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Aja Barber Profile picture
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Aug 20 • 10 tweets • 4 min read
Yesterday I went @BBCRadio4 #BBCAntiSocial to discuss fast fashion and to be honest I wish I hadn't. The conversation left me feeling drained and angry. Every single person on the show was white except for me, largely missing the race element of the conversation.
@BBCRadio4 Today I have a lot of thoughts about going on #BBCAntiSocial. I felt bullshitted from the start especially when the show opened with one of my tweets taken completely out of context. Like if you're going to use the tweet, explain the context or pick something with nuance.
I generally do NOT do fast fashion debates BECAUSE what right do we have "dEbAtInG" the human rights of others. That is some privileged global north fuckery. But the producer assured me it wasn't going to be like that. I wish I hadn't gone on #BBCAntiSocial.
Like I thought about hanging up to be honest but I kept hoping they'd bring on a garment worker or a union organizer or anyone, but no no, just people from the global North discussing the oppression of others with no representation from the oppressed #BBCAntiSocial.
I wasn't going to talk about this but actually I'm super ANGRY about yesterday's conversation and you can see it in my tweet timeline. #BBCAntiSocial. Making me debate a white person on this topic just feels so insidious now after I've slept on it.
A lot of you listening live could hear my pain and expressed that in messages. But it's really not fair when people aren't truthful about what the conversation will actually look like. I felt mislead. #BBCAntiSocial
If your argument is "don't tell working class people what to do" without factoring in your RACE or the fact that the person constructing your garment doesn't get "choice" something you advocate for, for yourself... where can we actually go with this conversation? #BBCAntiSocial
I am furious today and you can see it in my tweets about white people who act like it has nothing to do with them as if the whole systems foundation wasn't built on slavery and colonialism from which THEY TOO BENEFIT. #BBCAntiSocial
Don't go on shows that have the potential to turn into "Who Gets To Have Human Rights" chicken fights. I broke my own rule about that because the producer assured me it wouldn't be that and the fact that I had done another show with the host. Never again. #BBCAntiSocial
Serves me right for being so trusting 🥴

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More from @AjaSaysHello

Aja Barber Profile picture
Aug 20
Like meritocracy doesn’t exist in our society. But listening to white cis, straight size people tell me ethical fashion is only for the “privileged” (insinuating that I have ALWAYS had more privileges than them) will never not make me want to put my head straight through a wall.
If you're white and making this conversation (ethical fashion) only about CLASS it's because you really don't want to see that at the heart of this conversation is racism and colonialism. The people who suffer to most are largely brown and Black. You're ignoring that.
White people acting like fast fashion has nothing to do with them ... when the slave trade and colonialism in India was all about materials and labor theft and speeding up supply chains so we can have today's fast fashion will ALWAYS be an absolute doozy for me.
Read 4 tweets
Aja Barber Profile picture
Aug 20
I fucking hate the “effortless” trope about anything to be honest. It’s the reason people act like it’s somehow “unfair” that they don’t have the resources to have a wardrobe they really love immediately at their finger tips. It’s the quiet overlooking of other people’s labor.
People LOOOOOOOOVE to pretend like I have an awesome wardrobe ONLY because I have a platform and am a freelance editor. That way they can tell themselves I have those things because I’m more privileged than they are, not because I’ve worked hard at this for 22 years 🥴
Obviously it’s a part of my job now, but I started buying my clothes second hand on eBay in 2000. There was literally no guidebook for it or anything. I made it up as I went along and that has been the ONLY way I’ve had certain labels in my wardrobe that I could never afford.
Read 8 tweets
Aja Barber Profile picture
Aug 20
So here me out, I was thinking this about ethical fashion. There is ethical fashion that is not luxury or even luxury price point. But people always jump to luxury each and every time.

It’s like it’s gotta be that … or the other doesn’t exist.
But I think it’s because those men secretly want the woman who wants designer items deep down inside. But they also hate her for liking and enjoying those things for herself. They want you to look luxury but pretend it’s effortless and NOT luxury.
Ex: that ridiculous trope about “I just want a jeans and tshirt sort of girl”. Often in imagery projected surroundjng that trope the girl in question is wearing designer denim which cost $100+ and a nice fitted tshirt (most likely James Perse or another costly brand).
Read 5 tweets
Aja Barber Profile picture
Aug 20
I agree. I never got into Abercrombie because I saw through it as a teen. Meanwhile for a while VS was the only place that made underpants that weren’t Fruit of the Loom or Hanes so they deffo nabbed me in my teens and twenties. Never again!!!
These brands don’t deserve our support just because they rebranded. Especially because that rebranding NEVER includes being entirely ethical in their manufacturing. It’s all looks, no substance.
Like do you ever think about how many brands spend millions on rebranding to tell you that they’re doing the right thing while STILL exploiting people in the global South??? It would actually be cheaper I’m convinced to become a more ethical company that PAYS EVERYONE.
Read 4 tweets
Aja Barber Profile picture
Aug 19
Today I want to talk about why you buy the way you do. Did you know that WE collectively buy five times more clothes than we bought in 1990? It’s hard to understand that I think if you were born a bit later.

We simply didn’t always shop that way.
That’s why when people learn about ills of the industry but shout

“Now where do I shop from??”

I know they’re not really understanding that there’s a high possibility that you totally don’t need to be buying the way you’re buying and could probably be happy on a lot less.
This idea of happiness through abundance and ever changing wardrobes was completely sold to us.

But it was only brought to us by the exploitation of people in countries less economically powerful than our own. And they’re usually brown or Black. (Eastern European as well).
Read 25 tweets
Aja Barber Profile picture
Aug 18
For everyone reading my tweets that doesn't know where to start, one of my favorite brands Tonlé is financially struggling at the minute. Most ethical brands are because folks still aren't ready to make the switch. But have a look anyways: tonle.com
What makes me sad about losing a brand like Tonlé is that they are one of the only brands I know where their makers are actual employees. Most brands outsource their labor so workers get paid by the piece or by the factory.
Tonlé 's artisans in Cambodia actually make salaries. Get vacation. Sick pay. All the things that ALL WORKERS should have. But that doesn't happen in like 90% of the fashion industry. When I heard they were considering restructuring I was devastated.
Read 8 tweets

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