There is so much to love about Lena C. Emery’s editorial of Céline Derrien, styled by Lilia Toncheva O’Rourke for Grit Magazine’s ‘Negative Space’ issue. It’s a highly-personal, intimate, honest, broad-stroke look at a beautiful young model. Her smile and vitality shine through and — forgive me Angelina — she’s got your Smart Sensuality aura in the blue glasses photo. We see Céline front and back, and from multiple angles, protecting herself against the intense glare of too hot something — perhaps the male gaze?

Her clothes are smart, too — very intellectual and modern for a young woman with skin we want to touch and know, because she has been lensed in the full spectrum of her being present with us in these images. Her nudity is but one image, a single statement in 11 smart photos from Emery.

I’ve received a lot of communication lately from readers and creatives about my writing and my mission at AOC. One of my most touching emails was from a long-time reader who wrote me upon receiving her divorce decree.

She talked a lot about sexuality, intimacy and feeling objectified by her husband and with his friends. Her husband left her feeling that no detail of her physicality was left unshared with his buddies at the bar. She thanked me for helping her see her own true beauty and Smart Sensuality values, for finding the strength to stand up for herself and her identity as a complex woman and not a mere physical body, existing to serve her husband’s intensely sexual needs. Her views on sexuality are like mine, in that we prefer intimacy in the process.

I had this conversation with photographer #4 a couple weeks ago, trying to explain that his images of raw sexuality — and I mean body parts — needed more balance and identity than a single face shot of the model at the end. His response was the typical short male response. “Whatever, Anne. I just shoot nude body parts — every age and type of body.”

So much for dialogue. Then be honest, I say, that you want your images published here, and don’t engage me with the pretense of wanting intellectual discussion.

One shouldn’t make generalizations about the male gaze versus the female gaze, when it’s true that women look first at a man’s crotch in sexy images and men look into her eyes. But as creatives we are part of the molding of women’s imagery and identity, whether we like it or not. This entire topic came to mind as I observed Céline Derrien’s editorial from the male gaze and the female one.

It makes me think further about that slab of slate protecting this young, intelligent, sensual woman model.

People tell me that objectification is stream of consciousness, innate and not intentional. What did that stupid senator say yesterday about rape in the military — these young guys have hormones and can’t help themselves?

I argue that how we creatives present women has to do with power and typically a presumption of male power. At least today, I believe we have a small example of gender differences in action among bloggers. Just a universe of two — well, three, if we count me. Perhaps I’ll follow this chord further as the editorial spins through our digital lives.

Thanks Lena C. Emery for such splendid images; and good luck, Céline Derrien. I’ll be rooting for you. Gorgeous smile, btw. ~ Anne