Dr. Kristin Bayer, an expert in Southeast Asian studies from the Marist College History Department, weighed in on the topics covered in Threadbare . She had similar sentiments regarding the exploitation of female laborers, and felt that the connection between the sex trade and garment industry had not yet been presented so tangibly as in the graphic work by Moore and the Ladydrawers. Regardless of whether or not these women are being forced into the garment industry, are willing participants in the sex trade, or are human trafficking victims, Bayer believes that “government officials need to remember that these people involved in sex work are doing labor.” When sex work is made illegal, Bayer argues, these people are not only then stripped of work, but it puts “the most vulnerable members of society” at higher risk of exploitation. “I’m sure that there are NGOs that are doing work that is saving people’s lives,” stated Bayer, “but one would have to be very careful to determine externally what the benefits are for different types of labor for a certain population.” Every time you have language of ‘saving’ people, it means that the people that you are seeking to save cannot take care of themselves,” explained Bayer. To truly address the needs of the marginalized group, creating an inclusive environment and establishing a dialogue with that group must be emphasized. Moore has often been criticized for her unpopular stance against NGO work, but Bayer defends her stance, saying that “critically analyzing any power structure that takes away agency from women, or appears to take away agency from women to determine their own lives, seems to me to be a legitimate criticism.”
“You have to engage with the issue. You have to take [sex work] seri- ously as a form of labor. You have to create a dialogue with that group of people. An activist organization that is seeking out an end to exploitation should be in dialogue with the sex workers to help them organize.” The mistreatment of garment factory workers is not a revelation. It has been known, especially with the popularity of fast fashion retailers, that the demand for new products at such a high turnover rate makes the industry vulnerable to unethical labor standards. The evidence that Moore engagingly depicted in the graphic, Threadbare: Clothes, Sex, and Trafficking unearths the expansive effect of the garment industry’s mistreatment of workers, as well as the organizations that were once believed to be the hero in this dark, distant reality. “[Realize] that the reason people traffick other people is because the garment industry does not pay people enough, and creates poverty around the world,” Moore insists. She proves that the idea of “rescuing” these workers in Southeast Asia is ineffective, given that their circumstances are created by much larger powers. However, by exposing this system and humanizing the decisions these women have to make in order to survive, Moore shows that these women are simply trying to save themselves.
88 | Fashion Magazine At Marist
Made with FlippingBook Proposal Creator