March 08, 2012

Aux Grandes Femmes!

Panthéon - 2002 International Women's Day

I've loved IWD ever since studying abroad in Paris. I lived down the hill from the Panthéon, and that year, the powers that be hung huge posters of influential women from its columns in honor of the day, along with a new version of the inscription- AUX GRANDES FEMMES LA PATRIE RECONNAISSANTE ("To the great women, the grateful homeland." The original inscription is Aux grands hommes...: "To the great men, the grateful homeland").

I remember our French teacher telling us that this was huge because it was the first time the State had used the French language to describe women as "great." Until then, the only "grandes femmes" were "tall women." Huge.

Lately, as I've been exploring what I do and why, I've been thinking a lot more about women in the media and advertising.

What better day to reflect than IWD! :) Have you been keeping up with me on facebook and Twitter? You might have noticed I was really pissed off about Rush Limbaugh's disparaging remarks, calling Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke a "slut" and saying he wanted her to post sex-tapes online. Ugh. And about all that crap with people tweeting to Chris Brown that he could beat them anytime.

But there are also incredible bright spots- like this bill in Arizona that would force advertisers to note when images have been airbrushed. And the ads that the UK has banned for being too "misleading." And this amazing documentary about the portrayal of women in the media, Miss Representation. I watched it this weekend, and am feeling hyper sensitive to all the media I'm taking in.

I hope this feeling sticks with me, and that I continue to make and support images and portrayals of strong, intelligent, healthy girls and women.

Regardless of gender, I hope you'll join me! What do you think? I'd love to hear in the comments below :) AUX GRANDES FEMMES! :)