The

Gender
Report
Attitudes to gender are moving faster
than ever. Whats driving this shift,
where is it going and what does this
more gender-fluid future look like?

2
Beyond Gender
Will the future be more
gender-fluid?

10
Androgynous Zones
Men and Womenswear collections
are a thing of the past

14
New Feminists
The new generation
fighting for gender equality

20
Mind The Gap
Challenging the notion
of gendered jobs

24
Sexless Sells
Advertising tropes are catching
up with the 21st century

28
The Gender Issue
Gendered media is getting
a much-needed facelift

Fishy, fishy in the brook, father caught it by the hook,

mother fried it in the pan, baby ate it like a man
In our not-too-distant past, gender roles were largely
straightforward, as things went. There was a direct link between
gender, aspiration and expectation, such that women were
generally expected to keep house, and men to bring home,
if not the bacon, then the folk tale fishy in the brook.
Fast-forward to today: globally, the number of female students
in tertiary education has grown almost twice as fast as that of
men since 1970, according to UNESCO figures; in North America,

Beyond Gender

Western Europe, Latin America and Central Asia, womens

enrolment rates surpass those of men. Men increasingly voice

Words by M. Astella Saw

Illustrations by Josh McKenna

support for the feminist movement, for example via HeForShe,

Theres only two options,

youre either a boy or a
girl right? No, not really.
It seems our attitudes to
gender are becoming more
open and fluid by the day

a solidarity campaign for gender equality. Time magazine in 2014

trumpeted that we are at a transgender tipping point. So the role
of fathers is once again coming into the limelight, as the number
of stay-at-home dads increases, and millennial parents search
for ways to equalise opportunities for men in the home. Today,
it seems, gender is up for grabs.

New Generation, New Gender Agenda

Its perhaps no surprise that socially-progressive millennials
(born between 1980 and 2000) are leading the charge against
traditionally accepted gender expectations. The legacy of the
social change and global feminist movements of the 1960s and
1970s, this generation has fewer attachments to traditional social,
political and religious institutions than previous generations
did. More than two-thirds (68%) of US millennials support
same-sex marriage, reports the Washington DC-based Pew
Research Center; in the UK, millennials are more relaxed than
older generations were, at their age, about homosexuality and
non-traditional family structures, according to the British Social
Attitudes survey.
Protein conducted its own survey in late 2014 on millennials
attitudes to gender, which confirms prior studies and assumptions
about this group. Nearly seven out of 10 people (68%) say that

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79%
Protein Gender Survey: 63% of females and

59%
63%

59% of males believe that that children should

grow up in a gender neutral environment

69%

Further, experts insist that any changes in thinking about

notions of gender are far from universal, entwined as they
are with issues of class and education.

Protein Gender Survey: 79% of males

and females said that gender roles have
blurred. 69% of males and females believe

Were seeing the first generation who grew up learning the stuff

there are more than two types of gender

thats taught in womens and gender studies programmes, says

Kate Bornstein, author of My New Gender Workbook:
A Step-by-Step Guide to Achieving World Peace Through Gender

Fashion designers are increasingly turning to unisex fashion,

Anarchy and Sex Positivity. As soon as they got to college,

with androgynous oversized tops here and skinny jeans aplenty

gender is less important to their generation than it was for

they opened Judith Butler and Leslie Feinberg and my books,

there. For the spring/summer 2014 collections, London designer

their parents, while four in five people (79%) say gender

and they thought: This could be fun! But this cutting-edge front

Richard Nicoll and artist Linder Sterling launched a unisex line

roles have blurred. Beyond blurring, in fact, millennials

(of people questioning gender norms) has more to do with class

overwhelmingly question traditional gender binaries, with

and education. A lot of people didnt go to college, and didnt

In culture at large, at least in privileged, first-world circles, we are

seven in 10 people (69%) saying there are more than two

grow up learning that.

seeing the slow but steady erosion of some gender customs and

designer J W Andersons 2014 collection for Spanish brand

stereotypes in beauty, fashion and the media, for instance.

Loewe was shown on male and female models, while Hedi

types of gender. This state of flux brings with it both

Tuncay Zayer agrees: Gender roles can be influenced by race,

Blurred Lines

called S/He, while Paris-based Canadian designer Rad Hourani

introduced a unisex couture collection in 2014. Menswear

excitement and anxiety, as millennial men and women navigate

ethnicity, age, life stage, upbringing and sexuality, among several

The mens beauty industry is booming, Tuncay Zayer says, now

Slimane sent men and women down the runway in glamorous

new gender ground.

other factors, so we need to be careful not to generalise an

that having an attractive appearance is no longer a metrosexual

but nonetheless gender-neutral outfits for his spring/summer

entire generation.

thing its for the everyday Joe. Going beyond mens moisturiser,

2015 Psych Rock collection for Saint Laurent. (See our unisex

says Linda Tuncay Zayer, co-editor of Gender, Culture, and

male make-up is colouring outside the gender lines, from

fashion brief on page 10 for more details.)

Consumer Behavior. However, this fluidity comes hand in hand

Tom Fords and Marc Jacobss mens beauty collections (the latter

with certain tensions. For example, while most millennial men

including a skin brightener and an eyebrow-grooming gel, bearing

challenging gender assumptions of parenthood. On the websites

may find being an involved father is a big part of masculinity, that

the tagline Boy Tested, Girl Approved) to gender-neutral make-up

Mothers Meeting and Motherland, women decline to be

doesnt necessarily mean they would not feel some hesitation

brand Enter Pronoun. The trends break geographical boundaries,

identified primarily by their reproductive abilities: parenting

too: South Korean men make up the largest market (21% of

is just one of the topics, among fashion, art, culture, food

global sales) for mens skincare in the world, according to market

and travel, that readers discuss. For millennial dads, the

In todays society, gender has become a fluid concept for many,

about being a stay-at-home dad. These tensions existed for

Generation X men as gender roles changed, and they exist for
millennial men too.
Similar tensions exist for women, of course. Millennial women
are normally clued-up about feminism they expect to be seen
as capable intellects, says Kathryn Lofton, chair of Womens,

In todays society, gender

has become a fluid concept
for many. However, this
fluidity comes hand in hand
with certain tensions

research firm Euromonitor, with growth expected to continue.

Blurring lines of a different fashion, new media outlets are

handsome Kindling Quarterly is quietly transformative in its

thought-provoking presentations of current-day fatherhood.
I wanted a place to discuss a more feminist, more engaged, more
thoughtful version of fatherhood, says Kindling publisher and

Gender and Sexuality Studies at Yale University.

editor David Michael Perez. Were seeing a lot of different ideas

But once women reach their childbearing years, Lofton says,

about gender normativity. We are, hopefully, witnessing the

they realise they can sacrifice themselves on the altar of a career,

slow death of the rigid alpha male archetype its increasingly

or on the altar of the home. Many young women feel as if theres

anachronistic and unnecessary. But theres still a lot of hesitation

going to be a moment in the future that will test their feminism:

among men to explore the emotions that come up around

home or work? Theres a sense of existential questioning.

parenting, and around their own experiences with their fathers.

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Transparent portrays a middle-aged transgender woman as

she transitions from Mort into Maura. Last year, the Broadway
musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, a tale of a transgender rock
n roll singer, won four Tony Awards. Off stage, the highestpaid female CEO in America, Martine Rothblatt, happens to be
a transwoman. And, in the UK, politician Emily Brothers, who
will stand in the May 2015 general election, is the first openly
transgender person to run for the UK parliament.
Some high-profile companies have begun thinking outside

G Is For Gender
As the waves of progress wash forward, our best hopes
lie, perhaps, in educating future generations, and providing

the gender-binary box as well. Facebook users may choose from

environments which are free of gender stereotype for

some 50 gender options including polygender and intersex

developing minds.

person. Googles social network, Google+, simply leaves a

customisable space to let users describe their gender however

New initiatives question the unrelentingly gendered options

in toys and clothing for children. In Australia and the UK,
advocacy groups Play Unlimited and Let Toys Be Toys work

they want or not at all.

But Bornstein remains cautious of overstating mainstream

to eliminate the gendered marketing of toys to children; Play

acceptance of transgender people and those who call themselves

Unlimited launched the high-profile No Gender December

non-binaries. There is still a lot of discomfort when it comes

campaign in the lead-up to the gift fest of Christmas 2014.

mentorship programme to help boys and young men of colour.

Key to the move towards a more nuanced understanding of

to dealing with more than two genders, she says. The people

Similarly, the Pink Stinks campaign targets the products, media

Simmilary in Barcelona, the Boyhood Project advocates raising

gender identity is the growing acceptance that gender is not

who are moving away from the binary are still outlaws. Theyre

and marketing that prescribe heavily stereotyped and limiting

and educating emotionally intelligent boys to thrive in the world.

a clear-cut, black and white question of man and woman. As

still shunned, even in the most liberal, urban centres. After Ohio

roles to young girls. Meanwhile, seeking to clothe their offspring

Elsewhere, film-maker Jennifer Siebel Newsoms The Mask We

author Kate Bornstein says; Transpeople arent really interested

transgender teenager Leelah Alcorns suicide, the groundswell

in unisex outfits designed to please children not just boys or

Live In, which explores how a narrow definition of masculinity

Men, Women And The Rest Of Us

in traditional gender roles either.

On a governmental level, change is slowly being effected, as

of support for trans rights on the internet was astounding. But so

girls millennial parents are turning to kids clothing labels Bobo

harms boys and society at large, will premiere at the 2015

was the backlash.

Choses (Spain), Tootsa MacGinty (UK), Raised Wild (US), Mini

Sundance Film Festival.

countries around the world rewrite their laws to recognise the

Australia and New Zealand, citizens may choose to be listed

as male, female or indeterminate in their passport. In India,
Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, the countries highest courts
have all passed landmark rulings recognising a third gender for
people who do not wish to identify as male or female. In early
2015, the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh elected Madhu
Bai Kinnar, Indias first transgender mayor.

progressive countries has much to teach the rest of us. Here,

However the groundbreaking work in girls and womens

their gender, image and birth name on official documents,

without first having surgery or a psychiatric diagnosis. In

On an institutional level, early years education in more

Rodini and Polarn O Pyret (both Sweden).

rights of transgender people. In Argentina, adults may change

Were seeing a lot of

different ideas about
gender normativity. We
are, hopefully, witnessing
the slow death of the rigid
alpha male archetype

empowerment has not yet been matched by similar efforts in

there are conscious efforts to wipe out gender discrimination

boys and mens awareness-raising. There is a neglected area

from the youngest ages. In Sweden, for instance, the national

of dialogue when it comes to boys and ideas about masculinity,

curriculum for preschools requires early years centres to

says Tuncay Zayer. Efforts are increasingly being made to

counteract traditional gender patterns and gender roles.

consider how this half of our society may create spaces for

Ideal examples of the gender-neutral approach, Stockholms

themselves in more gender-fluid times. In 2014, president

Nicolaigrden and Egalia preschools work to free children from

gender stereotypes: for example, teachers try to avoid him, her,

Barack Obama launched My Brothers Keeper, a nationwide

boy and girl by using gender-neutral pronouns and calling all

children friends.

In many ways, too, mainstream culture is increasingly,

Institutions in other countries have had to battle less tolerant

ever-so-gently challenging the binary assumptions of gender.

mindsets. Witness the commotion and handwringing that

In 2014, transgender actress Laverne Cox was nominated for

ensued when a primary school in East Sussex, UK, introduced

an Emmy award for her work in the television series Orange

unisex toilets last year to, the headteacher said, prevent any

is the New Black. The critically acclaimed drama series

transphobia at the school.

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70%

Protein Gender Survey: 83% of females

and 76 % of males disagreed with the
statement that all genders are treated
equally by society in their country

67%

Protein Gender Survey: 67% of females

and 70 % of males confirmed that gender
is less important for their generation than

83%

it was for my parents generation

Gender Evolution
Despite changing assumptions of gender, and ever-louder voices

%
6
7

calling for equal treatment of men, women and, yes, the rest
of us, gender inequality remains rife. Indeed, our survey found
that most people (83% of women and 76% of men) do not

their gender. But people on the ground, too, have choices

believe that all genders are treated equally by society in their

to make. Consumers can be powerful mechanisms for change,

country. The facts are sobering: while the number of women

heading Fortune 500 corporations reached a high in 2014, that

rewarding companies, for example, that depict men and women

number 24 represented just 4.8% of these companies. Only

past generations, stereotypes of gender norms remain so deeply

seven of 150 elected heads of state in the world are women.

rooted that it would take a complete and sustained overhaul of

Internationally, the gender pay gap still exists, even in the most

institutional and public policy and social expectations before we

progressive Scandinavian countries. Gender inequality at the

attain a state resembling gender equality.

macro level trickles down to the street: the Everyday Sexism

in advertising in ways that are both appealing and responsible,

Ultimately, while society has taken great steps forward over

As the traditional assumptions of gender are increasingly put

Project, which catalogues real-life instances of sexism from

into question, these could be transformative times. Lofton,

casual to outr is just one example bearing witness to the many

the Yale professor, urges the necessity of re-examining the

ways in which women still experience gender discrimination

reproductive narrative not only the act of reproduction, but also

in every part of the world, every day.

the entire tragicomedy of rearing a child, and the expectations

and responsibilities that come with it. Bornstein, the trans

Tuncay Zayer explains. Her recent research found that many


Consumers can be powerful
mechanisms for change,
rewarding companies, for
example, that depict men
and women in advertising
in ways that are both
appealing and responsible

advertising executives showed concern for portraying women in

a positive light, while men did not receive that same consideration.
It is still common practice in the industry to portray men
as bumbling dads, she says. Such tropes demean us all.
As individuals, there is much soul-searching to be done as
we attempt to tease apart the tensions that accompany an
ambiguous gender paradigm. For most of us, the tussle with
gender dynamics will take place not on an abstract, societal
level, but in our own lives. Beyond male make-up, will we can

activist and author, looks forward to a future where language

we truly allow ourselves the freedom to redefine widely

more accurately reflects the ambiguity of gender perhaps with

accepted notions of maleness and femaleness?

Theres a whole gamut of expectations that people have,

increased use of the gender-neutral pronoun they instead of he

or she. Elsewhere, Perez, the publisher, is keen to contemplate

and were trying to evolve as quickly as we can, Perez says.

what men look like outside of patriarchy.

On a personal level, the more my wife and I can see each other
as partners outside of gender dynamics, the happier weve been,

Undoubtedly, what Tuncay Zayer calls institutions of power

and the happier our family has been as a whole. But were still

government, industry, the media have a responsibility to make

gendered people, and were still navigating this terrain.

lasting transformations that equally value people, regardless of

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Androgynous Zones
Words by Charlotte Philby

Never an industry to shy away from pushing

boundaries, the fashion world is
redefining the aesthetics of gender

Opposite: Howls Spring/Summer 2015

collection features minimalist silhouettes that
appeal to both female and male buyers
Right: Designer Maria Glck says customers
want to experiment with new looks and pieces,
like skirts, regardless of their gender.
Photos by Christoph Neumann

When designer Rad Hourani sent a fleet of male and female

models in silver masks down the catwalk in gender-neutral
clothing at his Spring/Summer 2014 couture show, he caused
quite a stir. This was the first time unisex clothing had been
shown at a couture fashion show. It wasnt, however, the first
instance of fashion disregarding gender; a number of designers,
both emerging and established, have recently experimented
with gender in various ways.
Consider how British designer JW Anderson has challenged
the conformity of male clothing by creating menswear with
exposed shoulders, knee-length tops, and even the occasional
leather dress. Or how designer brands like Raf Simons and
Prada both opted for a mix of male and female models at their
menswear shows at Paris Fashion Week this year. Gucci used
mixed models to show its distinctly feminine menswear in
Milan last year, while Saint Laurent, under creative director
Hedi Slimane, has produced menswear for both genders,
made in smaller sizes for women. Publications from the
New York Times to the Huffington Post are drawing attention
to this trend it seems as though unisex is having a fashion

which produce clothing in simple cuts and muted colours are

moment. Everyones trying to do it, observes freelance fashion

on the rise. The clean shapes and more minimalist approach

writer Dean Kissick.

to dressing which is bubbling through the industry have relaxed

traditional dressing rules, says Chris Hobbs, style editor at

So how did we get here? Why is the fashion world, which

previously split its presentation of womenswear and menswear,

luxury fashion retailer Matches Fashion.

Alongside this hunger for minimalism there has also been

now coalescing under one ambiguous-gender banner?

a change in purchasing habits. Consumers have, for the past few

This can partly be explained by aesthetics (were talking

fashion, after all). A growing section of todays fashion

years, become increasingly comfortable with buying and wearing

consumers now prefer to dress more simply, so the details and

items originally intended for the opposite sex. Just look at the

embellishments that typically help differentiate womenswear

swathes of men who traipsed into female denim departments

from menswear are less evident. Fashion brands such as Acne

in search of the skinny look during the noughties. Or how in the

past few years the relaxed-fit boyfriend jean, which belongs to
or appears to belong to their other half has become part


The clean shapes and more
minimalist approach to
dressing which is bubbling
through the industry
have relaxed traditional
dressing rules

of womens fashion vocabulary.

This particular shift directly inspired London-based denim label
Bethnals, one of a number of new unisex brands. Head designer
Melissa Clement focuses on quality rather than specific cuts for
men or women. Ive been drawn in by the similarities of mens
and womens jeans, with women buying into the boyfriend jean,
for instance, or men squeezing into their girlfriends skinny jeans
to get the drainpipe look, says Clement. There really is a blur
in boundaries for styles.

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Agnese Narnicka, designer of unisex clothing brand One Wolf,

chosen to or not. If you go to a town centre outside of London,

based in Latvia, was also inspired to create her gender-neutral

youll now see young straight men even boys without much

clothing by observing similar shopping habits. Often women

interest in fashion dressing in super-feminine fashion such as

cannot find clothing that suits them in the selection of womens

leggings, UGG boots and being super-groomed, says Kissick.

clothing, but find it on the shelves of the mens department, and

Its the One Direction look.

vice versa, she says.

Unisex purchasing is more than just a way to achieve an
of-the-moment style that happens to be borrowed from the
opposite sex. Theres a deeper cultural change in play here.
Sara Weston has noticed this. Her London-based brand, SJW
clothing, launched in 2013, makes clothes for both genders.
But while SJW menswear looks like menswear, so does its

Unisex style is like

a cultural mirror. It
shows what is currently
happening in society and
whats in the air

womenswear. Weston has taken classic male staples such as

cultural context where dressing in a way that crosses gender

barriers is becoming the norm have all contributed to a new
context for fashion. Its this gender-blurring spirit that has
encouraged Raf Simons, JW Anderson and Prada to experiment
with gender in their menswear shows, and has inspired fashion
brands to rethink how they present themselves.
Saint Laurents Slimane, for example, has looked at gender

duffel coats, wool blazers and baseball jackets and cut them to fit

ambiguity in complementary projects to his clothing lines, such

feminine silhouettes.
Weve been brought up in cultures where the men are strong

Feminine menswear, converging shopping habits, and a new

as his exhibition for the brands Psych Rock collection, where

gender dressing. Kanye West, for instance, a male rapper, is met

models are shot with their backs to the camera to keep their

heroes, tough and cant show weakness, and this is really

with only the slightest eyebrow raise when performing in a blouse

gender unknown.

reflected in how menswear has developed, says Weston.

by womens brand Cline. A$AP Rocky, another rapper who

Womenswear is traditionally more whimsical and about frills

is known to reference fashion designers in his lyrics, regularly

themselves as unisex, as weve seen with One Wolf, Bethnals

and curves, reflecting what has defined femininity. But not all

wears knee-length T-shirts that are not dissimilar in length

and SJW. The consumers of these brands are completely

modern women are like that. We also want to put on a pair of

to a dress. Young Thug, a more underground rapper, wears

at home with being unisex buyers, and are almost devoid of

high-waisted, pleated trousers that are strong, cool

ridiculous clothes and nail varnish, says Kissick. Theres just a

preconceptions of gender. Spanish designer Maria Glck,

and minimalist.

widespread acceptance of homosexuality or transgender, which

who produces unisex clothing under her brand Howl, says her

Its not about gender any more, its about how you feel as a

would have been unthinkable even five years ago. Its huge that

customers are looking precisely for this freedom. They want to

person on that spectrum of what is known as boy and girl.

the biggest rappers have come out and said its ok to be gay.

buy a style of look because they identify with it, independent of

Its a trend thats seeing fashion consumers, previously

A similar shift can be seen among female fashion icons, many

This has also led to entire fashion brands positioning

the gender of the model who wears it on the photos or fashion

constrained by gender divisions, buy into brands that experiment

of whom are inspiring a generation of female fashion consumers

show, says Glck. I get orders from women for clothing worn by

within this gender spectrum. Unisex style is like a cultural

to adopt a tomboyish, grungy style, says Hobbs. Its the

men in the fashion show, and men interested in garments worn

mirror, says One Wolfs Narnicka. It shows what is currently

continuation of the 90s revival, which has dominated fashion for

by female models.

happening in society and whats in the air. The world is moving

the past few seasons, he says. Girls have embraced the grunge

towards equality and human sincerity, not differentiating society

aesthetic which has been ubiquitous on celebrities such as Cara

Co-founder John Targon explains that his customers arent

into genders, orientations or races.

Delevingne and Alexa Chung. Plaid shirts, 501s, Dr Martens

looking to buy into any kind of genderless trend; they look beyond

and Stan Smiths have become staple items in both mens and

gender identities or even disregard them altogether. They

womens wardrobes.

arent specifically interested in our brand because its unisex,

Every fashion movement owes a debt to the style icons that

help fuel it. Genderless fashion has its fair share, which helps to
legitimise people wishing to free themselves from classic

Baja East, based in New York, produces ambisexual clothing.

Various other celebrities are demonstrating some curious

but because it is comfortable, flattering and fits their lifestyle,

nuances of this movement. Justin Bieber, Harry Styles of One

explains Targon. Its about sizing we offer size 00 to 4 and

raincoat manufacturer Stutterheim to produce a line of unisex

Direction and TV personality Joey Essex have all made audacious

styling that takes it from man to woman and vice versa.

outerwear. London department store Selfridges has also clocked

style choices such as lycra-tight jeans and loose-fitting tunic

Targon points out a modern dilemma faced by genderless

onto the new mood, announcing Agender, a temporary unisex

tops. In turn theyve inspired a generation of male teenagers to

brands: the vast majority of stores divide the womens clothing

fashion department that opens in March 2015 with clothing by

buy into a more feminine look whether theyve pro-actively

from the mens, but unisex clothing needs to be in both

brands such as Ann Demeulemeester, Comme des Garons and

departments. In most of the stores where we sell, the mens and

Meadham Kirchhoff.

Left: One Wolfs latest unisex collection reflects

womens areas are split and often our customer may not even

consumers changing attitudes, and rejection of

know the same sweater is on the womens side too, he says.

gender-stereotyping. Photo by Martins Cirulis

The move towards unisex fashion could be an issue for larger

Opposite: Baja East creates loose, luxurious

With fast-fashion stores hungry for new trends, it might not

be long before gender-ambiguous clothing, or at least a
watered-down version of it, is seen across all mainstream

retailers unwilling to adapt or abandon the traditional in-store

fashion retailers. I think we will see JW Andersons influence

S/S 15 range, allowing everyone to buy into the

division between mens and womens collections, especially as

trickle into the high street over the next few seasons, says

genderless trend

larger brands are cottoning onto this new zeitgeist. In the UK,

Hobbs. Perhaps its time for bigger retailers to consider a new

for instance, Whistles has already collaborated with Swedish

third-gender department alongside mens and womens.

clothes in a wide selection of sizes, as seen in its

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Its a common misconception that contemporary feminism has l

Jennifer Lyon Bell

lost its relevance one minute it needs to be rebranded, and the

Online feminists are not only revolutionising the

next its a Paris fashion week buzzword. But thats changing.

platforms on which sexism can be discussed, theyre

A new generation of feminists is finding its own voice online, using

also grappling with gender issues created because of

the wide range of social-media tools at its disposal. Its Facebook

the internet. Mainstream pornography is ubiquitous,

groups, Tumblr and Wordpress blogs and Twitter feeds that we

largely free and unfortunately peddles some pretty

now regularly see being used to express opinions and outrage

retrogressive depictions of female sexuality. But one

about political and social incidents, from Pussy Riots protest

woman determined to change all that is film-maker

performance to the campaign to end Page Three in The Sun.

Jennifer Lyon Bell. Her erotic films, which depict

These outlets are being appropriated by millennials who are

New Feminists
Words by Bertie Brandes
Photos by Teska Overbeeke (opposite) and Viv Vadoliya

Empowered by the
possibilities presented
by the internet, a wave
of passionate young
feminists are making
strides towards a more
equal society

clearly affectionate couples, feel more like short-film

seeking greater reason and equality when it comes to gender.

competition entries to international film festivals than

Our Protein Gender Survey, which asked people aged 16 to 30

traditional pornography; and, of course, they do away

about their views on gender issues, sheds light on how feminism

with the stereotype of a man dominating a woman.

has become a key part of these young peoples identities, men as

A lot of mainstream porn has become frozen,

well as women: 78% of female respondents identify themselves

explains Lyon Bell. It cant surprise people anymore

as feminists, while half of males say the same.

because its become so rote; the positions are rote,

When TV networks and newspapers fail to pick up on the issues

the expressions are rote. Female viewers can end

that matter to this group, social media and other digital tools

up feeling alienated by the misrepresentation of

offer an alternative place for discussion. There has been a rise in

female arousal. I try to make the viewer feel like they

the visibility of feminist conversations because the way we make

understand the characters emotional states and why

and consume media has changed, explains Wagatwe Wanjuki,

theyre interested specifically in each other.

a feminist activist and journalist based in New York. When

Unfortunately, finding a platform from which to

people feel their stories are being ignored by the mainstream

present positive alternatives to standard porn isnt as

media they can create their own content and make a noise that

straightforward as setting up a Tumblr account. Most

forces the mainstream to take notice.

of us have been kicked off a social networking site or

Beyond being a great tool for self-expression, social media

video hosting site even when we were scrupulously

gives feminists an easy way to start a conversation that

following the rules, says Lyon Bell. Hopefully this is a

previously may have comprimised their own safety.

problem feminists interested in sexual representation

Social media has made it easier than ever to talk about an issue,

can start to address in 2015; online pornography is

bring up a conversation and question and challenge each other,

an incredibly important factor in how comfortable

explains Julia Gray, co-founder of anti-harassment platform

women feel using the internet. While the mainstream

Hollaback London. The fact that this conversation can happen

media is guilty of fetishising rigid beauty ideals, so

from the safety of your own home has a real appeal.

too is mainstream porn of misrepresenting womens

Its also now easier to take part in a debate from a digital device.

sexuality, to the extent that Lyon Bells films full of

Helen Lewis, deputy editor of the New Statesman, embraced

Twitter as a way of communicating directly with her followers
about feminism, among other issues. Social media and online
forums have helped more women get involved in feminism
because they no longer have to find a babysitter, drive for miles
or give up a shift at work in order to attend a meeting, she notes.

accurate representations have been championed by


A lot of mainstream porn
has become frozen. It cant
surprise people anymore

Online, the meeting is happening all the time.

sexologists, and even deemed therapeutic.

There is a small community of people working on
these alternatives. Most of us collaborate frequently,
share tips and make movies together, explains
Lyon Bell, but the growing interest from mainstream
pornography sites might soon change that. Letters

Digital media also allows access to feminist thinkers who would

from my viewers are making me suspect theres a

previously have only been heard through articles in journals or

big chunk of porn-watchers whod like an occasional

academic books. Feminists such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

alternative, especially if female sexuality is shown in

and Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook and the

a really appealing alternative way.

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Girls Get Busy

Beth Siveyer is the founder and editor of Girls Get
Busy, a feminist platform that publishes the work
of writers, artists and musicians.
It started as a printed zine, but Siveyer quickly saw
the potential of building an online presence, for

author of Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead,

a generation that has grown up in the digital age.

not only write bestselling books, but also engage in easy-to-

Now in its fifth year, Girls Get Busy includes a Tumblr

access supplementary activity online, such as live TED talks.

and many women now contact Siveyer online.

These punchy, digestible statements about feminism can then

I wanted to make a creative platform and support

network for girls to showcase their work and ideas
about feminism and to feel part of a community

be easily shared through peoples online networks. A section

of Adichies talk was even sampled in a recent Beyonc track.
Some of these thinkers head straight to social tools.

with a voice, explains Siveyer. I definitely feel that

Alongside her high-profile public appearances at

moving from print to digital has enabled the zine to

policy-making conferences such as Davos, Emma Watson,

reach out to many more people and I hope by making

actor and UN Womens Goodwill Ambassador, uses her Twitter

it available online for free it inspires readers to be

account, which has over 16m followers, to spread messages

creative or at least give them comfort that they are

about the UN HeForShe campaign, which emphasises the

not alone, she says.

importance of including men in the feminist conversation.

Siveyer was driven to start the zine having been

At the heart of these initiatives lies the hashtag, a simple way

one of many women left disillusioned by the feminist

of tagging thousands of opinions for anyone online to access.

voices she was expected to identify with. Feminism

Notable recent global trends include #yesallwomen and

often has to be compromised in the mainstream

#rapecultureiswhen, while the Hashtag Feminism (#F) website

as well as the growing number of women who find that, despite

media and tends to pander to the straight male

collects all the top feminist trends and tweets. Hashtags can

the freedom to share ideas and engage online, there is also the

gaze, she says. Theres a very long way to go in

allow us to see conversations that emerge at the intersection of

threat of equally public anti-feminist reaction.

terms of diverse representation. The mainstream

gender and racial justice in real time, says Hashtag Feminism

might be bleak, but with an increasing number of

founder Tara L Conley. One hundred years from now, when

policed internet where everyone is free, for the most part, to

issues finding an audience through social media,

were rummaging through the web for data, well be able to

communicate what they please, the opportunity for feminists

she anticipates more serious discussion and

pinpoint a moment in time when feminists organised, resisted,

to express themselves en masse is having a profoundly positive

awareness to come. As well as introducing new ideas

and told stories on their own terms.

impact overall. Greater connectedness, largely through

about feminism into the mainstream, pockets of

Hashtags can draw sudden attention to issues that previously

While these problems will continue to exist in a largely un-

social media, has allowed for a kind of mass-consciousness

social media are increasingly drawing people into

received little recognition, and allow people who previously

raising, where people are able to share critiques and personal

discussions about topics, such as gender neutrality,

suffered in silence to find ways to share their experiences as

experiences with a low cost of entry, says Alexandra Brodsky,

and away from judgmental voices. Its important that

a form of protest. One of the great effects of these digital

an editor of online platform Feministing.

creative platforms like Girls Get Busy are there to

platforms is that traditionally marginalised voices now have

provide much-needed punctuation amidst the chaos

space where they can express themselves and be heard,

form on Tumblr, where people can curate a feed much like a diary

of constant sharing.

comments Wanjuki. An example is the emergence of the

or scrapbook, but with the added ability to connect with other,

#gamergate hashtag in 2014, which resulted in widespread

like-minded users. Artist and photographer Arvida Bystrm has

recognition of sexism in video gaming.

found success both online and offline by challenging social and

Alongside the zine, Siveyer curates quotes,

thoughts and images from across Tumblr on the front
page of her website, constantly engaging with new

Dig a little deeper, however, and its easy to see that

Aside from the tweets and hashtags, feminism takes a unique

beauty ideals through her Tumblr account, where she frequently

audiences and sharing ideas. Aesthetically, Girls

cyberspace also has disadvantages. While the internet provides

posts images of herself created using a webcam or camera

Get Busy has adapted zine culture for the internet

platforms where feminism can flourish, its also responsible for

phone. All-female artist platform The Ardorous, curated by

age. Its an update of the cut-and-paste photocopied

disseminating sexist material, attitudes and expectations.

photographer Petra Collins, uses Tumblr to show honest, sensitive,

zines, such as Bikini Kill, published in the early 1990s

An extreme example is the mocking of victims of sexual attack

realistic photographic representations of women. It feels like

by its namesake riot-girl band, and Shocking Pink,

on platforms such as Twitter and Instagram. Then there are the

an artistic manifestation of what Angela McRobbie and Jenny

a grassroots magazine created in the 1980s

many trolls who deliberately target victims with hurtful remarks,

Garber described in 1978 as bedroom culture, referring to girls

bedrooms as a kind of haven, free from authority and expectation.

