WARNING: This article features nudity and discusses domestic abuse.
The fallout from Bianca Censori's fashion choices at the Grammys has been huge.
There have been calls for her to be arrested for indecent exposure, rumors she and Kanye West were "escorted" off the red carpet and grave concerns for her wellbeing and safety.
A big part of the conversation has centered around the idea Bianca is in an abusive, controlling relationship with Kanye, who is exploiting and humiliating his wife for fame and relevance.
Now, this could be true - and if it is, it's horrendous.
Kanye certainly was the mastermind behind many of his ex-wife Kim Kardashian's looks - by her own admission - and there was even a televised fight between the pair over him telling her the Met Gala outfit she had planned was "too sexy" the night before the event. Irony, much? Another ex, Julia Fox, claimed Kanye "appointed a team to work on her wardrobe" and said she felt like a "show monkey" during their brief relationship.
The list of outrageous, offensive and inappropriate things Kanye has said and done is too long to go into here. We certainly can't rule out the idea he's treating his wife badly.
But why have we decided, on behalf of Bianca, that she is not capable of pulling this kind of stunt herself? Surely, it could be called controlling of us to proclaim "this is not her choice" when we have no evidence of that, other than how her wide eyes and "vacant expression" is being interpreted.
"Her face says it all," apparently. Weeeelll, not so fast.
While there's no hard evidence that Bianca is in distress, there's quite a bit to suggest her increasingly see-through outfits have been part of her aesthetic all along.
Before she was recruited by her future husband's brand Yeezy, Bianca was a Creative Director for a fashion label called Raga Malak started by her friend, stylist and business partner, Gadir Rajab.
A resurfaced Reddit post shows a series of photos taken in 2018 show Bianca modelling a sheer stocking with only a nude thong underneath - very reminiscent of her recent Grammys look. Other photos in the series show more bum and boob-baring designs.
It's not unreasonable to consider Kanye's influence on Bianca's outfits, given how often Kim wore Yeezy clothes and catered to his aesthetic, but it is unfair to take away all of Bianca's autonomy, particularly as someone who has worked in fashion, simply because you don't like what you see.
"Imagine if Bianca was actually calling the shots and Kanye was attracted to her because of her preset aesthetic. Imagine. Crazy concept, yeah?" one Redditor commented.
"Now that we recognize her to be an individual with her own taste and opinion, does this mean everyone running their trigger fingers and constantly accusing Ye of controlling her can finally shut up?" Keep in mind, these comments were made two years ago, when the Reddit post was first shared amid outrage about Bianca's other 'barely there' outfits when she first started stepping out with Kanye.
Many women before Bianca have appeared on red carpets in states of semi-undress. Rose McGowan's 'naked' dress at the 1998 MTV VMAs comes to mind.
Megan Fox wore a chainmail dress with a g-string underneath to a Grammys viewing party just last year. Rihanna hilariously replied "why, my tits bother you?" when a reporter asked if she was comfortable in her sheer Swarovski gown at the CFDA Fashion Awards in 2014.
Hell, even the nude, figure-hugging dress Marilyn Monroe wore in 1962 (later repurposed by Kim Kardashian at the 2022 Met Gala) was considered scandalous at the time.
Was Bianca's look just the (il)logical conclusion of a trend that's been escalating for decades? Was it disturbing and way too far? Is Bianca biting off way more than she can chew? If you ask me, the answer to all of these is 'maybe'.
But when it comes to the question of Bianca's involvement, I won't be speaking for her.
Help and support is available 24 hours a day
Are You OK? - free and confidential 24/7 support and information for anyone experiencing family violence or if you are worried about someone else. Call 0800 456 450 or live chat with a trained counsellor on the website: areyouok.org.nz
Safe to Talk - free and confidential helpline for support and information about sexual violence. Call 0800 044 334, text 4334, email support@safetotalk.nz, or chat to counsellors online at safetotalk.nz
Women’s Refuge - 24-hour advocacy and accommodation for women and their children experiencing family violence. Call 0800 733 843 (0800 REFUGE) or get support through live chat on the website: womensrefuge.org.nz
Change is Possible - anonymous 24/7 help for men using violence or concerned about their behaviour. Free call 0800 456 450 or live chat with a counsellor on the website: changeispossible.org.nz
Need to Talk? - for people feeling stressed, down, or overwhelmed, free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor 1737.org.nz
Shakti - free 24/7 multilingual crisis-line for migrant and refugee women 0800SHAKTI (0800 742 584) or email crisisline@shakti.org.nz
