FEMINIST FRIDAY: Wrangler Battles Body Image In “More Than A Bum” And Pure & Weary Are “With Her”

If you love Fridays as much as we do, then you will love our Feminist Friday series. It’s our fun way of ending the week by sharing a handful of videos we have been enjoying over the past 5 days. It is also the space we want to use to share YOUR videos, so if you have something you think will be a good fit, email info@girltalkhq.com with “Feminist Friday Submission” in the subject line.

This week, we kick off proceedings with Wrangler’s quirky but empowering ‘More Than A Bum’ video, which was made to promote their Body Bespoke denim range. which uses technology to ensure no matter the size of the wearer every size is equally flattering. As you can probably tell from the title, it is about the derriere.

Wrangler worked with an ad agency out of Amsterdam (where this video was shot) and collaborated with New Zealand artist Kimbra on the soundtrack, which is literally made up of a tonne of women saying the word “bum” put to a beat. Some of the women featured in the video are Olympic volleyball player, Francesca Piccinini, dancer and choreographer Nikeata Thompson, and transgender activist Paris Lees. Each of them talk about what it means to be “more than a bum” and why they want society to value women for more than just their looks.

Staying on the body image beat for a minute, our next video is for everyone who has ever felt like there is something wrong with them when they look in the mirror. So that’s pretty much ever human! Youtuber Rachel Levin is well known in the beauty blogger/vlogger world but this video was a bit of a departure from her regular content.

The Philadelphia-based vlogger wanted a way to talk about the harmful effects of self-criticism, and used the idea of her talking to her younger self to illustrate her point. At first we see the adult Rachel talking about how she hates her nose and lips in front of the mirror. Then the younger Rachel appears in front of her, and all of a sudden it becomes harder to say such harsh things to herself.

“If you wouldn’t say it to yourself when you were little, then why would you say it to yourself now?” the title card at the end says. She’s not the first beauty blogger to use her wide audience reach and platform to share an important message about body image. UK Youtuber Em Ford normally promotes the latest makeup trends, but in one confronting video she went make-up free and posted images of some of the most horrible comments she gets from viewers. It’s very impactful to see these popular Youtubers share empowering messages with their fans.

Rachel’s ‘I Am Ugly’ video already has over 4.5 million views, which means it has struck a chord:

And for our final act this evening, we want to end on a high, a political high, that is. Our very first Feminist Friday edition featured comedy duo Katherine Biskupic and Leah Frires who go by the name Pure & Weary. They are badass queens from Second City-Chicago, and make awesome feminist videos.

As a follow up to their “Yas Kween” music video, these ladies teamed up with the iO Comedy Network to release “ImWithHer news segment video. To be honest, in light of so much divisive, fact-free and biased journalism during this presidential election, this is the kind of “news” we’ve been waiting for!

It puts a humorous spin on the often sexist narratives surrounding women, especially Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, in the mainstream news media. Some of the other “news stories” featured are most definitely familiar to many women, whose bodies, appearances, life choices, actions and career trajectories come under scrutiny by a society that think it knows what it best for her.

That is the whole premise of #ImWithHer, taking Hillary Clinton’s campaign slogan, and turning it into a way to promote sisterhood and women standing by each other. If you are also on board with this idea, standing against harmful patriarchal norms that have been known to marginalize, oppress and discriminate women and minorities, we know you will appreciate this: