Fashion

Makeup Artist's YouTube Video Takes Down Misogyny

The newest installment of feminist YouTube videos has hit cyberspace, and this time it's being delivered by 24-year-old makeup artist Jordan Hanz. Known for her otherworldly cosmetic creations and tutorials, Hanz went in a different direction this week. On Sept. 11, she shared her "Unattainable Woman" video, using her paints and makeup to create a social statement on the unfair representation of women. By starting the hashtag #unattainablewoman, Hanz was able to share a powerful stop motion critique that touched upon the unfair double standard between men and women.

According to MTV News, the inspiration for this video came from Amber Rose's VMAs bodysuit, which was decorated with misogynistic phrases and insults. "When Amber Rose arrived to the 2015 VMAs in a bodysuit emblazoned with slut-shaming words like 'whore,' 'slut,' and 'gold digger,' she sent an incredibly powerful statement to her haters [...] Amber wore the names proudly to prove that 'hoes be winning,' which inspired Jordan Hanz — a 24-year-old makeup artist — to put her talents to use."

In Hanz's video, she makes powerful and fist-pumping points about how the actions of women are often misrepresented and taken out of context. She highlights that many of us are frustrated with the fact that our weight, clothes, and makeup choices always seem to be linked with trying to impress men, and she sets the record straight by saying that women, and women alone, are the only ones who get to decide what's "ladylike" or "appropriate."

Feeling empowered yet? Watch the video below for more.

For the TL;DR version and if quotes are your thing, here are some goose bump-inducing snips from the video.

“If a woman is plus sized, or has even a larger body type, she’s viewed as lazy, because why would a woman have that body type when she’s trying to appeal to men?”

“If we wear makeup, it’s clearly just to gain the attention of men, not because we love it for ourselves, and love the art of putting it on.”

"If we're muscular and aggressive, strong, we're viewed as ugly. Because we should be feminine and muscles are something that are masculine, so we shouldn't be allowed to have them."

"These stereotypes have been laid down brick by brick, like a wall between who we are and what the rest of the world thinks of us, trapped by our gender. Alone, we can never break through. But who says we have to? We as women must empower each other and build each other up, love ourselves. Love every ounce of you. These ideals are unattainable and impractical. How dare you tell me who to be and what is wrong or right?”

“Be who you want to be and be proud of that. We’re ladylike as f*ck, because we choose what that is. We are women.”

Amen to... all of that.

Images: JordanHanz/YouTube