#FoodPorn

I remember when I first started using hashtags…

I was very unfamiliar with how they worked and thought the idea of putting a random “#” in front of a word or phrase was just plain silly. 
#Blessed 
#Car
#Cookie
#LifeGoals
Like, really? Why is this a thing? 
To showcase my dislike (and complete ignorance) I would put long, ridiculous hashtags on EVERYTHING! A favourite of mine was #RealLifeHungerGames in which friends and I would discuss topics and how they relate back to one of our favourite book series. This hashtag was used during text conversations, gmail chat sessions when we should have been working, lengthy emails, and, of course, real life conversations (because who doesn’t let a few “hashtag, basic white girl” or “hashtag, P-T-L” phrases slip out of their mouth every now and then).

As hashtags became more popular (and as I figured out their real purpose and began to understand their significance) I became intrigued with the hashtags people were choosing to use. I found myself both using hashtags when posting photos of my baking adventures on Instagram, and searching hashtags as I would browse social media. Since I was frequently looking up baking related hashtags it was inevitable I would stumble across the raunchy and distasteful #FoodPorn.

#FoodPorn, the second highest search
related to food.

Why, internet?!

This does not make sense! Why are glamorous and enticing images of food being categorized as equal to an industry that ruins the lives of everyone it touches? Is it some kind of metaphor—like the detrimental state of your health after over indulging in sweets (or too much cheesy goodness, or too much carb-filled deliciousness) will actually ruin you and make you suffer? Is it attempting to illustrate how our gluttonous lifestyle can seem ok at first, but then breaks you down the way porn wrecks everyone it collides with? Those are the only connections that actually make sense in my head, but we all know the real reason the general public has chosen to associate #FoodPorn with delicious looking items— It’s not as a warning but as encouragement of the ecstasy which comes from experiencing something almost too good to be true, something you know you shouldn’t.

There are many reasons this hashtag bothers me. One of the biggest reasons is the connection between pornography and human trafficking. The below video really nudged me forward into creating this post. Please watch it-- trust me, it’s worth it.

In my research on how the porn and human trafficking industries are connected, one of the most disgusting quotes I came across is as follows:

"Amateurs come across better on screen. Our customers feel that. Especially by women you can see it. They still feel strong pain." - Carlo Scalisi, Owner of 21 Sexury Video

They still feel strong pain. Why is this ok? Why is this something the general public is ok with watching while ignoring the deeper issues involved in the production of the film?

While researching, the below facts and quotes about the porn industry really stood out to me. Reading these insights, while thinking back to how we associate hashtags like #FoodPorn to mean something amazing, really makes me question the validity and general social acceptance of the hashtag-- and why more people aren't outraged at how porn in it's delusional definition has become so common place.

1. 88% of scenes in porn films contain acts of physical aggression, and 49% of scenes contain verbal aggression.
2. A 2005 study claimed that pornographers were travelling to poorer countries where they could use and exploit women and children with fewer risks. Budapest, Hungary was cited as Europe’s capital for the production of porn films because, as one pornography executive put it, Eastern European actors ‘cost less and do more’.
3. “The Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children both recognize that pornography is an element that adds to the serious problem of sex trafficking. Many traffickers are found with filming equipment and cameras to create and sell pornography”
4. "[Performers] usually ‘consent’ to the acts only in the degraded and demented sense of the word (common also to the law of rape) in which a person who despairs at stopping what is happening, sees no escape,… is often trying to avoid being beaten or killed, is always economically desperate, acquiesces in being sexually abused for payment, even if, in most instances, it is payment to someone else.”

I’d share more of these horrific tidbits with you, but just reading the quotes from those formerly involved in the pornography industry, and the plain facts my mind doesn't want to accept as true, make my stomach turn and my heart ache. Just watching the documentary "Hot Girls Wanted" on Netflix showcases how demented the pornography industry is-- how those involved feel they don't have control over the situations, how many have been taken advantage of in their past leading them to choose this lifestyle, and how degrading it is to the women involved. Pile on top of that the insane situations or 'fantasies' these people are 'acting' out for the viewers-- I just can't handle it. 