discussing issues around contraception, queer

Page 16


One hundred years from
now, well be able to
pinpoint a moment in time
when feminists organised,
resisted, and told
stories

culture and womens rights. Girls Get Busy is an

Other websites function as tools where people can contribute

example of how Tumblr is the natural home for

their personal experiences. The Hollaback London website takes

modern-day versions of these zines and proof

advantage of the internets ability to easily catalogue information

that bedroom culture is more alive than ever.

to provide a way for women to share their experiences of

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Cuntry Living
Feminist zine Cuntry Living began life as a small

prejudice online. Visitors to the site can scroll through

Hysteria

cut-and-stick project put together by a group of

Bjrk Grue Lidin is the editor-in-chief and publisher

Oxford University students, but after the founders

turning their frustration into something empathetic and

of Hysteria, a print and online magazine that

set up a Facebook page it attracted 7,000 readers.

productive.

champions a number of feminist voices from across

It was important for us to provide a safe, judgement-free

the world. Its writers opinions are eons away from

co-founder Alys Hale sees it as a natural place for

space for storytelling for people to share how they might

those of mainstream newspaper columnists like

debate and support. Its an amazing way of bringing

have responded to their harasser had they felt safe enough or

Caitlin Moran or activists such as Facebooks chief

like-minded feminists together, explains Hale. With

thought quickly enough, explains Hollabacks Gray. Our aim is

operating officer Sheryl Sandberg. In fact, Hysterias

Facebook, it very easily bleeds out into the feeds of

to provide people with a bit of solidarity in a city that offers little,

aim is to question the dominant strand of feminist

those who might not identify as feminists and will

and to give them the chance to have their voices heard. In return,

thinking thats largely created by those living in

hopefully expose them to a more positive view on

the site has become an ever-expanding testimony to pervasive

liberal and Western capitalist countries expect

equality. While the group is closed in order to allow

discrimination against women in the UK.

essays on disability, body politics and people

members to feel safer, the admin will accept anyone

trafficking, among other topics.

who wishes to join. We want to ensure it remains a

thousands of personal accounts and offer their own in response,

As long as the internet and social media remain open tools for

Members post thoughts, questions and stories, and

political views, feminism will continue to find a voice online, and

Despite this innate suspicion of the mainstream,

in turn, these views will hopefully increasingly permeate our

Hysteria is far from elitist, and each issue is available

wider society. I think feminism will continue to be normalised

free online. We were never interested in producing

to explore new ideas about feminism. But with

and gender justice values will be increasingly integrated into how

an exclusive feminist publication available for the

so many voices online from the radical to the

our society functions, predicts Wanjuki.

few, explains Grue Lidin. From day one, our goal

more mainstream it can be hard to maintain a

was to engage everyone in the debates we lay out in

consistently positive message. With such huge

our periodical.

amounts of information available I sometimes worry

group that can have a really positive effect on people.

When it was launched, the zines intention was

Grue Lidin welcomes the growing number of online

that the message gets lost, says Hale. One of the

communities taking on the status quo. However,

most frustrating issues, and a catalyst for the birth

shes equally keen to point out holes in the digital

of Cuntry Living, was inter-feminist aggression.

revolution. Im not a big fan of the notion of a

Although frustrating, this apparently hostile

fourth wave of feminism, defined by activism on the

behaviour feels typical of, and wholly necessary to,

internet, she asserts. A large number of feminists

the new, highly self-conscious feminism emerging

around the world dont have access to the internet,

online. Comments like check your privilege

or they choose to perform their feminism outside

might seem accusatory, but it ensures that users

of the internet, and rightly so.

consider their situation before laying into another

After all, much of the internets structure mirrors

person, building understanding and inclusion in the

that of a patriarchal society but, as problematic as

community over time.

it may be, the ability to interact with an audience

Its also a community thats expanded beyond

as diverse as possible is clearly essential to Hysteria.

Facebook. Tumblr is creating a feminist aesthetic

Grue Lidin sees the free digital version as a solution

that is recognisable and accessible, explains Hale.

to the high production costs that have somewhat

In the same way that each wave or movement had

restricted the advert-free print magazines global

sartorial signifiers from the suffragettes colours

availability. The internet is amazing because it

allows us to reach people in different corners of the
world, says Grue Lidin. Many of our contributors
from India for example would never have heard
about us if we didnt have an online presence.

Tumblr is creating a
feminist aesthetic that is
recognisable and accessible

The ability to distribute content freely and globally

Page 18

to the third waves juxtaposition of combat boots

and babydolls on Tumblr we now find art and selfportraits that challenge traditional standards
of beauty.
Together, the Facebook group, Tumblr and
print zine create a user-driven mass distillation of

is vital to the team, especially as a number of its

contemporary culture and social issues that first and

feminist accounts, essays and art are submitted from

foremost reach millennials, although in the future

outside Europe. Hysterias decision to exist

Cuntry Living plans to utilise an even wider range

as a living, digital document means that the unheard

of channels to engage with a much broader group of

voices of feminism it stands behind will find more

people. Wherever this route might take them, they

ears than ever before.

assure us the message will never change.

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When Indias Mars mission entered the planets orbit in

2014, the control room was crowded with triumphant
faces yet the story that captured the worlds attention
wasnt about a successful, highly technical mission, but
rather the number of women involved on the project.
Images of the programmes many women scientists
celebrating the achievement went viral helping to shake
off stereotypes of womens work and inspiring thousands
of girls to dream of joining the exploration of space.
That so many women have an integral role in a space
programme shouldnt be that striking. Over the past year,
a record 100 women were voted into the US Congress,
women began to outnumber men at medical and business
schools, and theyre starting businesses at a faster rate
than men. But, despite a few high-profile examples, there
is still a sizeable gap when it comes to career equality.
To detail all of the ways in which women are underrepresented in key industries would take more pages than

Career Inequality

this magazine has, but in the spirit of brevity, some key

statistics: companies with women CEOs only got 3% of

Words by Gwyneth Holland

Illustrations by Gaurab Thakali

venture capital funding between 2011 and 2013,

As women make some serious

advances in traditionally
male jobs, what will the
long-term consequences of
this rebalancing be?

according to research by the Diana Project. In 2012,

women accounted for 49% of the bottom 99% of earners
in the US; but for just 11% of the top 1%, according
to a report compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of
Minneapolis. Since 1901, 575 men have received a
Nobel Prize in science, compared with only 17
women. Women make up only 3% of creative directors
in advertising, take up only 4% of engineering
apprenticeships, and only 1% of UK jobs in STEM fields
(science, technology, engineering and mathematics)
are held by women the lowest proportion in Europe.
The huge inequality in these important, innovative and
lucrative industries could be preventing many women
from having a stake in the future economy, and its largely
down to old-fashioned sexism, according to Anna Beninger,
research director of equality campaigning organisation
Catalyst. Tech-intensive industries have a very poor
reputation for supporting gender diversity, she says.
The image of brogrammer culture reigns in technology,
and the old boys club in oil and gas companies. And it
turns out that this reputation is well-deserved, as we saw
recently with the release of workforce statistics from top
technology firms including Facebook, Twitter, Google
and Apple. Each of these companies self-reported gender
balance is around 30% female to 70% male, but the
proportion of women in the technological heart of some of
these businesses drops to as little as 10%.

