May 02, 2015
It Was Never A Dress/http://itwasneveradress.com
"It Was Never A Dress" campaign encourages redefining perceptions about women.
Next time you see the signs on a public restroom, take a second look.
That's what a new internet campaign is asking people to do. "It Was Never a Dress" offers a different interpretation of the classic silhouette used to signify a women's restroom. Instead of seeing the triangular figure as a dress, the campaign is reimagining it as a cape.
Awesome campaign. And, indeed - it was never a dress! #ItWasNeverADress pic.twitter.com/9eZumhjXYE
— Phaedra Chrousos (@PSChrousos) May 2, 2015
According to the campaign's website, the intention is to highlight the accomplishments and positive qualities of everyday women:
In science, technology, arts, mathematics, politics, houses of worship, on the streets, and in our homes, insightful women are often uninvited, overlooked, or just plain dismissed. Through storytelling, community building, innovation and creative disruptions, It Was Never a Dress will foster necessary conversations, vital voices, and images from around the world that honor ALL women. When we see women differently… we see the world differently!
The campaign's website will soon be taking submissions for stories, images and ideas that revolve around this topic. The idea came from Tania Katan, an artist for Arizona based software company Axosoft. In a blog post she wrote about launching the campaign at a recent conference for women in technology and how she thought of the idea.
Katan notes that women in her field are often overlooked, which got her to thinking about how women are symbolized in our society:
I thought of the bathroom lady. We’ve all seen her. She’s been in that stiff, triangle dress, looking uncomfortable for a long time. And if she’s a symbol that represents women, then no wonder we’re feeling trapped, rigid and uncomfortable!
So, I set out to see that symbol differently. What if we were just seeing her from the wrong side? Are we staring at her back? What if it was never a dress, but really a cape? What is she is a superhero?!
I made a photocopy of the vector, took out a pen and, in literally four lines, there was a super woman revealed right there. She was there this whole time. It was a profound perception shift.
Those interested in the campaign are encouraged to use the hashtag #ItWasNeverADress to share their ideas on the subject via Twitter and Instagram.