While the above information is great to share to educate how pornography negatively affects the individuals involved, those trafficked into the situations, and those who choose to view porn, why has there been no research done on the connection between the various forms of ‘porn’ society has become numbed to viewing on social media (#FoodPorn #HousePorn, #CarPorn, etc)? I’ve attempted to research the connection, knowing it would present a great viewpoint for this post, and the only information I can find is how #FoodPorn can lead you to make bad choices regarding your own dietary needs… Surprised? Me neither.

One of the most unsettling things about all this is seeing peers in the anti-human trafficking space use the hashtag. What message does this send about our commitment to seeing exploitation come to an end? It’s definitely not a good one.

I’d like you to take a bit of time and read through some of the sources and resources available at the end of this post. Educate yourself on what is really happening in the porn industry and know that any reference society can get away with only encourages the pornography industry to continue what they are doing—exploiting individuals for the viewing pleasure of those whose lives will subsequently be ravaged. It’s an endless cycle and we don’t need things like #FoodPorn to become so common place that porn itself, without a pre-cursor word, becomes accepted until it’s too late—the moment the downward-spiral entangles friends, family and those closest to you.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sources and resources:

https://moderndayslaveryblog.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/the-link-between-pornography-and-human-trafficking/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/15/human-trafficking-month_n_4590587.html

http://rescuefreedom.org/get-involved/refusetoclick/

http://www.covenanteyes.com/pornstats/

http://stoptraffickingdemand.com/

Hot GirlsWanted—Documentary available on Netflix
XXX Church

**Note, as a blog, this is purely my opinion and a presentation of facts. I understand that as pornography becomes more main stream in our culture, my views can be considered 'old school' or 'close minded'. I know magazines and websites promote pornography as a way to have a healthy and happy sex-life, I know pornography is promoted in innocent ways, but the facts I've been presented with portray the realistic, behind-the-scenes portion of the industry many people either don't know or choose to ignore. Let us not turn a blind eye to real issues affecting the people around us.

  

Human Trafficking Prevention

Image found on Pinterest

I’ve heard January be referred to as Human Trafficking Awareness month.

As the beginning of research generally starts, I opened up Google and typed in ‘Human Trafficking Awareness Month.’ Upon skimming through the top few headlines one link in particular caught my eye. Posted by the White House, it was a letter that President Obama wrote announcing January 2014 to be National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

Every part of me was filled with excitement.

This is exactly what we need.

Awareness is one thing, and a good thing, but prevention is where we should be focused after awareness has been reached. Once you are aware, there needs to be another step involved-- something practical and tangible and that, my friends, is Prevention.

I know, I know. You might be thinking ‘How can I prevent slavery?’

You may not be actively involved in the sex trade, which is where most of the attention on human trafficking tends to go, so you don’t think you are involved and actively growing the 2^nd largest criminal industry in the world. Think about it, if human trafficking and modern-day slavery were only about sex, would it be the fastest growing criminal industry in the world? While some may answer yes, I would guess probably not.

Human Trafficking and Slavery exists in every area of our lives—from the clothes we wear, to the food we eat, to the electronics we use. What we use for entertainment and enjoyment, someone is paying the ultimate price with their life for its creation—and often we don’t think about it.

If you read my blog, you’re probably already aware. I’ve written numerous posts regarding human trafficking and modern day slavery; I documented my time in Thailand working in a Children’s Home with those who have been either exploited or at risk for exploitation, I’ve written about my life changing experience with Not For Sale, I’ve challenged you to end slavery in your life by participating in ethical holidays and being a conscious consumer. Awareness is all around us—from activists to slacktivists, organizations like IJM, Not For Sale, Love 146 and World Vision and even campaigns like MTV Exit and the A21 Campaign.

Time for prevention.

As I was reading Mr. Obama’s letter, I fell in love with this paragraph that is a call to both action and duty.