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ultra-high-achievers are less inspirational for women than peers,

or those just a few years ahead in education or work. According
to Ann Francke, chief executive of the Chartered Management
Institute: Without accessible, inspiring women highlighted
To give you an example of how far behind these industries are,

in the public eye, its no surprise were lacking a pipeline of

a senior female executive at a prominent oil and gas company

talented women aiming for top jobs. If men in our workplaces are

recently said the best advice she would give to up-and-coming

inherently biased towards taking their lead from the men in their

women in her industry is to use a black coffee mug in the office

lives rather than the women, its unlikely theyre championing

because it doesnt show lipstick marks, says Beninger.

and nurturing their female and male employees equally.

That was shocking to hear.

Many of the worlds biggest companies are now introducing

Computing giant Intel is also contributing to the development

of a larger and stronger pool of skilled workers. The company
recently announced a $300m investment to help build a more

While this may sound like an extreme example, when women

mentoring programmes to give junior employees guidance and

diverse pipeline of engineers and computer scientists, to support

are not welcomed into these key industries, it could short-circuit

inspiration from women higher up the ladder. And where those

hiring and retaining more women, and to fund programmes

the economy. Despite being some of the fastest-growing areas

support networks dont exist, women are creating their own

that boost positive representation within the technology and

of employment, they have a seriously undersupplied talent

industry-spanning networks to support each other and

gaming industries.

pipeline; in the UK, theres an annual 40,000 shortfall in STEM

share experiences. Leading groups include TechLady Mafia

graduates sufficiently qualified to fill key roles. It stands to

and The Li.st (technology), WISE (engineering), Enterprising

campaigners are having to take a multi-prong approach to

reason that businesses must look beyond the stereotypes of

Women (entrepreneurship), the 3% Conference and its

inspire more women to explore STEM careers. Girls are being

macho engineers or geeky guys to fill the gap.

associated organisation (advertising) and Women On Boards

encouraged to think about pursuing a STEM career: new

(senior management).

governmental and industry initiatives aim to showcase the

But the tide is beginning to turn. The G20 summit has stated
that womens participation in the workforce is the biggest

Other businesses are helping to promote career equality by

In the all-important STEM industries, companies and

diversity of careers for women through outreach projects

untapped resource in boosting the global economy.

working with women-owned enterprises. Women-run businesses

in schools and apprenticeships for girls. Women working at

The Womens Business Council estimates that the UK could

now make up 10% of Marriotts supplier base, accounting for

engineering giant Arup act as ambassadors for the industry,

add 10% (150bn) to its GDP by 2030 if all the women who

over $257m of the brands spending every year. Marriott is now

giving talks in schools and universities and appearing at the

wanted to work were employed.

working with leading NGOs WEConnect International and Vital

Big Bang Fair, an event for young scientists and engineers.

Voices to train 15,000 female business owners and will spend

JCB is promoting its apprenticeships to young women, taking

among women between 2007 and 2013, according to a survey

$1.5bn with their companies by 2018.

on a record number of female apprentices in 2014 nine girls

by Cambridge Occupational Analysts. The proportion of girls

out of its intake of 59.

studying STEM subjects is rising faster than the proportion of

As well as boosting national economies, having more women

in the workforce helps individual companies too. According to
a report by the Anita Borg Institute, Fortune 500 companies

The Coca-Cola Company is also attempting to level the playing

But improving equality in STEM requires more than

with three or more female directors saw at least a 66% increase

field for working women, through its 5by20 initiative. When we

in return on invested capital, and an increase of at least 42%

invest in women entrepreneurs and provide access to business

promoting its employment opportunities girls need to be

return on sales. McKinseys annual Women Matter reports have

skills training, finance and mentors through 5by20, we are in

engaged in subjects like maths and science at an early age to

consistently found that companies with significant numbers of

fact investing in our own business. Were convinced that greater

gain the skills required in these highly technical fields. A raft

that a more diverse workforce is more productive, more creative

women in senior management perform better both financially

womens empowerment and entrepreneurship around the world

of governmental and industry initiatives have been promoting

and more innovative. Research by Scott Page at the University

and organisationally. A study for the Conference Board of Canada

will result in the growth of our business and help us reach our

science and maths less as boys subjects and more as life skills.

of Michigan and Lu Hong of Loyola University shows that diverse

discovered that organisations which foster gender equality at all

long-term business goals, says Charlotte Oades, global director

Organisations such as Women Into Science and Engineering

groups significantly outperform homogenous ones, especially

levels have better bottom-line performance, lower staff turnover

of Womens Economic Empowerment.

(WISE), the UK governments Tomorrows Engineers campaign,

when it comes to innovation. Likewise, a recent study by

and the ScienceGrrl programme are helping to improve

researchers at Cornell University found that mixed-sex groups

education about the diversity of STEMs applications, from

generate better ideas than single-sex groups. Clients want

design and construction to astrophysics, app development

diversity of thought from us, notes Vicky Evans, who oversees

and town planning.

inclusion and diversity at Arup in Europe. They want to know

and are more appealing to talented workers.

As a result, governments and businesses are taking workforce
equality seriously, and a wave of new initiatives are tackling
the gender gap. Its now about more than just recruitment or
promotion quotas, which can cause resentment among men
and women instead, companies and government projects are
focusing on holistic approaches to career equality, from positive
action in the hiring process to mentoring, peer networks and
more flexible working practices.
The number of role models for women in senior positions


Fortune 500 companies
with three or more female
directors saw at least
a 66% increase in return
on invested capital

boys, and this trend, if it continues, augurs well for women in the
STEM-led future.

Outside school, summer camps and after-school clubs such as

What else does this mean for the future? Research suggests

we have the best talent who are giving the best solutions. They

Girls Who Code help girls gain confidence in building, designing

increasingly demand diverse project teams to ensure we have

and programming. For an even younger cohort, GoldieBlox is a

different types of thinking.

range of mechanical toys aimed at girls, teaching them how to

use science and technology as they play.

