Akiss Paraskevopoulos' 'Petites Gouttes De Soleil' Gothic Sun

A Post Goth Era?

I am reminded this morning that the Goth subculture is found in many countries , beginning as an offshoot of the Post-punk genre and promoting any political and values-driven activism. Known for its preoccupation with darkness and the night, as well as a romantic attachment to the morbid, Goth culture is accepting of multiple types of people. This tolerance also includes the acceptance of widespread religious beliefs from strict Catholics to atheists and polytheists.

Just yesterday, I shared with my body psychotherapist Ellen Gayda the story of my then partner’s son coming home late from a Marilyn Manson concert still wearing dark eyeshadow and black nail polish. Until dawn arose, ending the darkness of our bedroom, I explained to my horrified partner that his son wasn’t gay, just because he was wearing black nail polish.

Driving this 15-year-old home from his guitar lesson the next day, I explained that I would defend him 110% if he refused to take off his nail polish. The choice was his. I only asked that he make his decision within the reality that his father was besides himself with concern, and our entire weekend would be clouded by dad’s attempts to interpret the meaning of his only son wearing black nail polish. 

After three minutes of silence, riding past one innocuous American strip mall after another, the young man asked for my nail polish remover when we got home.

Akiss Paraskevopoulos | ‘Petites Gouttes De Soleil’

Most likely these gorgeous, Goth-inspired images from Akiss Paraskevopoulos are not intended to make any social commentary beyond the fashion effects organized by Martha Dimaki ,who chose the clothes from Deux Hommes, Celebrity Skin and Chistina Scarpeli, with accessories from Maria Mastori.

And yet, the images do prompt a response in my own mind. Given our intellectual perspective at Anne of Carversville, how can they not?  I, too, have a Goth mentality when the focus is tolerance.

As a small-time thinking person, I note that some Goths do become more politicized. In August 2010, big-time Goth Anne Rice renounced her Christianity and specifically the Catholic Church over its persecution of women and gays.

While thinking Goths maintain their commitment to tolerance but also political inaction, Pope Benedict nails the coffin for women, with his determination to reassert the authority of orthodox Roman Catholicism.

One of my favorite commercials of all time, the Axe Angels ad was pulled off South African television this week, because one Christian man made a federal case of its interpretation that Angels do not fall literally from the sky and must be banned. This is what happens when angels wake up to their own power.

Anne of Carversville at War

We live in dangerous times, and I will use all the symbolism at my disposal to advance arguments about the inherent misogyny embedded in monotheism.

Studying the words of other blogs and fashion websites, I realize my willingness to take stands on important issues for women puts me at odds with other bloggers. But that is also why you love me. There is no doubt in my mind — based on so many messages from readers, photographers and models — that this is the only course for Anne of Carversville — or I am just full of bs, without any personal integrity.

Simply stated, my focus is using fashion and culture imagery to advance women worldwide — against stronger forces that are newly determined to take us down in every country, including America. This is what “telling women’s stories from fashion to flogging” means.

So unless fashion editorials carry an artistic message stating their intended interpretation — in which case I feel a moral obligation to the creatives to broadcast their message as intended —  I will make the case that there is an interpretation to be perceived by women viewers, in particular, when looking at these images.

Fashion Without Meaning is PC

Fashion with no meaning is just another form of political correctness. Our clothes, our images, our books all make significant statement about who we are as people — unless one is a totally mindless fashionista.

The fact that the Akiss Paraskevopoulos images are light and not dark, holds meaning of Phoenix Rising for me. I see the Smart Sensuality woman — and the men who embrace her — in these images. She is the 21st century heroine who MUST come out of the shadows and take a position on the issues of our times, before it is too late.

Does the title ‘Light in the Darkness’ mean nothing to Akiss Paraskevopoulos? I think not.

Not just Pope Benedict says you have no right to birth control; the voters of Mississippi are about to give the state full control of women’s bodies, including laws that will outlaw birth control.

The politically-correct expression of the Gothic spirit that says ‘whatever’ must draw some lines in the sand. Pick up your damn swords and fight before you have no rights left. I made this choice a few years ago, writing ‘Controlling Women’s Bodies Is a Fght to the Finish’ and ‘Drawing a Line in Lubna’s Sand, Saying ‘No More’ to the Growing, Global Erosion of Women’s Rights in the Name of Any Man’s Religion’.

I did not become an ardent feminist (that bad girl so many women love to hate) to see Mississippi’s social conservatives led by Mike Huckabee rule America.

‘They’ are trying to take away your right to birth control, my dears. Now it’s your turn to take a stand. This is the Alamo for American women, for our daughters and granddaughters. Support Mississippians for Healthy Families. I am.   Anne