Meet, Muse, a woman born to inspire us all:
Interview with Muse
If you don't know her, we invite you now to meet, Muse. The ancient Greeks would be proud of her, we think.
SUPERBEAUTY: Muse, thanks very much for agreeing to this interview and
for creating these images for your feature and our cause. You've been
very enthusiastic about them.
MUSE: Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to express my
views. It was a pleasure to create these images for you and an honour to
be chosen as one of your spokesmodels.
SUPERBEAUTY: Can you tell us why you agreed to support us?
My fondness for SuperBeauty comes from my firm support of all that
SuperBeauty represents; I too believe that we should celebrate the natural
beauty of the female form - not condemn it as vulgar and distasteful.
Women everywhere should have the right to feel proud of their bodies; we
should be free to express our natural beauty without being made to feel
'exploited' or 'immoral'. SuperBeauty has an ultimate goal to free the
restriction on women's right to express their beauty; this is a goal I
share wholeheartedly.
SUPERBEAUTY: Tell us a little about making these photos. What was the idea behind them?
MUSE: With these photographs my main goal was to convey some of the
multifaceted sides of female beauty. I am theatrical by nature so it
seemed only natural to express myself and my views on nudity in this [theatrical] way.
SUPERBEAUTY: Which are your favourite photos?
MUSE: My favourite photos would have to be the 'premier' photos, purely
for the fact that I think they help to prove that nudity is not
distasteful. There is no sexual intention behind these images at all, my
intention behind them was to portray a woman who is proud of what nature
gave to her, and I think I achieved that.
SUPERBEAUTY: Are you attracted to photography in general?
MUSE: Photography is a truly wonderful gift, it enables us to capture
unique snippets of time. Photography in the right hands is a beautiful art
- there is nothing quite like it for capturing the truth within life.
SUPERBEAUTY: You're not afraid to get naked are you?
MUSE: No not at all. To be afraid to show my body sounds almost comical to
me, my body is part of who I am, to hide it or feel ashamed of it would be
like rejecting a major part of myself.
"To be afraid to show my body sounds almost comical to me, my body is part of who I am, to hide it or feel ashamed of it would be like rejecting a major part of myself."
SUPERBEAUTY: We've noticed that many women around the world are brave
enough to 'take it off' for causes of one type or another, such as for the
rainforest, or for peace, or to save old buildings. Why do you think women
never 'take it off ' for the cause of women themselves? Women are being
made to suffer as never before in the history of the human race. Why do
they never strip or use the power in their beauty and sexuality to fight
for their own rights and freedoms?
MUSE: Good question! Why not indeed. I think the answer lies in society
and the way we are brought up by our parents, a lot of women are taught
from a very young age that they should not show certain parts of their
bodies or they risk being thought of as having a lack of morals. Women are
taught that they cannot be both beautiful AND intelligent, we are told we
cannot 'have it all' that we have to choose between; beauty or integrity.
Therefore I think women are afraid of fighting for their rights with their
beauty, for fear that they will loose the respect they have worked so hard
for over the years. I think many women are afraid they will only be seen
as sexual objects and be ridiculed by their peers.
SUPERBEAUTY: That's a good point. Beauty is not taken seriously these
days and fighting for it can seem certain to fail.
MUSE: But I would like to take this opportunity to remind women everywhere that
this is not the case at all, we can 'have it all' we can be both proud of
our beauty and our intelligence, just think how empowering it would be to
have the right to be 'ourselves' in any way that we choose. In some parts
of Iraq women are still forced to wear burqas - is that right? No, of
course it isn't - because it is a restriction on their freedom and right
to choose. To a lesser extent this restriction on women's rights is also
still apparent in western society - for example; a man can freely walk
down the street without a top, yet if a woman were to do the same she
faces almost certain arrest, how does that make women equal? Women are
entitled to the right to choose.
The way forward is to de-stigmatize nudity, and the only way to do this is
for women to use both their beauty AND intelligence.
SUPERBEAUTY: But women don't seem to be afraid to get naked for any cause
except beauty these days. So isn't it beauty itself that needs to be
de-stigmatized?
MUSE: Yes, I agree. You see the problem is women are taught that to
promote their beauty makes them vain, they are not taught to value beauty
as they are taught to value their minds. For instance, if a woman blessed
with educational brilliance were to promote her intelligent mind and use
her gift to further her career it is accepted and liberally praised. But
if a woman gifted with beauty uses her looks in this way she would
definitely be considered conceited. So yes, beauty itself needs to be
de-stigmatized and accepted as the natural gift it is.
SUPERBEAUTY: Yes, most people look down on beauty it seems. What makes you so different? Tell us about your childhood and upbringing. What were your parent's views of female beauty and sexuality? Did they effect you?
MUSE: I do think my childhood played a large part in my liberal views, my
parents have always taught me from a very young age to feel proud of who I
am, and to be proud of my body. These are views that I will certainly pass
down to my own children when I have them.
"I was given an ultimatum of giving up Nude Modelling or staying with my agency; I think you can work out which one I chose..."
