In the eye of the beholder

Plus-size model Jennie Runk says she is surprised by the amount of attention her beachwear adverts for H&M have attracted, but I can’t say that I am.

The size-16 model tells the BBC: “When my Facebook fan page gained about 2,000 new likes in 24 hours, I decided to use the attention as an opportunity to make the world a little nicer by promoting confidence. I've since been receiving lots of messages from fans, expressing gratitude.

“Some even told me that my confidence has inspired them to try on a bikini for the first time in years. This is exactly the kind of thing I've always wanted to accomplish, showing women that it's OK to be confident even if you're not the popular notion of ‘perfect’.”

Runk describes a childhood full of self-loathing: of large thighs, braces and wire-rimmed glasses. “Having finally survived it, I feel compelled to show girls who are going through the same thing that it's acceptable to be different,” she says.

“You will grow out of this awkwardness fabulously. Just focus on being the best possible version of yourself and quit worrying about your thighs, there's nothing wrong with them.”

I think it’s great that H&M has chosen such a beautiful, inspirational woman for this campaign, and I’m delighted that she has inspired women to get back in their bikinis.

But it seems that there is still something of a disconnect when it comes to women and body image. Because although we like to identify with these adverts and similar ‘real woman’ campaigns from Dove and M&S, research shows that when we buy clothes, we want to see them worn by slender models and mannequins; even if we’re carrying a few extra pounds ourselves.

While we take comfort from models that look more like us, we still aspire to look like the airbrushed models shown in Vogue and Cosmopolitan. We admire natural beauty but still lust after perfection.

It’s also interesting to note the way we see ourselves compared with the way other people see us. As the latest part of its Campaign for Real Beauty, Dove hired a forensic sketch artist to draw several women, based only on their descriptions of themselves. The artist then draws a separate portrait of each woman based on descriptions of them from relative strangers.

The resulting sketches are displayed side by side and in every single case the ‘stranger’ portrait is more flattering than the woman’s own version. A tagline of “You are more beautiful than you think” is then added. (You can watch the YouTube video here.) 

However many campaigns we see that tell us ‘it’s ok to be normal’, they will always be futile if we are unable to accept ourselves as we are. Often we think it’s ok for our friends to be a little overweight, have a giant spot or start going grey, but if it happens to us it’s panic stations!

I don’t really know what the solution is, apart from praying about it and being the best versions of ourselves we can be. That means looking after our bodies but not having unrealistic expectations of them; seeing beauty in others but also in ourselves; and working on being beautiful (kind, generous, truthful etc) on the inside too.

If you’ve got an extra minute, it’s worth checking out this short blog entry from photographer Jaime Moore about real princesses. And (completely off topic, but amusing none the less) if you have an additional ten minutes, watch this video of two Dutch guys experiencing simulated labour pains!

Read more from Joy in the next issue of Liberti magazine.

Be careful what you buy!

The recent collapse of a building in Bangladesh that killed more than 700 people has provoked reaction from across the globe. 

Firstly, because so many people lost their lives. Secondly, because labour conditions had clearly been so terrible for so long. And thirdly, because some of the people in charge – on the ground and overseas – have tried to shirk their responsibilities and pass the buck.

The collapse of this illegally built structure was the third deadly factory-based incident in Bangladesh in just the last six months. While the factory owners and managers are clearly guilty of negligence, so, to some degree, are the firms they were supplying in Europe and beyond.

Now it would be easy at this point to point the finger at companies like Primark, especially as this particular firm has found itself in hot water in the past in relation to child labour infringements. However, it’s not just the low-end fashion firms that are to blame – some at the very top of the chain have also been embroiled in worker-related scandals. I would go as far as to say that the problem is pretty much industry-wide.

It’s encouraging to hear that Primark and Loblaw have agreed to compensate the families of garment workers that were killed while making their clothes. And it’s also a good sign that representatives from 45 companies, including Gap, H&M, Nike, Wal-Mart, Primark, Marks & Spencer and Tesco have met with officials from the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association in Dhaka to discuss factory and worker safety going forward.

But what’s all this got to do with us? Well, according to Reuters, around 3.6 million people work within Bangladesh's garment industry, making it the world's second-largest apparel exporter. Around 60% of these exports are shipped to Europe. So although we may be reluctant to accept it, we too are partly to blame for the maltreatment and even the death of workers in the developing world because of the choices we make as consumers.

Most of us work in environments where we are safe and comfortable; where health and safety measures are legislated and enforced. We are paid a fair wage and given holidays and other perks as standard. We expect to be treated well by our employees and protected from abuse and discrimination. We know our rights and we are determined to stand up for them.

On the other hand, these factory workers – the majority of whom are women, by the way – do not have such an easy ride. Many work long hours for next to nothing because they have no other prospects and need to feed their families. There is no job protection for workers and if injury occurs and the employee can no longer work, there is rarely any compensation.

