Interviews

The interviews in this blog are a space for women to cast a spotlight on their own take on the beauty mystique. Artists, cosmetologists, photographers, performers, sex workers: The professions that directly deal with questions of beauty are plentiful, and here women will have space to put forth their views on beauty. Of course, it's not only women whose professions bring them directly into the beauty sphere who have their own take on the matter: You'll also hear from a psychologist with a skin disorder, a novelist, a butch comic, and more.

Part of what makes beauty a complex subject for women is its secrecy and its illusions. We may talk explicitly about our favorite skin products and lipsticks, and among our intimates we may talk about beauty and self-image—our fears and our joys alike: I love this picture of us, we look great! / I feel gross today / It was for the best but I miss having someone tell me I'm pretty. But because we place so much emphasis on beauty, we are unable to talk about it freely. We don't share our deepest vanities for fear of being judged narcissists; we don't share our most terrifying moments of doubt because it's impossible to put it into words. We may touch on it, with terms like "confidence" and "inner beauty," but we all know that confidence alone is not the answer to the beauty conundrum. The interview subjects here don't claim to have all the answers—but collectively, they form an emerging thesis of how appearance is both a highly individual story and something that, at its core, affects us all.

Click here for a stream of all interviews, or peruse from the list below:

Kelli Dunham, comic 
Charlotte Shane, prostitute
Lisa Ferber, artist 
• Daniella Marcantoni, mortician
Virginia Sole-Smith, writer
Sister Nancy Ruth, Anglican nun
• Leah Smith, Ph.D. public policy student and little person
Miyoko Hikiji, U.S. Army soldier, author, and model
Nicole Kristal, bisexual advocate and writer
Siobhan O'Connor, journalist and natural beauty consultant
Tizz Wall, professional domme
Colette Nelson, professional bodybuilder 
Kjerstin Gruys, Mirror Mirror Off the Wall blogger and Ph.D. sociology student
Annika Connor, painter
Golda Poretsky, wellness counselor
Sophie Elgort, photographer
Chrissie Eden DiBianco, makeup artist
Rosie Molinary, author
Jessica Obrist/Jo Jo Stiletto, burlesque dancer/roller derby queen
Carolyn Turgeon, novelist
Martina Molin, painter
Ali, magazine beauty editor 
Sarah, designer
Sherry Mills, artist
Sunny Sea Gold, writer
Diane DaCosta, celebrity stylist
Vickie Dowling, Ph.D., clinical psychologist
Kerry Ann King, dance instructor
Jennifer Miller, single mom/superhero
Heather, blogger