If you intend to get on bad for Carnival using the intoxication of the season to throw inhibitions to the wind, beware, you might end up on a website called
Sisters Behaving Badly. Trust me there is nothing left to the imagination on what is on that website. The word "badly" is an understatement describing the behavior of some of those women! Hottie Hottie did a post on this subject last year and I was trying high and low to find the link to the website, finally I found it thanks to a poster on islandmix.com.
Obviously the photographer took advantage of some women catching them unawares in their skimpy costumes, grasping the opportunity to position the camera to capture a thong or wardrobe malfunction. But then there are those women who blatantly posed for the camera, one only knows what there were thinking when they aimed their crotch at the camera lenses showing the entire world their waxed or in some cases bushy mounds. Did they not know that the photograph was bound to end up plastered somewhere? I do not even want to mention the disgusting Ash Wednesday Manzanilla photos, if you plan on checking it out yourself make sure your boss or no children are around and be warned you might throw up at the sight!
The most shocking thing is that all these photos were taken in broad daylight in the full view of all members of the public, both young and old. Anyone with a camera could have taken these photos of women who are mothers, wives, daughters and sisters, how easily can they throw away their self respect all in the spirit of "having a good time" and "freeing up". I have to admit not only did I feel a sense of shame in looking at the photos I was also hesitant to publish the website because I do not want the world thinking this is what our Carnival is about; an orgy of half drunk women demeaning themselves for the cameras, after all this is not "Girls Gone Wild" at Mardi Gras! Worse yet all the women featured are of African descent which vexes me even more as they are an offensive, vile representation of an entire race, known for it's strong, independent, beautiful women.
Like everyone else I too seize the moments when the music is just too sweet, coupled with a nice head from alcoholic spirits, and breakaway but not to the point that I am embarrassed at my actions when I am more sober. And for all the "stoosh", "social" and "stuck up" adjectives I have heard to describe most of the women in TRIBE (you know the ones who blank men looking to wine on them) I have to say it is better to preserve your dignity and be labeled as such than to end up on a website like
Sistah's Behaving Badly.
Many women were caught because their costumes did not fit properly; I saw several women wearing the wrong sized bra, causing a spill over and of course, the flash of breasts and nipple. I know looking sexy is the ultimate goal of women who choose to play “bikini mas”, but sometimes it is better to wear a costume that is more appropriate and suited to your body type than to squeeze into a costume that might leave you in an embarrassing position come Carnival Tuesday. You don’t want to deliberately open yourself, and over exposed body, to these lecherous photographers. Also, I do not want to be the final word on wearing a thong with or without stockings, (personally I think it is better to wear it with stockings but to each his own) however the photographers seem to seek out the women in thongs , if you are wearing thongs bare assed please, please, please get a bikini wax!Ultimately the onus is on us women to be sexy without crossing the line to vulgarity.
Do not be afraid to speak up as well, if someone is taking your photograph or filming you it is within your right to ask them to stop. Women, look out for your "sisters"; if you notice a photographer seeking out women who are oblivious to the fact that a camera is up their legs, draw attention to security and to the women being filmed. From some of the Carnival photographs I can see those women were really having a good time, wining down low or simply jumping up and exposing their underwear in the process when they were caught on tape. Look for credentials from any photographer taking your photograph, ask what newspaper or website they are working for before you agree for them to take your picture. Remember not every photograph you allow someone to take of you is going to end up on the cover of a legitimate Carnival Magazine, I know some people fight for that spotlight and would do anything to get noticed!
So, I urge all women looking to have a good time this Carnival to think before you lift that leg up for some stranger with a camera, you never know where you photograph might end up!
