22 Female Photographers Celebrate International Women’s Day
Today, women all over the world are celebrating International Women’s Day in their own ways—some are striking and staying home from work, some are taking to the streets, some are wearing red, and some are defiantly issuing statements of sisterhood and solidarity. Last year, we asked W‘s roster of female photographers to capture in one image the spirit of the day and of womanhood. They responded with the striking and poignant images that follow.
1
“Young women should feel free to be and love whoever they want. This is the time for sexual empowerment, exploring their own sexuality and desires without restrictions from imposed social boundaries.” –Ambra Vernuccio
2
The Creation of Adam
3
“We struggle everyday against prejudices about our bodies, about what to wear, what should be our attitude, our life goals…Nipples are censored, mini skirts banned, if we look nice we can’t be smart enough…Women’s Day is every day.” –Anabel Navarro
4
“H lost her mother at age 6. At 18, she became a single parent. Some relationships expire and that’s ok. We need to teach our children that.” –Asia Werbel
5
“On International Women’s Day what is on my mind is probably what most people are reflecting on right now and that’s Human Right. I am also thinking about the feminine mother energy which is nurturing and puts us in touch with empathy, understanding, acceptance and love. I think about the youth, what they will inherit and how NOW is such a potent time for them to learn, have a voice and come together.” –Emma Summerton
6
“My entire life I have been told I am too ambitious, too opinionated, too bossy, too vulgar, too bitchy, too pretty, too smart for my own good, and the TOOs kept on accumulating. Now I realize I am just too much of a woman and my mere existence is too much for most man to handle. Too bad for them.” –Driely S.
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“Femmes puissantes.” –Hannah Sider
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“The hands of my grandmother, Marguerite, giving a perm in the beauty shop she kept in her basement. She did hair up until a week before she died, just before her 91st birthday.” –Heather Gildroy
9
“I couldn’t imagine life without my sister Sam. She teaches me balance, patience and excitement for all journeys that lie ahead.” –Katie McCurdy
10
“Why should boys have all the fun?” –Emily Malan
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“Tiffany on a warm day in February. Bushwick, Brooklyn.” –Katie Thompson
12
“Dream of Balancing Water” (2015). Courtesy of the artist and Leslie Tonkonow Artworks + Projects.
13
The Fearless Girl (my daughter Jagger staring into the unknown, yet ready to jump towards it)
14
“Women are ‘watching.’ We are participating in the political and social discussions. We are standing up and speaking out, for what we believe in.” –Micol Sabbadini
15
Backstage at Christian Dior womens. Paris Fashion Week, 2017.
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Sisters, Mothers, Daughters, Aunts, and Allies, keep your gaze steady with courage and determination. SolidarityIs Speaking Up, Speaking Out for Women’s Rights, Civil Rights, Human Rights. Wear RED in solidarity DayWithoutAWoman InternationalWomensDay
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Artist Francis Upritchard’s studio in London, 2017
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“Sara” Sara Blomqvist, week 41, photographed a few hours before delivery.
19
“It has been a dark past few months in America but I am still hopeful and still eager to seek beauty in our world. How beautiful it can be to be female.” -Olivia Bee
20
“One of my greatest pleasures is photographing and working with women who inspire and challenge me. This photograph is a still from a failed attempt to make a full-length film with my best friends. I promised myself that someday soon I’ll restart it.” –Olivia Locher
21
‘International Women’s Day, to me, is a reminder of hope, but also that hope alone is not enough. It is a day to reflect on our achievements, and consolidate what it is we still have yet to achieve.” –Steph Wilson
22
Eliana, 2017.
