I think starting from now onwards, I’m gonna try to include at least a photo in each blogpost I write. Being around a photographer for long periods of time has made me develop an affinity towards photography (see, that’s the one of the most wonderful things in life; we take a little bit of each other and grow into it. It’s like…retweeting and reblogging. But in real life.) and since I like to think I’ve developed a new audience among my college mates, maybe these photos could give you insight into my “previous pre-college life”.
A little backstory to the photo: the year was 2011, I was writing an article about SlutWalk for Stuff@School under The Star’s Starstruck! Young Journalist Programme and decided to do this photoshoot with my neighbours which ended up becoming the cover of the issue. I, the initiate of the photoshoot, was actually late to it because I’d just gotten home from school, hurriedly changed into a dress and used these handdrawn signs I did the previous night as props as seen in real SlutWalks. (Little info on SlutWalk if you don’t know what it is: it’s an international annual event which takes place in many countries, where women take the streets with signs like the ones above^ [mostly scantily-clad] to protest against sexism and rape culture.) It was a pretty awkward photoshoot because we didn’t really know what to do so in the end we just tried to look both natural and cool at the same time so this is how it turned out. Pretty fabulously, I should say. Extra input: I wish SlutWalks were carried out in Malaysia (tough chance) because it still astounds me how ignorant so many people are about ongoing sexism in the world.
A little backstory to the title: one thing I’ve learned so far: if you ever find a conversational partner with whom you can hold a conversation for long and comfortably with, keep them. It’s hard to come by people like that, people with similar wavelengths and once you do, I think it’s a very rewarding experience. Like I said before, people give and take and the more you take, the more you give as well. It’s the best form of currency yet.
michelle teoh 