“As we work to dismantle trafficking networks and help survivors rebuild their lives, we must also address the underlying forces that push so many into bondage. We must develop economies that create legitimate jobs, build a global sense of justice that says no child should ever be exploited, and empower our daughters and sons with the same chances to pursue their dreams. This month, I call on every nation, every community, and every individual to fight human trafficking wherever it exists. Let us declare as one that slavery has no place in our world, and let us finally restore to all people the most basic rights of freedom, dignity, and justice.”

That is prevention—changing the way we have lived our lives up until this point. Ethical business practices, a sense of world community, knowing the basic rights of freedom, dignity and justice are the foundation for a world that can thrive.

Below are what I think of when I contemplate prevention and steps we can take, as every day individuals who understand the value of the human life, to no longer see any more innocent victims to something that is preventable.

1 – Make sure you know the facts

Awareness is the first step to prevention. Do you know what human trafficking is? When someone asks do you find yourself stumbling upon what the exact definition is? Spreading basic awareness is as simple as knowing the definition and having some examples of what it is.

Image taken from Not For Sale

2 – Educate yourself on your personal contribution to the continuation of modern-day slavery.

Take just one hour out of your day and search out information on the companies of the clothing you happen to be wearing. Free2Work is a great place to learn about companies. Think of what you are planning on eating for dinner—research what kind of slavery exists in the growing, harvesting and production of what you are planning to eat. Did you know people work in factories peeling shrimp? There are documented cases of exploitation (unfair wages and working conditions to name two of the issues) to those workers peeling shrimp. Are you using a laptop to do your research? Labor issues around Apple have been documented and are easy to find upon doing a google search. And check out Slavery Footprint to see a rough estimate of how many slaves are working for you.  This isn’t meant to make you feel bad—but to make you aware of your personal contribution.

Screen Shot from the Slavery Footprint Questionnaire

There are 30 slaves working for me-- my personal Slavery Footprint results!

3 – Research alternatives to your current lifestyle contributions.

Instead of shopping at Forever 21, shop at H&M. Buy second hand clothing where the money goes to a charity instead of the company who originally made the garment. Instead of buying chocolate from Hershey or Nestle, buy from Divine or AlterEco. Try to buy locally made products (even if they are a little more pricey). While it may be impossible to cut out slavery from your entire life, your purchasing power says a lot and changing a few basic parts of your shopping habits can make a difference in the long run. Check out Free2Work.org for company ratings to see how your favourite brands compare to others.

4 – Be the change.

Ethical leaders are needed for real change to happen. Planning on starting a business? Do it right from the start. Be a person who is committed, in whatever they set out to do, to do it in such a way that doesn’t allow the exploitation of some for the your own personal gain. Find out you’re surprisingly passionate about the cause? Start a blog, share your story of justice-seeking, speak to others. Combine your current passions with a goal to end slavery.

David Batstone, founder of Not For Sale, posted a quote on his Twitter feed that was retweeted by MTV Exit where I happened to stumble upon it. It goes like this:

I encourage you, not only during Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month but also throughout the year, to do just that-- change your view of slavery where your current life finds you and design creative ways to come against it. Be pro-love  and be the change that is needed to end modern-day slavery.

What are some creative ways you have found to raise awareness or prevent human trafficking?

Thailand 2012 - Post 7 (The Final Blog)

Our last night in Chaing Mai we went to a restaurant on a boat!

Oh did I love it. It was a perfect time to relax on the water, enjoy the fantastic food, and pick each others brains about how the experience has been so far, and what our plans will be upon our return. We swapped book titles, documentary recommendations, shared many laughs and reminisced about the time we spent together. 

It was our last night with JK and we said goodbye to our translator that had served us very well during the trip. We all gave him hugs which we know made him feel awkward, but we didn't care. We went to another night market (not a touristy one - one the residents go to) and then headed back to the hotel and packed up. Heading from the restaurant to the market and then back to the hotel I rode with JP on a motorbike which was a super fun time!The next day we flew back to Bangkok, hit up a market (where I got a wonderful dress!!), went to restaurant, then it was time for some of our team to head back to Canada.

