Handbags Series
Hannah
Georgina
Bernadette
There’s a reason why it’s a taboo to look inside a woman's handbag. Even security guards wince slightly when having to do a search because it's so personal it’s a bit awks! (And God forbid they might encounter a tampon.)
In this series I’ve asked women to show me what’s in their bags. These glimpses at the contents each woman chooses to prioritise by carrying around with her can be quite revealing about her lifestyle, beliefs and personality.
Exploring the multifaceted existence of female protagonists is gold! So why in society and fiction are we frequently underestimated, dismissed or narrowly categorized into polarized types like the whole Madonna/whore dichotomy? It’s both baffling and annoying.
HANNAH - When I first met Hannah in 2002, this is what you would have found in her upcycled rice tote bag. Asthma and allergies aside, she knew how to rock the sexy librarian look, those glasses didn't even have prescription lenses! One of those effortless intellects who is always reading a new book. During lectures she would always share her chocolate with me and had a bizarre fondness for Cadbury Creme Eggs. At the bars, her preferred method of ID was her passport (who needs a driver's licence in inner Sydney anyway?) That battered and dog-eared passport was always on her, by age 20, almost already full of stamps.
GEORGINA - I haven't known Georgina for very long, she's a new friend. When we meet up she's always immaculately put together. She's a clever and classy dame. Straight up, Georgina will candidly discuss her mental health story with you. I find her frank ownership on the subject refreshingly authentic and fascinating. With a twinkle in her eye and her infectious laugh Georgina offered to show me the contents of her bag before I even finished asking. Out came the meds and items that keep things tidy inside and out alongside the ultimate symbol of optimism - the lotto ticket.
BERNADETTE - Bernadette is a gifted creative. In the age of computer software design programs and celebrity TV "Interior Designers", she is a true talent. You can find hints of this in the notebook full of notes and freehand perspective drawings that she never leaves home without, as well as her tapemeasure, tool of the trade. Living and working in Sydney's trendy inner west, swapping a car for an Opal card is an at times challenging lifestyle choice. Judging from the rest of her handbag contents you'd be forgiven for thinking she was a 3yr old girl. She carries all of these things around, at all times, for her daughter. The ever present emergency snack attack pack of sultanas for when the kid gets hangry. The wet wipes for when the kid gets grubby, the waterbottle for when the kid gets thirsty... The mum narrative is conspicuous. Like so many other women, Bernadette silently takes on the mental and physical load for others in her life. This one is dedicated to all you mothers. Respect.