SUPERBEAUTY: When did you first know you were beautiful?
MUSE: I have never been aware that I wasn't beautiful. It has always been
installed into me that everyone is beautiful in their own way, I know it's
a cliché - but it's something that I believe very strongly. Look at people
around you; there is 'something' special about every one of us that
sets us apart and makes us uniquely beautiful.
SUPERBEAUTY: But we're not all models. Was there a time when you noticed
people treating you differently than others in some way because of your
looks? Do you not notice it even now?
MUSE: Yes, I see what you mean, and of course I have noticed little
differences in the way I'm treated sometimes. I guess I first began to
notice people treating me differently around the age of 13. I noticed that
my male friends in particular were acting strangely around me - they
tended to be very shy and not look me in the eye anymore - which upset me
greatly at the time. But over the years I've learned to appreciate the
little advantages my looks give me; like the fact I always get doors
opened for me and my luggage carried at airports! I often get upgraded on
flights as well - so good looks definitely have their advantages!
SUPERBEAUTY: When did you decide to make a career based on your good looks?
MUSE: To be honest it wasn't a clear decision, I have been a model from a
very young age. So making money from my looks has been something I've
grown up with.
SUPERBEAUTY: You began your career as a fashion model, is that correct?
Why did you leave it?
MUSE: Yes it is correct, I was a fashion model for 9 years, but
unfortunately agencies are very restricting in regards to what they allow
you to do in your spare time. I was given an ultimatum of giving up Nude
Modelling or staying with my agency; I think you can work out which one I
chose - I don't regret my decision for a single moment.
SUPERBEAUTY: What is your ideal career?
MUSE: I'm already living it! To be an actress and a model is all that I
could wish for and more - I adore both my careers equally for different
reasons.
SUPERBEAUTY: Looking at your photos one gets the impression that you're an
actress in your soul.
MUSE: I adore creating my characters, acting
is like stepping into another persons shoes and for a short time living an
entirely different life. I relish the creative process of getting into
character. There is no other career that gives you this unique
opportunity. It is my first love.
SUPERBEAUTY: Would you appear nude in films? What's your opinion on nudity
in films?
MUSE: Of course I would have no problem appearing nude in films, and I
certainly have nothing against films that portray nudity; providing it is
of purpose to the plot and is not just nudity for nudity's sake. I would
never be interested in a film that used nudity purely to court publicity.
Would you appear topless or even nude at a movie premier?
SUPERBEAUTY: Would you appear topless or even nude at a movie premier
itself, as you did in the photos you made for SuperBeauty.Org, only for real?
MUSE: In principle yes, I would have no qualms about attending a movie
premier topless or nude, but it would pose a problem in that it could
direct attention away from the film and onto myself - which I'd imagine
would upset the cast and crew of the film. So in that retrospect no I
wouldn't - out of respect for my fellow actors.
SUPERBEAUTY: What do you think of those actresses who attend their movie
premiers in skimpy evening gowns cleverly designed to 'accidentally' drop
and expose a breast or two just when the cameras begin flashing? It seems
to be a pretty standard marketing ploy these days, gaining publicity both
for the actress and the film. Somehow doing it openly and on purpose seems
more honest, no? And doing so on purpose would also send the message that
breasts and people's fascination for them are not things to take advantage
of while pretending to be ashamed of them? What do you think?
MUSE: I think if an actress wants to promote her own movie in that way then
that is up to her and there is certainly no harm in it at all, but I think
it is generally over-done in my opinion. Like you, I think it would be far
more honest if obviously done on purpose, to turn up blatantly topless and
proud - shows the world you are not ashamed of your body. I would proudly
do the latter if I were attending my own movie premier, just not at
another actor's or actress's premier.
SUPERBEAUTY: Many would see it negatively even at your own premier, which we hope we're invited to, by the way. Why do you think people generally have such negative views of nude female beauty?
MUSE: We are not born with a negative view of nudity; again it is all down
to society and the views that are projected onto us from an early age,
it's down to the 'sheep theory' we follow the masses for fear of being
picked off and singled out.
SUPERBEAUTY: But where does society get the idea from in the first place?
MUSE: I think religion and government are largely to blame for the
negative views that society has passed down through the generations.
Society's rejection of their own bodies is dictated to us through law and
religious beliefs, but lets face it; both religion and law is largely all
about power, and what better way to gain power over the general public
than to install the belief that their own bodies are dirty and
distasteful. These laws and beliefs were created hundreds of years ago,
which basically means we are still living in the dark ages. We need to
review these laws and beliefs and rid people of this psychological fear of
their own bodies.
SUPERBEAUTY: We love your integrity in actually defending beauty, instead of downplaying its importance and in our view betraying women, as so many beautiful women do these days. But has your intelligence and your moral self-righteousness ever gotten you into trouble?
MUSE: (laughs) Oh goodness yes, my self-righteousness has often gotten me
into trouble. I have lost count of the times I have argued my case for
female beauty while attempting to pose nude in public. I often find myself
addressing a crowd of bemused passers by as a bashful police officer
attempts to coax me back into my clothes.
