30 is the new black

There was uproar when the news broke that black magazine Essence appointed Ellianna Placas, a white fashion editor (incidentally from Australia). But is the problem more than just skin deep?

The brand mission of Essence magazine states that “Essence inspires black women of all shades and shapes to lead bold, fulfilling lives. We encourage their passions and dreams and celebrate their community. As a trusted friend, we reflect their best selves and motivate them to live without limits.”

Given Australia’s poor record to date and lack of visibility of black women in magazines and popular culture, I’ll admit that my first reaction to this wasn’t exactly one of pure elation.

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New York based Australian model Jessica Hart who joins Jennifer Hawkins for the latest Myer campaign busted the myth that models don’t work out and said that there were no short cuts to modelling.

It’s a welcome relief from the lies we have been fed for years by models who say they can eat whatever they want, never exercise and attribute their stick thin body to simply good genes and a fast metabolism.

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Can women and men ever be friends? This is an old-age question and everyone has a different view on it. I agree with Billy Crystal’s character in  the movie “When Harry Met Sally,” who famously said, “Men and women can’t be friends … the sex [or attraction] part always gets in the way.”

Past experience has shown me that a man can only be friends with a woman if there is no physical attraction but the kicker is that a man will usually only seek out a friendship with a woman he is attracted to. I think women are much better at trying to put their feelings aside but when unrequited feelings gets in the way of a blossoming friendship, admittedly it isn’t always the guy who is struggling with those feelings.

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When the saying ‘I am woman, hear me roar’ was coined, I don’t think women being called cougars and depicted as ‘preying’ on younger men was exactly what they had in mind.

A woman dating a man ten or years younger than herself is no difference to a man dating a younger woman but once again, women are reduced to and defined by their sexuality.

But is it really women who are furthering the cougar movement as the media and popular culture would like to suggest or are aggressive young cubs pursuing older women eager for some Mrs Robinson action?

I would like to  put an argument forward that it is the latter rather than the former.

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As some of you know, I have naturally curly hair. Growing up with afro curly hair in the ’80s was not as easy as it sounds.

Blessed with corkscrew curls and an unruly mane that no comb could tame, I tried every hair product on the limited Australian market to control my curls.

As the ’80s perm became passé, I realised that I was one of only a few waving the naturally curly hair flag.

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They say families that play together stay together but what happens when that line crosses over into sexual abuse? Allegations came to light this week that Sarah Monahan who played ‘Jenny’ on Hey Dad, one of Australia’s longest running and most successful TV shows, was molested on the set from the age of nine. Read more »

I’ve been dismayed and shocked by the vitriolic and hateful comments directed at Lara Bingle.

She may or may not have been aware that she was dating a married man and she may or may not have been out to wreck his marriage but this happened three years ago when she was a teenager. Since then she has been in a long term relationship and is engaged to be married.

It amazes me that ‘news’ about Lara Bingle is in the same newspapers as the article about a landmark court decision that allowed a young girl to successfully seek compensation for being bullied as a child? However, adult bullying is allowed to go on whether it’s bullying via the media, politicians bullying each other, workplace bullying or even bullying amongst our friends and family.

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