You wouldn’t imagine that having passionate political and social views on the world would clash with your career as a successful fashion model, but turns out you’d be ever-so-slightly incorrect.
Aussie model Ruby Jean Wilson faced this exact scenario recently.
She was booked for a photoshoot with a unnamed brand, and rocked up to do her normal badass stuntin’ in front of the camera.
However, Ruby Jean, a vegan and an activist for animal rights, was forced to hit a moral crossroads when she realised that the lookbook she was about to shoot comprised almost completely of real fur.
After much deliberation with herself while getting her makeup done, she decided that she wanted to forfeit the shoot, and walked away from a paying job.
Choosing to leave a shoot that you’ve been booked for is a lot more difficult than it sounds.
Several people are usually booked to make the shoot come together, so a crucial member of a shoot leaving at the last minute is a major inconvenience, and can sometimes be regarded as unprofessional or unreliable. Plus, there’s the pesky fact that modelling doesn’t come with a regular wage – if you don’t shoot, you don’t get paid.
However, it must be considered – are your personal values worth comprising just to avoid an awkward situation? Is the moral foundation by which you live your daily life worth ignoring in order to be seen as polite? Is what you believe in exchangeable for monetary gain?
It’s a tough moral dilemma, but ya girl RJ decided to prioritise what she values as important in the world, not only setting a standard for herself and those around her, but also contributing to making a difference. Which is incredibly bloody cool.
The model posted a Facebook status about her moral dilemma, explaining how difficult the decision was:
“After sitting for a while having my makeup done and thinking to myself that it was too late to step down and not wanting to inconvenience the whole team by leaving, I decided that it wasn’t something I wanted to be a part of.I explained the situation and left the shoot.”
In her status, she urged others to stick by their personal moral values, even in tough and uncomfortable situations:
“As anxious as I felt making this decision it feels better to have stood against something that I disagree with and believe is outdated and unnecessary, than to have stayed for financial gain.”
Read the full post here:
PEDESTRIAN.TV News Editor Chloe Sargeant spoke to the model, who further explained why she chose to leave the job:
“I just think that every small action to make a positive change is valuable.The reason I shared what had happened was just to motivate others within the industry to maybe feel more comfortable in doing the same.I’m not a perfect example but I just think taking small steps to stand up for what’s right are all that’s ever made change, and I think it’s important we do that.”
Source: Facebook / Ruby Jean Wilson.