"I have lost count of the times I have argued my case for female beauty while attempting to pose nude in public. I often find myself addressing a crowd of bemused passers by as a bashful police officer attempts to coax me back into my clothes."
SUPERBEAUTY: Ourselves, we've long hoped at SuperBeauty.Org for a woman
brave and beautiful enough to change the world with the strategic use of
the power in female beauty. But since we didn't see any doing it - the
muses of the world had fallen deadly silent on moral issues - we decided
to make a website to show them how, to amplify their voices. Naturally we
were very intrigued to hear about a woman who's named herself, Muse. Why
'Muse'?
MUSE: I have my beautiful mother to thank for my unusual name. It was not
chosen, but given.
SUPERBEAUTY: That's even wilder. Is your Mum psychic? Did she somehow know one day
you'd be inspiring artists and photographers?
MUSE: I don't know about being psychic, but she can definitely read my
mind sometimes, especially when I'm hiding something.
I think my mother being a model and beauty queen in her youth had a lot to
do with her decision regarding my name. I think every mother harbours a
secret desire that her little girl might one day follow in her foot steps.
A treasured child will always be their mother's Muse.
SUPERBEAUTY: What does beauty mean to you? Do you
ever look in the mirror and say 'Damn, I'm hot!'? Do you use it to attract
men? How does it help or hinder you?
MUSE: Female beauty to me, is the ability to be comfortable with one's
self. Self acceptance without arrogance is exceptionally beautiful in a
woman.
Do I "look in the mirror and say Damn I'm hot?!" (Laughs) I do appreciate
my looks yes, I am very comfortable with who I am, but just like anyone
else I have days where I feel less than "hot" but I never dwell on the
negative.
I don't set out to use my looks to attract men, and I find it does hinder
me at times, men often say to me "Oh you're lovely - I thought you'd be
aloof or conceited". I think good looking women are often unjustly
perceived as unapproachable and conceited.
SUPERBEAUTY: Okay then, show us how approachable you can be. Tell us the most profoundly personal thing about yourself that you dare.
MUSE: I generally only wear mascara and heels at home, so if you pop round
for a pot of tea and a slice of cake, you'd better not be shy.
"I generally only wear mascara and heels at home, so if you pop round for a pot of tea and a slice of cake, you'd better not be shy."
SUPERBEAUTY: Your uh teas must be very popular. But seriously, you have a remarkable set (sorry) of talents, skills, hobbies, and athletic abilities besides modeling, acting and photo directing. Any awards? Disasters?
MUSE: I have always been very active and love to learn. I hate sitting
still for very long and loathe to waste my time when I could be learning
new skills. I have been dancing and acting from a very young age and I
have picked up many skills along the way. I have won a few minor awards
for both dance and drama, but I'm holding out for my Oscar!
Disasters? Oh yes, there have been many, the worst being the time when I
tripped over a telephone cord while on stage, which was bad enough, but I
broke my wrist and had to carry on regardless! Being an actor is certainly
not all glamour.
SUPERBEAUTY: When you have the chance to do anything you like, what do you
do?
MUSE: When I'm not acting or modelling. I'm generally to be found pursuing
one of my hobbies which include: abseiling, ski-diving, scuba diving, ice
skating, stunt work, tight rope walking, psychology, and umm just
recently, eating fire!
SUPERBEAUTY: Wow! That's impressive. You just might be the bravest woman we've ever
encountered. Have you ever been asked to do things for shoots that most
models would never dream of doing? For instance, didn't you have to
kiss a frog or something recently?
MUSE: Yes, I often find myself enthusiastically agreeing to the most
bizarre of requests; as you mentioned, just recently I was to be
found diving into a swamp with some rather nosey frogs -
unfortunately none of them turned into a prince when I kissed
them.
SUPERBEAUTY: That's too bad. What kind of men - or women - are you attracted to? Do you
have a crush on anyone?
MUSE: I don't have any set definitions, when it comes to attraction it's
all down to chemistry. But intelligence and a passion for life is crucial.
A quick wit is also very attractive. As for crushes, I have a huge crush
on a quirky British actor and comedian called David Walliams - but shhh
don't tell anyone.
SUPERBEAUTY: Who do you admire or care about?
MUSE: I admire my mother more than anyone else in the world; for her
strength, beauty, and unconditional love and support, she's a remarkable
woman.
SUPERBEAUTY: Okay, last question. As a muse, in the truest sense, what would you like to
inspire the people of the world to do?
MUSE: My greatest wish would be to inspire people to be comfortable with
who they are. If I can convince just one person that they should not be
ashamed of their bodies; that nudity in it's purest form should be
accepted as both natural and beautiful, then I will have started to
achieve what I set out to do: Which is to help set beauty free.
Do you believe it's okay to show and enjoy the naked female form? To support the Fight for Beauty, please add our banner to your site in a prominant place along with the caption 'Fight for Beauty!'. Or send this page to a friend by pasting the URL ( http://www.superbeauty.org/muse.htm ) into an email. Thanks!
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