JUST BECAUSE WE ARE WOMEN...

JUST BECAUSE WE ARE WOMEN... It’s exactly one year since I first graduated from UAL in my BA in photography, so though it’s about time to share my final major project with you. Would I do it differently now some time has passed, probably, am I still proud of the outcome, for sure as I put in a lot of work during a very tough time. So feel free to check it out and let me know what you think! :) 'Just because we are women...' explores societal gender norms and the idea of gender performativity, in particular, how women are socialised into acting out their 'femininity' to find acceptance in society. The project takes a surrealistic approach, appropriating the language of beauty advertising and replacing objects for beautification with common domestic objects, questioning the influence visual culture and the way it depicts women has on how western society perceives femininity. Moreover, it highlights the persisting influence traditional female stereotypes and ideals have on women's lives in contemporary times with a particular focus on women's appearance and their expected role in the domestic space. By citing the lasting existence of these outdated stereotypes, the project wants to invoke the process of unlearning them, helping women to live less socially guided lives. In addition to the images I’ve also produced a fake magazine which you can look at here: https://mixam.co.uk/share/62858829202cfc7728498d19