The lyrics “Once a slag, always a slag” blares out of my daughter’s phone as she shows me a video of herself and a friend, dancing seductively for the camera. I recognize the gender performances they reenact, and I question the discrepancy between how they perceive themselves and how they are perceived by others.
On the one hand, appearing desirable and beautiful is seen as a good thing; it’s a source of power and validation. Or so they are constantly told by society, media, peers and family. And on the other hand, they’re shamed and victim-blamed—told to cover up, to restrict and suppress. It’s as if they are asked to be both Madonna and whore all at once. To be chaste, innocent and pure, but also sexy, wild and desirable.
This multi-layered photographic series questions the complexities of girlhood, all born at the start of the smartphone generation. I have been observing my daughter and her friends shift out of childhood, but very aware they are nowhere near adulthood. As I make pictures of their everyday, I see how much they are compelled to navigate the cultural scripts and the performances they have unconsciously inherited.
—Philippa James
Philippa James was a winner of the LensCulture Emerging Talent Awards 2024. Discover all 25 Emerging Talents here.
