Anja Rubik: “The extreme right is very patriarchal and abortion is the first thing it attacks”

A film at the Cannes Festival and the cuts to the right to abortion in her country made Anja Rubik (Rzeszów, Poland, 40 years old) take an unexpected turn in her career in 2017.

“I was part of the protests that were organized against the abortion law of the previous executive.

It was prohibited except in three exceptions: rape, malformations or if the mother's life was in danger.

But they also made it illegal if the fetus had congenital defects,” she says in a bright Parisian studio.

She has just finished posing for the photographs in this report, but now she puts her hair up and jumps into the role of her activist: “I couldn't understand that people who were against abortion also denied sexual education.”

Then he already boasted a consolidated career, with almost 20 years working on the best catwalks.

He was ruminating on what he could do to counteract his country's far-right policies, when inspiration struck in Cannes.

Among the jewels and glamor of the festival, watching the film

120 beats per minute:

“It is a film about the beginnings of the HIV crisis, about how the government did not want to inform, so a group of activists went through the schools handing out pamphlets .

I thought, 'that's it, I'm going to go after the schools.'

Then I realized that it wouldn't be efficient, but that's where I started."

She recorded some viral videos for social networks, wrote a book that sold 200,000 copies and created his foundation, Sexedpl: “If you want change you can't be a

hashtag,

you need to support on a daily basis.”

Today 11 people work in its organization and around twenty gynecologists, sexologists, psychologists, lawyers collaborate... “We have a help line, we do

online

and

offline

educational programs or we train hotel workers and various companies to help them understand the diversity, to react when someone crosses the limits, etc.”

Jumpsuit, belt and pumps, all from SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO.

NICO BUSTOS

Abortion has been restricted in Poland or the United States.

Why are women's rights immediately cut when there is a reactionary wave?

I would love to have the perfect answer.

The extreme right is very patriarchal and it is the first thing it attacks.

It is connected to a conservative way of thinking and understanding the world.

It seeks to recover a past time in which there were no freedoms.

I think it is a way to quickly impact the population.

A strong woman empowers society, and a strong society is not easy to manipulate.

I guess the goal is to divide and weaken.

What made you focus on sex education?

I realized that in Poland we had a problem for generations, which went beyond the far-right government, because sexual education has never been taught.

It is a great risk both for adolescents and later for the adults they become.

It is a broad subject, more than contraception or safe sex.

Understanding sex teaches us to be people, to manage emotions, to listen to our body, to generate trust, acceptance, set limits...

Anja Rubik is wearing a trench coat, pants, earrings and belt, all by SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO.

NICO BUSTOS

What was your own sexual upbringing like as a teenager?

My parents are veterinarians, doctors, so when I got my period there was no taboo.

The technical part was covered, but beyond that other issues such as sexuality or limits never appeared.

My mother has a strong personality, but she is also quite old-fashioned in how she views the role of men in the world.

So I learned as I went, but there are things that I haven't learned until very recently.

For example?

Especially about consent and how my body works.

I didn't have my real sexual education until I was in my thirties, until I started the foundation.

Transparent chiffon T-shirt, from SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO.

NICO BUSTOS

I imagine that an important part of your job at the head of Sexedpl is to obtain financing, how are you doing?

We usually close agreements with different companies to obtain funds and something curious happens: sex is something that challenges us all, but when I have a female interlocutor the response is more positive, there is an immediate connection.

Without comprehensive sexual education, a safe, egalitarian and tolerant society cannot be built and, in general, this is something that women understand better than men.

So most of the companies we collaborate with have women managing.

The liberal Donald Tusk has just been appointed Polish Prime Minister, are you optimistic about political change?

Yes, it will be very difficult and it will take years until the way people think changes, but there are things that are already improving.

I am talking to the new Minister of Education and there is excitement.

Because obviously NGOs can help, but the core is the school and it would be fantastic to change the current system.

Anja Rubik wears a long-sleeved jumpsuit, earrings, belt and shoes, all by SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO.

NICO BUSTOS

You said that the problem in Poland comes from behind, is it related to the role of the Church in education?

Yes a lot.

The Catholic Church is involved in the education and mentality of the Poles.

Furthermore, in recent years the issue of sexual education has been used as political ammunition to attack.

Television is politicized and has broadcast misleading information about wanting to sexualize children.

But the only thing that has been shown in the few countries where there is real education on the subject, such as Sweden, Norway, Holland or Australia, is that they have more confidence.