I'm not really good with good byes....but I guess that depends what you classify as "good". For example, I'm not really emotional so I don't get all "Oh, I'm so sad, I'm going to miss you!" In fact, when people cry at goodbyes, it makes me feel really awkward... what am I supposed to do? On the other hand, I act pretty calm and collected about the whole thing. We had fun, we made memories, It would be nice to continue on in this country together, however it is time to go home. Let's just keep in touch and be pumped about the next time we see each other.

As people were leaving and saying their good byes, it was hard to acknowledge this journey coming to an end. I love Thailand. I want to stay.

We had an extra day so we took advantage of being somewhere we never thought we would be and adventured about Bangkok! We went to the Grand Palace and visited all the temples, saw the giant golden Buddha, and went to a mall with over 2,000 shops. It was a great, relaxing day before we started our 24 hours of travelling home.

As we arrived at the airport and started loading one of our planes, I was sitting down and noticed the gentleman in front of me looking through his camera at pictures. You know those moments when you don't mean to be looking but you are because it's in the only direction you can look? That's what happened. On his camera he was looking at pictures of himself (this older white dude), with young Asian girls. After what we had done on our trip it was so hard to see! Pictures become an endless way to relive an experience after you come home from the adventure. We take hundreds of pictures so we can show people what we did and the places we went to. We take pictures of any memorable moment in hopes we can share the pictures with friends and family, and explain with the same excitement what the experience was like. When I look through my camera, I see the bright faces of the children we worked with, the people we call Heroes, the ones who are making a difference. I see pictures of food, the friends I made, the places we went and pictures of things I never thought I would ever see. When that guy is looking at pictures, he is reliving the experience he had....who will he show those pictures to? His buddies that think he's  "The Man"? Would he show his family if he has one? His wife? Kids? Would he share them with his co-workers? 

It is hard to swallow that people come to such a beautiful place and do the ugliest things. No pictures, no matter how beautiful of a place you were in, can turn a trip for an ugly reason into something worthy of sharing.

This has been such an amazing experience. I feel so blessed to have opportunities to become involved in things that are life changing for the people we help as well as well as us, the volunteers. I feel this is a perfect set up to the internship I will embark on with Not For Sale. Taking part in their Fellowship Program is going to be an amazing stepping stone to a life fully devoted to helping others.  Seeing how Not For Sale helps Kru Nam and to see the organization in action was inspiring and makes me so pumped!

While the trip to Thailand has come to an end, the life full of passion for those whose lives are effected by human trafficking and modern day slavery is just beginning and I am going to live it out the best I can. God is going to use me for great things and I believe this is one of those things.

Thailand 2012 - Part 5

Goodbye Party....There were so many amazing moments that made up the wonderful evening that we all shared together. Here are just a few of the highlights of the evening...

Group shot: Our team with the staff and kids.

Last night was the Goodbye Party! We left the hotel decked out in jeans since the bugs come out in full force in the evening and our See The Change t-shirts which feature a story involving JK and Kru Nam on it. On the way to the home we were a van packed with mixed emotions: Excited about all the fun we were going to have and sad about the last goodbyes we will have to be saying.

Upon arriving to the party we all started playing! The completed playground was in full use, the basketball court was full of people playing basketball and soccer, and the kids were running around with all of us trying to make the best last memories they could. A few of the girls that had become fond of me during our time there wanted to just sit with me and look at pictures on my camera of our time in Thailand. It was a great bonding moment as they pointed to the faces on the display screen and then pointed to the person in real life. It's cute to watch their faces light up as you say "yes!" to them as they identify the right person. We all know I'm not really a kid person but I definitely grew fond of those little girls too!

The girl who finally smiled :)

I was sitting by myself for a brief moment and one girl who barely cracked a smile during the time we were there ran up to me and gave me an adorable bracelet. The first time I saw her in the home she was playing "stella stella ol-ah" and she was SO serious the ENTIRE time! She was the referee, making sure everyone was playing correctly and would correct you if you were doing something wrong. I remember seeing her stern face ALMOST break into a smile when she slid her hand away JUST before the person next to her slapped her hand at the count of the number 10. You could see her excitement bubbling up inside but she didn't let it out! When she won the entire game she smiled and then the game was back on for another round and another go at her ensuring all was fair with the game. The fact she came up to me with a bracelet, slid it onto my wrist and tightened it and then smiled at me just melted my heart. I smiled at her and she smiled and giggled back.  It was a moment I won't forget.

