Magazine covers push boundaries all the time. In attempts to be provocative, newsworthy and sell copies, they pull crazy stunts and commission outrageous cover shoots regularly. This is not news to anyone. Every now and again though, a magazine truly goes too far and sells it soul in the worst way possible. Such is the case with Australian Surf Magazine – Stab – with this cover of 16 year old Ella Rose Corby.
To think it acceptable for an under age girl to appear nude on a magazine cover is insanity, but such is the thought pattern of editor Derek Reilly. Derek claims Ella was chosen to front the cover because of her amazing smile and cheekbones and that it captured “a moment in her life when she is flawless.” Why then Derek is Ella not smiling and her supposed flawless body covered in graffiti like scribble? Put down what your smokin’ Derek and step back and take a look at what you’ve been a part of creating here. It’s not flawless at all – in fact – the exact opposite.
Derek states Ella’s parents gave consent for the nude cover but The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the family are in shock at the cover and it has been confirmed that Ella’s modelling agency were entirely circumvented in the whole cover ‘deal.’ Begs the question of why Ella’s representatives were not consulted and of course displays the naievity of a young girl and her family who are now dealing with a situation that has gotten terribly out of hand.
People outside of Stab are defending the cover choice which I find truly incredulous. Media and Communications Lecturer Marc Brennan claims that young women’s bodies are over policed and that Ella is “not a child.” Are you kidding Marc? Until she turns 18 you can call Ella a teenager, a young woman, a young lady – whatever you want – but in the eyes of the law – she is a child. Fiona Giles, another Media and Communications lecturer is on the record stating the cover is not at all concerning. Problem is, she also admits to not having seen the full cover. Goodness me Fiona. If you’re a lecturer in media I would have thought you would know the stupidity of commenting on something you had not fully seen.
I leave the last word on this one to a young man called Luke who left the following abridged comment on Stab’s website re: the cover:
Thanks Luke. Hope you find another, much better magazine, that helps inspire you to get out there and catch great waves.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
*has temper tantrum in the corner*
This poor, poor girl. How awful to be so very young, and to have some moron (such as..Dimwit? Derek? Something like that) potentially ruin your career.
She doesn't look beautiful and smiley on the cover. She looks lost, confused and slighly in pain.
I think Stab Magazine just took a cheap stab at our children. Bad time to have this come out, mere months after the senate inquiry into the sexualisation of children.
not only is she "flawless" but you quoted that the editors defended it as "the MOMENT in her life that she is flawless" as if the rest of her (our collective female) lives are flawed after age 16! as if it is only her (our) bodies that matter, but in fact matter so little that they are used to sell everything and anything…