Oyster #99: 'All Woman' Out Now!
Featuring covergirl Shalom Harlow shot by Cass Bird.
We gave you a sneak peek earlier this week, and tomorrow our 'All Woman' Issue, 100% created by and featuring women, hits stands. Until you can make it to your local newsstand in the morning, here's our staff and contributors on their heroines.
Alice Cavanagh, Editor: My grandma. There will never be anyone else like her. She had so much love to give that she could have suffocated the entire world with it. She was bossy, loud, generous, and braver than anyone I have ever known, plus she loved being dramatic — mostly for comic relief purposes. She did think I was crazy for wanting to become a writer (and once considered setting me up with a 79-year-old) but nonetheless she was supportive of my life choices.
Amina Nolan, Photographer: I would have to say Wonder Woman. Love a woman that can rock a headband, and her get-up reminds me of this season's Hermès! She has superhuman strength and is quite the catch.
Ana Ifould, Market Editor: A woman called Justine Frank. She was an artist from Antwerp who was connected to George Bataille and wrote a bunch of erotic short stories… Her life is fascinating. Her erotic take on feminism is crazy and seems so wild and contemporary, especially considering it was written a long time ago. I guess it's also the time that makes her a heroine — women seemed to be so powerful and liberated back then. To me, that is a heroine.
Ariane Halls, Deputy Editor: Grace Jones, because she is terrifying and amazing and dated Dolph Lundgren. A lot of people say they don't care what other people think, but I have a feeling Grace Jones actually means it.
Bella Howard, Photographer: I think my heroine is Joanna Lumley. In real life she is smart, beautiful, well-travelled and has a great social conscience. In fake life she plays Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous, one of the most stylish and funny characters I have ever seen — and her fave tipple is bubbly, just like mine!
Cara Stricker, Photographer: My heroines are the real women in my life. Their experiences are tangible, and they teach me how to find my way.
Emily Royal, Editorial Assistant: Amy Poehler, because she is the world's funniest, best person.
Eugenie Dalland, Writer: The Lady Eve, Nikita and Ellen Ripley. I know they're fictional characters, but they're all so badass.
Hannah Lack, Writer: Martha Gellhorn — often best known for her turbulent five-year marriage to Hemingway, but should be better known for changing war reporting forever. She ignored the official line given to the press — "official drivel", as she called it. She told the truth as she saw it.
Ingrid Kesa, Web Editor: My mum, for putting up with me.
Karley Sciortino, Writer: My heroine is the writer Mary Gaitskill. Her book of short stories, Bad Behavior, is one of my favourites. She writes a lot about S&M, power-play relationships and women in the sex industry, and she does it in a way that's very brutal and honest, but also very beautiful. She was very important to me when I first started writing.
Kate Williams, Writer: My heroine is Buffy Summers, because she saved the world a lot and looked good doing it.
Monica Nakata, Publisher: Lucy van Pelt, because it's true — "Happiness is a warm puppy."
Petra Collins, Photographer: I would say Sandra Fluke is my heroine. She is the perfect example of a strong, educated woman of 2012. She has the heart and guts to stand up to our patriarchal system and thus her braveness really inspires me.
Sam Addington, Beauty Director: My heroine is my first grade teacher. She was imaginative and fun — everything was an adventure! She changed the way I viewed the world — thanks to her, red cordial will always be pirates' blood.
Sasha Kelly, Sittings Editor: Kim Gordon is a definite heroine of mine. Artist, musician, mother, boys club conqueror. Uncompromising. Still an absolute babe.
Stacia Hadiutomo, Designer: Björk. She is fearless, weird and abstract. Her vision — the universe that she's created around her and all the work that she's produced… She dared to imagine something that didn't exist in this world.
Stacey Mark, Photographer: My heroines are all of the women who allow me to shoot them.
Steff Yotka, Writer: Elaine Benes from Seinfeld. Everything I know about being a woman I learned from Elaine Benes. I watched too much Seinfeld growing up!
Stevie Dance, Contributing Editor: Mums! Mine in particular. Shout-out to Lisa Dance!
Tavi Gevinson, Writer: I have many heroines, but right now Stevie Nicks is especially important to me for her completely raw emotion and refusal to apologise for her imperfections. 'Rhiannon' made my heart beat fast the first time I heard it and 'Landslide' made it absolutely sink. If I ever have major heart failure, I will blame her.
Oyster #99 out June 8!
