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The Atlas of Beauty

Women of the World in 500 Portraits
Community comment are the opinions of contributing users. These comment do not represent the opinions of Jefferson County Public Library.
Nov 27, 2018Ms_Tiddilybops rated this title 0.5 out of 5 stars
An excerpt, which took this book from maybe a 3 or 4 star book down to the half star I gave it: "VARANASI, INDIA I photographed her after a long day of work. She comes each morning from her small village to sell vegetables in this big city. Although she's only fifteen, her family found her future husband two years ago, and the arranged marriage will take place soon. In many parts of the world, girls have to become women at a very early age, without passing through adolescence. You can see the maturity in their grown-up gazes." Most of the book is just traveling, collecting pictures and stories without much commentary. The commentary up until this page was simple, honest, non-judgemental. I find the last two sentences of this paragraph (her commentary) sickening. This is a child she is describing. She doesn't look mature or grown-up. She looks resigned or hopeless. Unlike in the USA, child marriage actually IS illegal in India, even though it still happens. Forcing a child into marriage and letting some stranger rape her doesn't make her into a woman. The story that she collected was bad enough, but the lens she attempts to frame it in makes it worse. As if it's okay. It isn't.