Tajik cover reminiscent of “50 shades of gray” – VG

Dressed in soft dark green velvet, lace over bare skin, and slim high heels, she saw a sensually seductive dark gaze on us. Flattering plays of light, with delicate makeup and fresh hair, Hadia Tajik could grace Vogue as well as Elle. “

Thus begins the article that the head of the faculty, Karoline Holmboe Høibo, of the University of Stavanger, wrote in Stavanger Aftenblad on Saturday.

Fear of the signal effect

She believes that Tajikistan, whom she sees as a personal role model, with this image gives the impression that women must be sexualized to be successful in politics.

– There is no criticism of the image itself or of Tajikistan as a person. The image attests to an attitude that women’s opinions are not interesting enough in themselves. If the message cannot reach him if it is not pretty, we have a social problem, he tells VG.

VG has contacted Hadia Tajik’s adviser, who says she does not have a chance to respond on Sunday afternoon.

– Old view

Anette Trettebergstuen, a parliamentary representative of the Labor Party and leader of the party’s women’s network, put coffee on her throat when she read the article:

– I was surprised and upset. This article belongs to the 1950s and is characterized by outdated views on how women should dress to be decent, he tells VG, adding how he interprets the cover:

– I see someone who is dressed in a feminine suit, has self-confidence and a clear look.

50 shades of gray

In the article, Høibo writes that the outlook is unfortunate in light of the metoo challenges of the Labor Party.

«Is the choice of color and position meant to rent the tanks against 50 Shades of Gray? In that case, it is an inferior option, seen in light of the internal challenges they have had in the Labor Party in recent years, where older men in positions of power, the sexualized vision of young female party colleagues, have our core issues.

In particular, Trettebergstuen responds to:

– I have to say this clearly to Labor women and other women: they can dress as well as they want, no one should expose me for that reason.

Høibo completely agrees with this, but says his point here is that metoo is about men’s sexualized views of women and that it can impose restrictions on women’s career opportunities:

– It is the vision of women as a sensual object that I desire for life. The Metoo movement has tried to discover structural conditions, that is also my intention.

I do not agree with feminism

– Is there a danger that the cover will send a signal to young women that they must be feminine and in a certain way to succeed?

– Absolutely not, says Trettebergstuen.

On the other hand, she believes that it is Høibo who restricts the space to be a woman:

– The fact that political women dress as they want, that is what broadens the space. Do you want women to dress on the premises of men in tight, unbuttoned suits?

Høibo rejects this, saying that she herself put the coffee down her throat, when she saw the cover of the book:

– You should be able to dress exactly how you want. He wouldn’t have reacted if he was on the cover of Elle. But the context makes it problematic. This image becomes sensual, it is strange in a political book.

– Are you the one who focuses on the appearance of Tajikistan and not on the content of the book when writing this article?

– It is difficult to make the problem visible without being read like this, but we must dare to lead the debate.

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Hadia’s secret

Editorial: It’s about daring to take a seat

The publisher believes that the cover exactly matches the story it tells:

– Hadia Tajik has written an unusual political book, with a strong narrative that carries the book in addition to the political content. It is therefore natural that the cover image is somewhat different from the solid portrait photo politicians often have on the cover, writes proposal manager Kjetil Jørve at Tiden Norsk Forlag in an email to VG, adding:

– The image also shows something of what the book is about daring to take a seat, even when you have crossed expectations. Exactly how free women are in Norway to do just this, I think the debate the picture triggers shows quite well.

– limiting

– The name of the book is “Freedom: a political and personal story” What if this image sets her free?

– It’s possible, let’s talk about it. But I think Tajikistan, as a woman of opinion, should be aware that it is influencing the frameworks. If such use of images becomes common and women have to dress up to be heard, it is limiting, says the director of the faculty.

– You write that it seems that “Hadia Tajik must blow-dry her hair to sell books.” Do you think that women should dress in sober clothes and not dry their hair to have a political career?

– It was a reference to Hillary Clinton, who has said that she, as first lady, was told to blow-dry her hair so as not to ruin her career. I dry my hair myself every day.