Whoa, I have a lot to say, so I hope you to like to read.
I'm looking through this tableau and I'm impressed with how you depicted this woman to make her all of them. The first woman, seems so conservative and when you say she has sold out, she really has as there seems to be no thread of her inner self left. She's the color beige; essentially not very interesting and does not seem to have even kept a tiny part of her that gives us any clue to her personality.
The second woman, chin down, looks so meek and quite small. You've put her in a pose that makes her mouse-like. She's dressed like the middle woman, so still may have some potential. Her legs seem close together and makes her look all bundled up in her little life and problems.
The third girl, who is in the middle has tons of attitude. Yes, she may be delusional. She seems to feel like she's the queen bee here, in this tiny world of a few people, but really? Queen bee of what? Her body language is very powerful and sexy with the bare feet yet her hands betray her confidence. They don't look powerful or sexy. They make me think of a woman who is all dressed to the nines, perfect hair, perfect body, but that keeps pulling on her dress or checking out her bossom to make sure everything is placed where it should be. To me, that is not really powerful or sexy. Sexy is when you don't give a damn. I don't know if your intention was to show this duality that is going on, but if yes, it is quite brilliant and would explain why someone with that attitude is still working at the sweatshop.
The 4th woman, is almost emo-like in her attitude and her clothing. She seems lost in thoughts of the reality of her life. The open scissors seem to feel like she'd just like to cut away from this situation but her rationale tells her that there is no easy way out.
There are two woman in the back. One is pregnant. To me this speaks of many a woman who for a lack of education, but also because of a lack of self-esteem, only want to have someone to say they love them, get into situations of having sex without contraception and end up getting pregnant and end up changing their lives for a bad choice.
Both women in the back are both dressed in blue jeans and carrying huge bolts of heavy denim which denotes their blue collar jobs and the burden these people have to bear.
What is also interesting is I would definitely gather that these women were not fortunate enough to have been born in a social class that would have most probably re-directed their lives. Yes, the mom works here and the family have a hard time to make ends meet and once her daughter is old enough, she will work here too, she may even be the pregnant girl behind. And on goes the vicious cycle.
I'm not saying that growing up in a well-educated, higher income situation ensures you a happy and prosperous life. I'm sure we all know that is not true. What is different though, is that there is an expectation that you will be educated, that you will get a good paying job etc., You are brought up with that and already have a sense of entitlement that these women do not have.
Can they leave? yes, will they? probably not. Brought up in a situation where education and self-confidence comes second to putting food on the table and a roof over your, what do you believe comes first? And let's face it, these woman are not working as seamstresses making a one-of-a-kind Dior, they are in a sweatshop. They'll work on the same line of dress/shirt whatever for the next week or more on a type of production line, where all you do is collars and that's all you'll ever do. How can you go home with any sense of pride or sense that you did something creative and wonderful. You go home and feed your babies and you're back tomorrow to sew more collars.
It is so easy to think people made their choices and have to live with those choices. What we fail to realize is that for some there is not choice as the choice has been made and although, yes, it is possible to get out of this situation, they are pre-programmed to believe otherwise.
Your piece talks of how easy it is to be judgmental when we don't have to put ourselves in their shoes and their situation.
I also want to say ( yes, I know, I've written so much already, lol) that I am really also interested that you used the same woman to depict them all. It really brought home to me that the way you feel about yourself and how you portray yourself really changes the perception people have of us. This is all the same woman, and she can be beautiful or just plain bland and boring.
Maggie
p.s. I find it hilarious that the next thing to click on is POST QUICK REPLY :-D