Love.

I continued to show pictures and little Oranuh came and attached herself to me for the evening. We held hands pretty much all night and she never left my side. During the time before dinner while we all played a little girl I had only played with a couple times came up to me saying my name and handed me this adorable, handmade change purse. She showed me how it opens up and revealed inside a bracelet. She took it out and put it on my wrist. Another precious, melt-your-heart moment. 

Dinner was eaten outside and consisted of some sticky rice, Pad Thai, french fries and the request of the kids, fried chicken and a variety of other meat! We had hotdogs, crab sticks, and more meat I ate without really knowing what it was. Oranuh put my plate together for me and showed me how she likes to eat her meals: Make the rice into balls and then the balls are easy to roll in the other food and pop into your mouth. The way she showed me how it was done and how she coached me on my other eating skills during dinner (how to best eat a Mango when you only have a spoon) really showed me she cared. During dinner the home showed us this awesome slide show they put together of our time with the kids. Throughout our time together they had been randomly snapping pictures and they put it all together with music for us. It was so touching and VERY unexpected. 

JP and I with some friends.

After the dinner and the slide show came...the baby powder game. I had never played this game before but I already knew I was about to get covered with the baby powder. We all sat in a circle and, hot potato style, passed around 2 giant sized bottles of baby powder. When the music stopped you went up to the front and Pee Pot and JK would tell you what you had to do with the baby powder! It could be anything from put it in the face of the person to your left, the person across from you, the most beautiful girl, a friend from Canada, someone with glasses, etc. Eventually it just turned into a full on Baby Powder fest!! The kids were filling their hands and just throwing it on everyone! We were COVERED and, of course, also helped do some of the covering. 

Bianca about to hand out gifts.

After the baby powder fest we each took turns saying a few special words to the kids about how they have impacted us, how amazing they and the staff are and how they will all hold a special place in our hearts. Then we had the HUGE pleasure and awesome opportunity to present them with their gift bags!!! Oh how they were so excited and how we were so excited too!!!! It was a special moment to be able to hand each kid a gift of their very own. They held onto those backpacks and purses for the rest of the night and we know they will cherish them for years to come. 

During this time the girls kept coming up to me and giving me bracelets! I received a total of 7 of them and was just blown away by the love the kids were expressing. It helped me realize that, until someone lets you know how big of an impact you have had on their life, you will never know. I never knew I impacted each individual girls life but I did and they expressed that to me by giving me the bracelets. 

Chinese Lanterns!

The staff of the home surprised us with something that pumped me up like I couldn't believe. They had CHINESE LANTERNS!!!!!!!! I have wanted to release Chinese Lanterns for SO LONG!!!! They are so incredible and magical and marvellous! I was able to release it with the girls I grew the closest with and it was such an inspiring moment.... To see those giant lanterns float up into the sky, lighting it up and seeing them fade away into the distance, knowing the bright gorgeous light they have were shedding that light on places we couldn't see was almost an amazing metaphor for our time spent in Thailand. We see our impact right away with how the kids have grown to show love to each one of us and even when we leave Thailand, the light of our time spent there will be seen by others. So amazing. 

The kids then presented us with amazing handmade gifts. Scarves that they had made and dyed with tea leaves that we all oohed and awed over the first day we met Yeem, stuffed Elephants, stuffed Birds, change pursues, key chains and more. Normally I am not the person to get things from the kids... The other fun people on the Hero Holidays get amazing gifts but I never did...I just didn't have that connection others did with the kids. I don't really get too into playing with them. I am more of the 'play on the first day then work the rest of the days' kind of person. I'd often feel my impact was better made while working. This year, the kids liked me and I liked them and it was so encouraging. This in itself inpires me and I know I have more work to do in Thailand.

