Artist/convener red flag behaviour

This list has been compiled by the Life Models’ Society (LMS) in Victoria, Australia, based on an internal register that contains hundreds of reports received from models, artists, and conveners.

This document informs life models, especially those who are new to the industry, about the behaviour of artists and conveners that have the potential to create an unsafe working environment for models.

The list does NOT:

replace the Working Conditions, which lists non-negotiable requirements to work with or under the LMS name
present hard-and-fast rules.

Why was this made?

Since 1989, the LMS has been monitoring behaviour impacting the life model community in Melbourne and throughout the state of Victoria, Australia. We are deeply concerned by the poor treatment of models. The incidents reported to us indicate a recent escalation in violence; particularly violence against women, young people and gender diverse people. Some of the reported behaviour involves criminal conduct.

Many of the behaviours below have been committed by prolific and experienced artists who are known to target new and inexperienced models. While some behaviours may appear innocuous, they can demonstrate a pattern that is known to push boundaries and lead to harassment, obsession and abuse.

Due to defamation laws, the LMS is unable to name the artists involved. This list is the result of many Committee discussions about how to mitigate the risk of violence against life models, within legal confines.

What do I do with this?

In your capacity as a life model, if you encounter behaviour described below or a situation that makes you uncomfortable or distressed, you can consider:

seeking counselling and support services
reporting criminal conduct to the police
submitting a report to the LMS Committee by emailing thelifemodelsociety@gmail.com.

If you are unsure about any behaviour, a simple rule that may be useful is:

If you wouldn’t accept the behaviour in a normal workplace setting, you shouldn’t have to put up with it as a model.

If you encounter the behaviour in this list, know you are not alone.

List of red flag behaviour

Life models are encouraged to be cautious of artists exhibiting the behaviour described below:

Payment

Not paying models for promotional content e.g. for photos used on social media
Not paying models for reference photography i.e. photos taken of models, whether robed or unrobed, so that artists can complete their work out of session
Not paying models and justifying it as ‘practice’ or ‘exposure’
Not paying models by calling their labour ‘an artistic mission’
Offering art in exchange for modelling work i.e. not paying

Physical

Hugging or other overly familiar physical contact with models, whether the model is robed or unrobed
Without obtaining consent prior to unrobing, volunteering to tape the model for a repeat pose
Commenting on the model’s body parts or features, especially genitals

Sexual/erotic

Once the model is already in pose, intentionally moving to a position from where the model’s genitals can be drawn
Drawing a pose erotically in a drawing class not intended for erotica
Requesting erotic poses or for the model to wear fetish gear during a booking without prior consent
Joking about abusing the model e.g. ‘I can’t control myself around attractive models’
Not informing the model that the session is erotic or a hen’s/buck’s night prior to booking
Forming or seeking to form romantic/sexual relationships with models
Making sexual and/or inappropriate comments

Privacy

Sharing a model’s contact details with another person without explicit consent
Persistently questioning the model about their personal life
Commenting on the model’s personal life without prompting

Within sessions

Directing or micromanaging the model’s poses, especially while the model is unrobed (NOTE: this may not apply to situations in which the model is being guided back into a repeat pose)
Only or mostly booking models of the same demographic e.g. vulva owners only, young age groups only.
Urging the model to do something because another model agreed to it previously
Not disclosing to models about artists that are expected at a session, when models ask out of concern for safety
Angrily throwing things on the floor/around the studio
Withholding information about a session e.g. location, expectations of erotic poses, use of restraint
Using demeaning props
Making inappropriate comments or sounds e.g. wolf whistles, oinking, barking.
Not adjusting the temperature appropriately/not believing the model when they say they are too cold or hot
Not believing the model when they say the pose is uncomfortable and asking the model to continue with it

Outside of sessions

Insisting to give models car rides
Insisting to spend time with models outside of bookings e.g. dinners, drinks
Sending long and/or frequent messages unrelated to modelling, especially at antisocial hours e.g. midnight
Sending erotic/fetish content to models unprompted
Without invitation, unexpectedly appearing at events you are attending that are unrelated to modelling i.e. stalking

LMS membership/subscription

Endorsing artists and venues that have been banned from the LMS
Making remarks that discredit the LMS/discourage models from joining the LMS
Claiming to have subscription with the LMS when they do not

Other

Asking models to validate their character/personality e.g. ‘Tell me I am a good person’
Not believing/dismissing the model when they say they are uncomfortable with an artist
Repeating inappropriate behaviour despite being asked not to
Asking models to ‘trust them’
Boasting to others about their close relationship to models
Boasting to others about how well they treat models.

Photo by Bernd 📷 Dittrich on Unsplash

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