we will all suffer if we don’t, so please be more vocal when you witness this in action.
Now, this definitive stance – demanding that you become feminists – could present me with another dilemma. I’m the editor of a glossy magazine: why, you may ask – and, indeed, a lot of people do ask me this – am I highlighting such serious facts and stats on women’s rights alongside in-depth advice on how to wear this season’s new prints or which matte lipstick to buy? Does this seem hypocritical?
Well, that old chestnut is easy to answer: being a feminist doesn’t mean rejecting your femininity, but it does mean questioning the assumptions that society has around it, particularly when you note that the Google definition of it includes the description ‘she celebrates her femininity by wearing make-up and high heels’.
We aren’t keen on this description at ELLE – it feels old fashioned and restrictive in these times. What we like to wear, how we do our hair, the beauty products we use or choose not to use (see my interview with Alicia Keys on page 222 about this) are all expressions of our femininity. In fact, almost all aspects of our appearance are related to the way we present ourselves as women in the world. And fashion magazines such as this exist to serve the essence of femininity: it is my job to deliver information and inspiration to everyone who identifies as a woman that will make them feel happy and proud of their gender. But in these times of change, wherein gender boundaries are being constantly questioned, explored and investigated, I wanted to ask what femininity means to you today. This intrigued us at ELLE, so we turned to some women whose opinions we respect to answer this question on page 123, and alongside it we asked contemporary artists to depict what they think femininity looks like today.
And if you look at our December cover shoot starring model Daphne Groeneveld, we chose to celebrate and revel in what I consider are the most feminine of dresses we’ve seen for some seasons.
I hope you take this December issue of ELLE and let the facts, the debates and the visual creativity of it sink into your mindset. If you believe in equality then don’t let this belief rest lightly on your shoulders, nor allow it to lurk quietly in the background. Be proactive, tell people what you know, tackle the inequality you witness and call it out when you know it’s not fair. Be a bold part of this brave new world by revelling in your own particular brand of femininity. You’ll feel so much better for it. We all will.