As you try to do your bit for the environment by buying organic cotton or feel a bit smug about keeping those in developing countries in employment by stacking your wardrobe to overflowing, think about what your buying habits actually mean to the people making those clothes: those in Bangladesh and beyond.

Now many of us have tight budgets, and that’s fine: buying ethically doesn’t necessarily mean breaking the bank. But it might mean buying one item from a ‘safe’ source rather than three from a company that outsources its work to unknown entities.

One great way to monitor what you’re buying – whether it be clothing, food, banking services or other goods – is to download the Good Shopping Guide app, which is available from iTunes and the Apple store. It costs just £2.99 and provides a list of the good, the bad and the ugly in terms of the environment, human rights and animal welfare.

Read more from Joy in the upcoming issue of Liberti.

(Also, click here to get a Christian take on this situation. This blog from Rhythms looks at the biblical command to clothe and feed the poor, and how this has been turned on its head so that the poor are not only clothing us, but are dying the process.)

Bishop of London calls for “human compassion” at Thatcher funeral

The death of Margaret Thatcher on April 8 provoked reaction from people across the globe.

Some recalled the strength and fervour of the UK’s first female prime minister, while others focused on her perceived failings and injustices. 

However, at her funeral on April 17, she was remembered as a wife, mother and friend as well as a politician.

The Bishop of London, Right Rev Richard Chartres, said: “Today the remains of the real Margaret Hilda Thatcher are here at her funeral service. Lying here, she is one of us, subject to the common destiny of all human beings.

“There is an important place for debating policies and legacy; for assessing the impact of political decisions on the everyday lives of individuals and communities. “Parliament held a frank debate last week. But here and today is neither the time nor the place. This, at Lady Thatcher's personal request, is a funeral service, not a memorial service with the customary eulogies.

“At such a time, the parson should not aspire to the judgements which are proper to the politician; instead, this is a place for ordinary human compassion of the kind that is reconciling. It is also the place for the simple truths which transcend political debate. Above all it is the place for hope.

“But it must be difficult for those members of her family and close associates to recognise the wife, mother and grandmother in the mythological figure. Our hearts go out to Mark and Carol and their families, and also to those who cared for Lady Thatcher with such devotion in her last years.”

Bishop Chartres recalled Baroness Thatcher’s attitudes to the people she worked with during her political career. “The letter from a young boy early on in her time as prime minister is a typical example,” he said. 

“Nine-year-old David wrote to say: Last night when we were saying prayers, my daddy said everyone has done wrong things except Jesus. I said I don't think you have done bad things because you are the prime minister. Am I right or is my daddy?

“Perhaps the most remarkable thing is that the PM replied in her own hand, in a very straightforward letter, which took the question seriously: However good we try to be, we can never be as kind, gentle and wise as Jesus. There will be times when we do or say something we wish we hadn't done and we shall be sorry and try not to do it again… 

If you and I were to paint a picture, it wouldn't be as good as the picture of great artists. So our lives can't be as good as the life of Jesus.”

The Bishop also reflected on Margaret Thatcher’s incredible rise to power: “It is easy to forget the immense hurdles she had to climb. Beginning in the upper floors of her father's grocer's shop in Grantham, through Oxford as a scientist and, later, as part of the team that invented Mr Whippy ice cream, she embarked upon a political career.

“By the time she entered parliament in 1959 she was part of a cohort of only 4% of women in the House of Commons. She had experienced many rebuffs along the way, often on the shortlist for candidates only to be disqualified by prejudice against a woman; and, worse, a woman with children.

“She applied herself to her work with formidable energy and passion. But she continued to reflect on how faith and politics related to one another.

“In the Lawrence Jewry lecture, she said that ‘Christianity offers no easy solutions to political and economic issues. It teaches us that there is some evil in everyone and that it cannot be banished by sound policies and institutional reforms…

'We cannot achieve a compassionate society simply by passing new laws and appointing more staff to administer them.’

“She was very aware that there are prior dispositions which are needed to make market economics and democratic institutions function well: the habits of truth-telling, mutual sympathy, and the capacity to co-operate.”

You can read the full funeral address from Bishop Chartres here. 

Girls who run the world

In an interview for the May issue of British Vogue, Beyoncé Knowles described herself as a "modern-day feminist". This got me thinking about what the term ‘feminism’ means today and whether it is a positive or a negative thing. (As a disclaimer, this is not a deep, philosophical debate, just a few personal thoughts.)

For some women it is about being able to do all of the things men can do… and more. Whether that means doing the DIY, playing football, entering the political sphere or preaching in a church, it is about proving that the ‘weaker sex’ is actually no such thing.

For some people, feminism is almost militant stance, a championing of the ‘Independent Women’ and ‘Single Ladies’ against the rest of the world. It is the overcoming of prejudice and criticism of women as meek, powerless housewives, and raises the question: do women need men to get on in life?

