Red My Lips: Portraits

– Photographs and interviews by Elena McGannon

Artist Statement

Four years ago, after being isolated and raped on a night out with friends, a female district attorney told Danielle Tansino that the man who raped her would not face prosecution because “jurors don’t like girls who drink.”

In response, Tansino founded a non-for-profit organisation called Red My Lips, devoted to raising awareness of sexual violence and demonstrating solidarity for those facing its impact.

In April (Sexual Violence Awareness Month) I began documenting subjects participating in the month-long Red My Lips 2015 campaign, where participants wore red lipstick every day as a symbol of the strength and solidarity the organisation promotes. I aimed to map perspectives of sexual violence in the hope of combatting societal factors of abuse – including victim blaming and oppressive gender norms – and to raise awareness of their presence and prevalence.

Sexual violence does not discriminate. Red your lips and bring light to the hidden issue of sexual violence. Stand in solidarity.

Image One: Ivor Wong

Society conditions men not to have emotions, it tells them that being manly is about being strong and tough enough to take whatever we want. We’re taught that it’s every man for himself, told to be so detached, that showing an emotional attachment to a woman can get us labelled as “mommy’s boys”, or “whipped”, and that’s dangerous. For me, it just seems that emotionless men are the root of a lot of problems on earth.

I’m lucky in that, as a man, I’m unlikely to ever be a victim of sexual assault. But just because it is less likely to happen to men than women it doesn’t mean that it isn’t our problem. Making up half the population, we too have the responsibility to attempt to rectify the problem, to eliminate sexual assault.

Privilege comes with responsibility, and male privilege is no exception. I think that the fact that male privilege still exists means that the world is far from perfect, but while it still does, men have the moral obligation to strive for equality, to speak up against sexual assault, and try to eradicate it entirely. Our moms, sisters, friends, anyone, shouldn’t have to feel unsafe just walking home.

I think that’s what being manly is about.