See Jane skip. See Jane wear a dress. See Jane put on her make‐up. See Dick run. See Dick play football. See Dick drink beer. As children, we are all taught how to walk, how to talk and how to behave. Boys do this, girls do that. But how much of what we learn as children is imbued with questionable notions of gender stereotyping?
According to University of Melbourne academic Michelle Smith, “the cycle of socialising children into believing that girls should like particular things that boys should not, is not only continuing, but is further compartmentalising children into their genders.” And that’s just where it all starts.
Women in particular are force‐fed unrealistic standards of female beauty from a young age. They are constantly bombarded by messages to be sexy and hot. Mass media and advertising imagery generally portray the female body as flawless and perfect – images are often digitally manipulated to an unreal extent.
Consequently, women are encouraged to aspire to an unrealistic notion of female beauty and are often disappointed when this ideal can’t be attained. This immense pressure can manifest itself in very negative ways, in the form of poor self‐esteem, constant self‐doubt and eating disorders. “Am I thin enough? Am I pretty enough?”
This exhibition combines the work of four female photographers who have sought to examine issues of gender roles and body image, through their own unique approach and photographic style. Each body of work challenges the viewer to rethink traditional roles and media portrayals of both men and women.
Artists’ talk on Saturday the 19th of May from 3-5pm.