Others think of feminism as a more collective idea. It’s about encouraging all women to achieve their potential regardless of their age, ethnic background and social outlook. It’s about equal rights for women and deals with issues such as voting, maternity leave, workplace equality and domestic violence.

For others it is about sexual liberty; the pursuit of bedroom equality. An environment where women can sleep with who they want, when they want without being referred to as sluts; to be able to live a Sex and the City lifestyle and read 50 Shades of Grey on the bus without criticism.

Whatever it means to you, feminists are often criticised because the concept is perceived as an anti-male stance. Some women do appear to act as though men are an inconvenient ‘other’ as they take on the world. Other women are seen to present a double standard because they want to dress in a super sexy way like Beyoncé or Rihanna without being treated like sex objects.

Head of Family Law at Slater & Gordon, Amanda McAlister has even blamed the Sex and the City lifestyle for an increase in alcoholism and, as a direct result, higher divorce rates.

Some argue that the stress of ‘doing it all’ – having a successful career, raising a family and living it up at the weekends – may be taking its toll on women. I know that for me personally, being a woman can be exhausting!

Beyoncé says in the interview that “we have a way to go” before women and men are considered equal, and I would tend to agree. Until women are paid the same amount as men for doing the same job, allowed to be part of church leadership teams, respected in sporting circles and treated as valuable human beings rather than sex objects, there is still work to be done.

Proverbs 31:10-31 gives us an interesting biblical perspective on the ‘virtuous’ wife: of a woman who is successful in the home and in business; who is respected by those around her and cares for the poor. I think this is a good model for all women.

Some of Beyoncé’s song lyrics may be a little questionable, but I’ll finish with some simple words I liked from the upcoming interview: “Why do you have to choose what type of woman you are? Why do you have to label yourself anything? I’m just a woman and I love being a woman.”

Read more from Joy in the upcoming issue of Liberti magazine.

(Photo credits: Image 1 Parkwood; Image 2 Claudio Mariotto; Image 3 Hollywood Branded.)

What are you reading on World Book Day?

Today is World Book Day, and since books are one of my favouritest things (you can tell I read a lot), I thought I’d share what I’m perusing at present. I’ll admit at this point that I’m hoping you will do likewise so I can glean some new ideas!

The Holy Bible

I try to start every day with a chapter or two of the Bible so my focus is on God rather than work or anything else right from the off. I’m currently reading 1 Samuel and rolling my eyes at the fickleness of the Israelites… before realising my behaviour is probably just as errant and erratic!

Take Me to the Castle

After making contact with author FC Malby on Twitter, I was delighted to receive a copy of the book through the post. I’m only about halfway through so far, but I would describe this as an extremely well-researched book filled with interesting characters and nifty plot devices. I’ll write a proper review when I’ve read the full story, but so far, so good!

The Casual Vacancy

Having loved the Harry Potter series (controversial in some Christian circles), I was interested to see that JK Rowling had turned her hand to an adult book. As I was given a copy for Christmas, I decided to see what all the fuss was about. About 80% of the way through, I’m still not sure. It certainly lacks the magic of the Potter series (see what I did there?), and although there are some interesting characters, I expected more. It’s a little too casual… and vacant… for my liking.

Out of the Ashes

Peter Gladwin was almost killed in a house fire as a baby, and life wasn’t much easier during his teens. He had been almost stabbed to death, hooked on Class A drugs and was on the verge of suicide when he had an encounter with God. This autobiography is an uncomfortable read at times, but an extremely moving one nonetheless. Look out for my interview with Peter in Sorted magazine.

The Untapped Power in Praise 

I’m cheating a bit here, as I’ve only read the first page so far. But having read several books by Kenneth Hagin Sr, I am looking forward to delving into this praise-focused publication from Kenneth Hagin Jr. According to the younger KH, praise keeps our eyes off our problems and on our deliverer. I’m prepared to give it a go!

You might think all I do all day is sit around all day, book in one hand and cup of cocoa in the other. I wish! Actually, most of my reading occurs during delicious stolen moments – waiting for someone to arrive at a meeting, a ten-minute bus journey, or in a doctor’s waiting room. Whenever an opportunity arises, I delve into my Mary Poppins handbag, hoik out whatever’s to hand at the time and launch right in. 

I’ll soon be in possession of one of the free World Book Night (April 23) giveaways – The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde – a book I’m looking forward to getting my teeth into (that’s how you read books, right?). But I’m always on the lookout for book suggestions, so it’s over to you. Let me know what you’re reading at the moment and whether or not it gets a thumbs up or a thumbs down.

(Book links provided will take you to Amazon, but local bookshops will also stock the majority, so don't forget to support these - especially the indies!)