Even the moment of sexual initiation is delayed, because they do not feel as much pressure.

Have doors been closed to you for dealing with these types of topics?

Not outside of Poland, but there yes.

I became too controversial and provocative to be hired.

It seems crazy to me because women's rights should not be provocative, sex is not provocative.

Hat and t-shirt, both from SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO.

NICO BUSTOS

In the fashion capitals, the doors open wide to Anja Rubik, who has posed in front of the most reputable photographers and collaborated with the best designers.

Some, like Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello, are friends of hers.

They met 13 years ago, when he was still making his way: “We hit it off immediately, I liked his vision and how clear he had everything.

I wore one of his pieces to a party and since then we have continued to support each other.”

When he was appointed to Saint Laurent in 2016, Rubik became his best ambassador.

“His dream was to work for the house, he understands his DNA.

He is very clear about what is good for the brand and sticks to it, without getting carried away.

In his beauty there is no hypocrisy, he will never do something he doesn't believe in, he has a lot of determination.

And I think she does it incredibly well,” says the model who, like her intimate, knows what she wants and demonstrates it throughout this session: “I am in a privileged position in which I can choose where I want to be and the people I want to be with.” to collaborate.

I love fashion, which is an extension of our person, I am very lucky and I give my all to each job, but I never forget that we are not saving lives.

She went on a catwalk for the first time at the age of 15, in Paris haute couture.

How do you remember it?

If I had a choice now, I would probably start later.

When you are so young you still don't know who you are and suddenly you enter a business where everyone tells you what to be.

You want to please, because you want to do your job well, and it's easy to get lost.

Before things were very different, you heard criticism all the time: “Too fat”, “too thin”, that if the eyes, the nose, the right foot… It was overwhelming.

I kept going because giving up would have been a failure, given how my parents raised me.

Over time you develop a shell and it doesn't hurt as much.

I was a diligent student and I was used to doing my homework and receiving my A's, but that's not the case in fashion.

You can make it perfect and it not work or even being sloppy looks cool.

How has it changed?

Now I'm always late.

I taught myself to be cool and not be punctual and now I already suffer from this disease [laughs].

What remains to be resolved for your profession?

There are areas for improvement.

It is an industry with many young people, easily influenced, especially by people with power.

Being very polite and generous I will say that throughout the #MeToo movement the agencies did not assume their responsibility.

Then it was especially pointed out to

photographers

.

But the agencies are the ones that send girls to certain photographers, to certain

castings,

knowing very well what can happen.

It is your responsibility to prepare them, explain the business to them, and they can say no.

If you have an agent who tells you that you are going to meet a very important photographer who can change your career, you go in with a certain mindset.

It's different if the agent tells you: "Look, go and do the best you can, but if you don't feel comfortable, don't do it, your life doesn't depend on it."

I did have that, I was lucky to have protective people, but many agents are not.

Anja Rubik also wears the French brand with a leather hat, stockings and pumps.

NICO BUSTOS

And how does the industry treat models today?

What is understood as beautiful has changed and there is more diversity.

When I started I had to go to the agency every week to be weighed and measured.

I have always been very thin, but they told you if you had gained or lost half a centimeter.

I had friends with problems who had a really bad time.

You said in an interview that your body is your work tool, how do you deal with posing naked?

I have always done it with photographers with whom I felt good and I have said no many times.

Still, despite feeling comfortable with your body as I am now, you dissociate.

It's hard to explain, but on set you embody a character.

Off camera I'm more insecure.

You develop a distance between you and your body.

A good image doesn't have to be one in which you look pretty.

You learn it and accept it.

In my personal relationship with my body, over the years I have become more tolerant, I have gained confidence.

We all have things we don't like, including models, I would even say more so because we are much more aware, we always observe ourselves and they have told us so for years.

Saharan jacket, earrings and stockings, all from SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO.

NICO BUSTOS

How does it feel to celebrate years in this profession?

Some changes I handle better, others are harder, but as long as I have energy I will be fine.

People say “age gracefully,” and it is not possible.

You have to accept it, because there is no other choice, but it is not always easy.

It's difficult for everyone, but as a model you have to work harder.

Although there is beauty in it, of course.

Surely one of the pending issues is the representation of women over 30, which is anecdotal.

Yes, but it is changing, when they photograph more mature women they don't retouch them as much anymore, you can see that they leave some wrinkles.

But in general fashion is a young people's world.

Although you continue to maintain a very solid resume.

But I consider myself very young!