Then it was dance party time! We danced and danced and danced. It was fun to see EVERYONE at the home get in on the dancing! From staff to the youngest of kids. The group of gals I had been hanging out with and I would all hold hands, then move around in a cirle one direction, then change it up and go the other direction. Then we would all step into the circle and lift our hands up, then move back out and repeat the process. It was so fun! Oranuh and I had some dance time together too full of spins and jumping and...of course...more baby powder...

Then Kru Nam came and we did a big group photo then it was time to leave. The kids walked us to the van and Oranuh held my hand (and my water bottle) and walked me to the van. She made the other kids make room for me to walk to the van and then hugged and waved goodbye. It was a sad moment but, inspirational. 

The impact left, while in different ways, has been huge and mutual. Time spent will not be forgotten, experiences will be told over and over in story form, and the faces will stay with us forever.

Thailand 2012 - Part 3

Last night it was decided that instead of being at the home starting at nine, we would go for 7am. Most of us are already awake anyways and it's a great way to beat the heat!

After realizing Ovaltine is amazing and finishing up breakfast, we went on our way to see the buddies and get to work!

Just getting on the bus was gorgeous! The sun wasn't out yet and there was a lovely breeze. Getting to the home early meant we were able to get to work right away and not be so exhausted while working in the hot Thailand sun. We hoed up the area where the playground is and levelled it all off.


While the hoeing and levelling was going on, a few of us went with Christal to the office to sort out all of the donations that were brought from Canada. It was a welcome break for the heat. The goal was to sort out donations for staying at the home and things to go to the drop in centre. Then, plan out what we wanted to get for the buddies gift bags. Talking to JK about what the kids like was very interesting....For the girls they like clips (not headbands) and don't really like nail polish either. The boys are harder to buy for and would want something like wallets. Both boys and girls don't like simple toys like yo-yo's. What they do like are more "one use" toys: temporary tattoos, stickers, etc. It's quite interesting how the kids here are so different...or maybe they are the same but our perception of them are different. In Haiti, the girls loved ANYTHING to do with hair and nails and both boys and girls were all over simple toys like jump ropes, balls, etc. When we asked JK about books he said they would probably just rip them apart. It's quite different. When you think about it, we only know to not rip things apart because someone told us not to and explained to us why. We also re-use toys because we normally have  a variety to choose from that, when we get sick of something, we can play with somethings else, then something else, eventually working our way back to the first toy we were bored with. When you are coming from a not stable background, you don't have all the guidance and variety most of us were blessed to grow up with.

I think the most interesting part of the day was the poster I saw in the office. It's a poster that draws awareness to the issue of the child sex trade and encourages people, if they see anything going on, to report offenders. The fact there are posters about it makes you realize really how big of an issue it is in Thailand.


Poster in the office.

After we sorted things out and made a list of the  things we wanted to put in the gift bags we spent more time with Yeem and did more work on the library. Yeem and I had a great talk about the uses for the whole banana tree: The fruit for eating, the leaves to make bowls, the root as a herb, what the trunk can be used for - NOTHING goes to waste which is so rad. I recommended she try slicing up a banana and freezing the slices...I hope she gets around to trying it one day!  One thing Yeem always says is that it is "your design" and you can do whatever you want with it.  She offers helpful ideas and hints to what would look nice but she totally lets you just go with it. You can 100% tell she is a teacher at heart. I had mentioned to Natasha, who I had been helping, that if I had as amazing of a design as Yeem had, I would have a REALLY hard time letting others work on it - giving them the freedom to play with it and express themselves. I'd be more of a "just  let me do it" type. I am amazed at how she is such a giving person.


Soup to the left. Main course to the right.

Lunch today was delicious. On top of the meal we had a special soup made especially for us. We ate as much of is as we could but we couldn't quite finish. We asked JK what to do and his response was to eat it. DEAD SERIOUS....or very sarcastic....you can never really tell with JK.  He said to eat it or have the guilty conscience of throwing away food in from of the children. Let's just say, a few teammates really stepped up and ate..A LOT!



It was another amazing day and, as strange as it is, I am OK with waking up early knowing where we are going and what we will be doing.