Read more from Joy in the next issue of Liberti magazine.

A rare hero in the rape arena

Having co-written an article on rape for the upcoming edition of Liberti, I was intrigued when I saw a BBC programme entitled The rape surgeon of DR Congo on iPlayer. The short film describes a country where women are not just raped for sexual gratification, but as a weapon of war. It was harrowing to say the least.

Gynaecologist Denis Mukwege is based in Congo and has literally risked life and limb to restore hope and bring physical healing to victims of rape in the country. “It was that year [1999] that our first rape victim was brought into the hospital. After being raped, bullets had been fired into her genitals and thighs,” Dr Mukwege recalls.

“I thought that was a barbaric act of war, but the real shock came three months later. Forty-five women came to us with the same story, they were all saying: ‘People came into my village and raped me, tortured me.’”

Since then, he and his colleagues have treated around 30,000 rape victims in DR Congo. His hospital, which has been destroyed more than once, provides around 350 beds, which are nearly full most of the time.

The sheer volume of victims crossing his threshold caused Dr Mukwege to think about what was happening: “These weren't just violent acts of war, but part of a strategy. You had situations where multiple people were raped at the same time, publicly; a whole village might be raped during the night. In doing this, they hurt not just the victims but the whole community, which they force to watch.

“The result of this strategy is that people are forced to flee their villages, abandon their fields, their resources, everything. It's very effective.”

Although there is no obvious way for him to put an end to the barbaric practice, he and his team take time to carry out psychological examinations on every victim and treat them accordingly. Operations are performed and long-term care is given where it is needed.

Thanks to funding from Unicef and other aid agencies, the care is free; an imperative seeing as some of the women turn up without even any clothes. They are fed, clothed and cared for, and are not discharged until they are properly back on their feet. Many are also offered legal support and advice.

No, not a bit of it. In fact, he was forced to flee his own home in 2011 after being held at gunpoint by five men and seeing one of his guards shot dead in front of him. It was a miracle he survived the gunfire that ensued, and that the men left with his car and nothing else. His daughters had also been threatened by the armed men, who had broken into the family home, but were unharmed.

He and the family fled to Europe but he recently returned to his homeland at the request of a group of local women who are campaigning against these atrocities and putting their lives on the line in the process. Earning practically nothing themselves, they managed to save enough to fly Dr Mukwege back to Congo and have been offering him round-the-clock protection ever since.

The women welcomed him back to the country as if he were the greatest hero of their time… and he just might be.

It inspired me to hear that one man has risked so much to help the many women who have suffered this terrible crime and, ultimately, to join with these female campaigners in working to put an end to the horrific ‘war tactic’ once and for all.

Let’s pray for his continued safety and for peace in Congo; for healing for the women who have been damaged physically and psychologically; and that justice will catch up with the perpetrators of this evil. 

Read more from Joy in the next issue of Liberti.

What’s healthier than a box of chocolates and lasts longer than a bunch of daffodils?

A bumper box of Liberti magazines, of course. We may be a little biased, but 50 copies of the UK’s best women’s magazine for just £50 is too good an offer to turn down. Especially when you know a single copy normally costs £3!

Two major events are on the horizon – Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day – and both require us to be loving; but not necessarily in the conventional way…

Maybe you know a bunch of single women who feel neglected every February 14 or a group of mums at a toddler group who would love an extra gift come March 10.

Maybe you host a ladies’ book club? Or the women you work with have become disillusioned with the ‘get thinner, be more beautiful’ magazines they normally read.

Perhaps you are hosting a Valentine’s meal and want your female guests to take something home with them. Or you’d like to hand out a copy to every woman in your church on Mother’s Day…

Whatever you’re involved in, this is a great opportunity to bless the women in your life. And if you don’t know 50 women, hand them out to some you don’t know and you’ll soon extend your friendship group!

Personally, I’m not the romantic type, but I love the idea of dishing out copies of the mag to 50 of the women in my life. The best part is, Liberti makes a great gift for young women and the slightly mature; for the single and the attached; for mothers and potential mothers.

Articles in the latest edition include:

I’ll have a pee please, Bob An interesting take on the Toilet Twinning initiative.

Hands up for Tanzania! A really insightful piece on the work of Five Talents in Tanzania and beyond.

What’s so special about Justin Bieber’s mum? An article about Pattie Mallette, who is far more than just the mother of a teen sensation.

A week in the life of a social entrepreneur A glimpse into the life of Anne-Marie Wilson, who is passionate about ending female genital mutilation.

Swapping her Manolos for flip flops The tale of former fashion editor Charlie Davies, whose new designer label is helping those in need.

Plus you'll find all the regular columnists and the latest on entertainment, fashion, health, movies and sex.

Click here to order your bumper pack today!

(PS - you can still buy chocs and daffs - they make an excellent accompaniment to a copy of the mag!)