Today post is a hard one for me to write. It has a lot to do with an issue that I have seen more and more awareness being brought to. The fact that I've had this planned for a while seems rather fitting.
Today's post and June's cause deal with the concept and actuality of child marriage. It takes many forms and almost always has devastating consequences. The other side to this is the sexualizing of small children, which leads us to the other and immensely devastating facts of sex slaves and human or child trafficking solely for this purpose. While some of the harsher environments this can be seen in are usually in southeast Asia, do not even begin to fool yourselves into thinking it is not even closer to home. The US has reported several hundreds of thousands of children, mostly females that are trafficked each year. If you think you know someone that may be in danger please report it HERE!!!
Do Something Org Facts on the trafficked.
Sex slavery is very real and very serious. In this day and age, does it seem fair for a 4 year old girl to be dying of AIDS because she was either stolen and/or sold to the highest bidder? Does it seem fair that a 14 year old girl is taking care of her second infant while her husband, old enough to be her grandfather does absolutely nothing in the way of help or medical treatment? Her body barely big enough to pass a small baby, has been bleeding non stop ever since, she has no idea what to do... Is it ever fair to any of them to have to give up their childhoods for a depraved set of societal constructs? When is enough, enough? When do we say STOP? I urge you all to take a minute and think of your most cherished childhood memory...
Now watch this and tell me any of those girls got to ever experience any thing close to that?
Part 2, Somali Mom is my hero!!
BATAM's Sex slave trade
Phnom Penh's raging Child Sex trade
Here is another documentary about Sex slavery is SE Asia
India to Nepal, children trafficked...
And another one on India's children...
The other part to this child sex slavery coin is the one presented in India, for our sweet and beautiful extra daughters, because as previously discussed in the May post, while one girl is fine, more than that is not,(Indian Proverb- Having girls is like watering a neighbors Garden) these children are often sold or dedicated to the Temples in Southern India. For those of you that don't know, a Deva is a demi goddess, Dasi meaning slave, a DEVADASI is a child bride to god, AKA a child sex slave that is either abused by the priests left in charge of them or sold by them at night for sex, told to refuse is dishonoring god, they are child brides of god during the day, worshiped and honored, while sold as cheap sex slaves at night, worthless and ravaged by lack of education, diseases and any hope. That is the state for most Sex workers in India, but the children are even more desolate... Prostitutes of God Documentary
Full Length UK Documentary about the Devadasi system
Recycled from the Veil post, this video starting at 33 minutes in deals directly with Devadasi.
as well as the issue of child brides, caste system and female infanticide.
The Collection this month is called, "No More Child Brides!" and after watching this live presentation of the journalist, Stephanie Sinclair, of the article in National Geographic, you too, will find yourself chanting, NO MORE...
Here you an see the Too young to wed page ran by Stephanie and Jessica.
Yemen's child brides
Ethiopian child Brides
I feel like repeating what is in these documentaries is pointless, people are much more stirred by what they see, so watch it, and know that every time you share it with someone else, we are all helping to end these horrible practices.
Batam- Eye Pigment/Liner
The most beautiful turquoise, green shimmer liner you have seen. Now, I have not yet started making eye pencils, but get this baby wet and line the lash line, or over a white or even silver pencil, and watch out, it entirely transforms. As such, I warn against using it without first priming the lids with a heavier Primer or using a white cream base. If you don't, you are seriously missing out on the total beauty that is Batam. If you watched the video at the very top of this post, you know that Batam is a diverse island near Indonesia and Singapore that is Duty free. There is also very few governing agencies and as such is relatively lawless. This is great for the criminal underworld, not great for the average person. Batam is littered with brothels and a huge hot spot for sex trafficking. All things we can help end. For me, I tried to encompass a color we all get in those makeup kits we get as kids, as most of those sex trafficked, are children. Although this turquoise teal liner is anything but childish...
Left to Right is Batam and Devadasi
Devadasi- Eye Pigment
This matte violet/orchid eye pigment is also one of those dramatic yet youthful colors we get in our play makeup sets. This color is more demure, what I imagine someone would being told to perform horrendous sexual abuse in the name of god would be like. Not that I can even begin to imagine. I hope as well none of my readers ever can either.
Khui- Lip Glassy Gloss
This was a lip gloss I made that was very sheer pink with high shine and shimmers and a slight vanilla taste. I only made three and have since ran out, I really don't want to make any more, don't make me...
I do wanna explain KHUI ( Said like- cootie without the T) is a practice in Cambodia by which a hymen is surgically resewn to resell the virginity to the highest bidder. Khui the word in Vietnamese means to un-bottle, uncork, or make a hole. ( I know, I come up with the worst names ever for stuff... But 1 Million girls is a really long name)
Hey Guys, I never promised you good pics... LOL, but excellent products, I think yes!
***It was a very sheer and glossy lippie, made it mostly for my 16 Year old sister who is obsessed with lip gloss! I think it's safe to say, I have enabled that addiction and nail polish, quite a bit. I may also have mentored her and her beauty regiment. Oh, when lil girl was afraid of eyeliner and would cry, last year.***
Girls of Phnom Pehn- 5-Free Glitter Topper Polish
This one is a person favorite for me out of the collection. This crazy beautiful mix of purples, white and black glitters in all shapes and finishes are amazing. It's got sweet lavender daisies and black diamonds, holographic fine glitters with white and black stars. Phnom Penh is the capitol of Cambodia, as such, it has the highest incidence of children, girls; trafficked for Sex in world. Girls are trafficked into Phnom Penh as well from all over south east Asia.
In Shade
With Flash
GOPP Layered over a light purple! Great Combo!
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This is Freetown with Girls of Phnom Penh layered over
The Child Bride polish duo
Child Bride- 5Free Grelly (AKA Glitter and Creme Jelly)
Named after the collection, this polish reminds me of the darker side of what should be a beautiful choice, for Everyone. Marriage equality means to me any two consenting adults, that final bit is what is lost. Children are not capable nor able to make those kinds of decisions, let alone make that decision willing. No 8 year old girl is begging to consummate her wedding night with her 50 year old husband, let alone die as a consequence of this forced decision... I dress all the girls in their innocence lost, all in black, filled with red.
This Crelly may not be your typical spring polish, but is a stunner, just jelly enough to showcase the numerous sizes, shapes and finishes of red and black glitters.
Natural light
With Flash
Thanks again for all your continued support and stopping by or taking the time to share! I hope as I grow to be able to bring you a better platform or format for all of this! What are your thoughts? How much of all this is new for you?
I am unfortunately still searching for the charity that works with Somali mom, I want to help her, if you guys know, help me, so we can help her! This will be where your donations go!
Xoxo,
Ashlie
This has very little to do with anything, but maybe I will bring it up in my October medicine collection.
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