The realisation that career equality leads to more fulfilled

workers, stronger economies and more profitable, more

A lot of these projects are beginning to take effect. The number

innovative businesses means there is an incentive for all sides

is decidedly small, with extraordinary women such as

of women completing a BTEC in engineering grew 130% between

to work together to finally close the gender gap at work. But the

Sheryl Sandberg and Hillary Clinton regularly highlighted as

2004 and 2012 (although the gain was built on a very low initial

momentum must be maintained. As Evans comments;

inspirational and barrier-breaking. But studies show that

base), while interest in civil engineering as a career grew 10%

The futures bright, but theres still a lot of work to do.

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Sexless Sells
Words by Shepherd Laughlin
Illustrations by Anthony Zinonos

Bikini-clad babes are no

way to sell things anymore.
Advertising is finally
catching up with the times
and abandoning the sexist
tropes its relied on
for so long

Gender Positive
Super Bowl 2014 was far from a definitive break from sexism,
and despite its coy attempt at objectifying men, the GoDaddy
ad still came in for its share of feminist criticism. But brands did
seem to be recognising that football doesnt necessarily mean
frat boys. Indeed, Nielsen demographic data shows that 46% of
Super Bowl viewers are female. More women watch this macho
sporting event than the Grammys, Oscars and Emmys combined.
At $4m for a 30-second spot, how can brands continue to justify
alienating half their potential customers?
Advertisers are waking up to the fact that their stereotypes for
whos watching what arent true, says Lisa Wade, a specialist in

Any casual Mad Men viewer is familiar with the deeply

the sociology of gender at Occidental College and editor of the

misogynistic roots of the advertising industry. Today, the image of

blog Sociological Images. It used to be that there was almost

the helpless housewife may have been supplanted by the perfect

literally nothing but nuclear families in advertisements. But now

However, feminists soon noted that if men are seen as incapable

mum, but gender stereotypes remain. Unfortunately this kind of

were seeing the very rare but striking example of a man doing

of doing the laundry or feeding themselves properly, the job once

sexist advertising all too often slips under the radar as cultural

housework, gay families, and women who might be single.

again falls to women.

background noise.

The industry is also evolving as agencies themselves become

Some brands continue to trade on typical images, as in a recent

But this wasnt the case at the Super Bowl in 2012. During the

more diverse. Alex Holder, executive creative director at Anomaly

Ginsters ad that suggested that only salty and fattening snacks

event, which sees many viewers tune in more for the advertising

London, has adopted a more critical stance on gender as she has

could stave off hunger and save men from their inner buffoons.

than for the game itself, a group called Miss Representation

ascended the ranks. At the beginning of her career, the industry

But others are creating more progressive messages. For example,

decided to show corporate America that feminists are everywhere,

felt quite genderless, she explains. But as I got more senior it

Dove created a Fathers Day campaign for 2014 that emphasises

and that they vote with their dollars. The group encouraged

felt like a lot less women were coming on that journey with me.

mens sensitive and caring side. In tandem, the company

viewers to post the hashtag #NotBuyingIt on social media

Explicitly pro-feminist advertising campaigns have multiplied

released the results of a study by Edelman Berland that found

platforms any time they wanted to talk back to a sexist ad. This

partly because theres more of a female voice within agencies,

that 75% of men said they were responsible for their childrens

created an embarrassment for brands such as Fiat, which aired

and more people like me whove gone. Hang on a minute, we can

emotional well-being, while only 13% said they felt the media

an ad equating cars with sexy women, and GoDaddy, the domain

change this now, she says.

portrayed them as fathers responsible for childcare.

registrar that had become known for the particularly flagrant use


Thanks to social
media, people have a
voice to express their
expectations that they
want to see faces and
bodies like theirs in
visual culture

of busty, bikini-clad babes.

Encouraged by its success, in 2014 Miss Representation
broadened its mission to become The Representation Project,
and launched a #NotBuyingIt app. As the Super Bowl approached,
digital feminists stood ready to take brands to task for the usual
objectification and hypocrisy. But while a few sexist ads did air,
commentators noted that they seemed less overt than in the past.
GoDaddy turned the tables on its earlier campaigns, showing
a pack of male bodybuilders converging on a salon owned by a

Examples abound. In June 2014, feminine hygiene brand Always

2014 also saw the launch of the Lean In Collection, a

debuted a campaign called #LikeAGirl that explored how the

collaboration between Getty Images and Sheryl Sandbergs

phrase is used to denigrate young women, proposing instead that

Lean In project. In this collection of stock photography, women

girls reclaim it as an affirmation. And as Under Armour attempted

are shown in professional settings from urban offices to farms

to expand its womens apparel business, the brand enlisted

and factories, while men are seen caring for children. Although

athletic women such as ballerina Misty Copeland and model

gripping television ads generate more Tweets, this effort

Gisele Bndchen in a campaign that showed them using sports to

ultimately has much broader potential reach.

overcome degrading insults and putdowns.

The public doesnt necessarily know that so many of the

Brands are also re-evaluating their depictions of men. In the

images that they are surrounded by in the world are in fact

1990s, they began to make advertisements featuring bumbling,

Getty Images, explains Pam Grossman, director of visual trends

professional woman armed with a spray-tan gun. Were brands

domestically incompetent men, which at the time passed as a

at Getty Images and a co-founder of the Lean In Collection. We

finally getting the message?

clever, ironic retort to the misogynistic ads of the past.

have to make a commitment to create more of these images that

break down gender stereotypes and show women in a way that is
more dynamic and gives them agency.

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Feminism 4.0
One way to view these shifts in advertising is as a response to a
larger groundswell of feminist activism. We explore the grassroots
of this movement in our New Feminists story on page 14.
These digital feminists are now increasingly holding brands
accountable for any missteps. Just as a well-placed hashtag can
cause an immediate spike in online conversations around a brand,
consumers are now able to offer real-time bursts of criticism when
brands resort to sexism to sell a product. In the journal Feminist
Media Studies, University of Pennsylvania scholar Rosemary Clark
writes that social media allows feminist politics to become more
personal. Tools such as the #NotBuyingIt app, she argues, allow
users to instantly connect their personal feelings of frustration to
a larger global movement.
When brands offend these activists, the conversation can


There is still a lot of
discomfort when it comes
to dealing with more
than two genders

Womens media platform SheKnows, which coined the word

fem-vertising to describe the new wave of pro-female ads,
commissioned a separate study of attitudes toward pro-feminist
advertising. It found that 92% of women knew of at least one
campaign that described women in a positive light and 71%
felt that advertisers should be held responsible for using their
ads to promote positive messages to women and girls. And it
clarified the commercial appeal of such ads, finding that 52% of
respondents had bought a product because they liked how its

Progress Or Diversity?

advertisements portrayed women.

Still, as some brands push the envelope for inclusion,

Diversity Beyond Gender

misogynistic ads continue to appear. A recent Australian ad

quickly send brands into damage-control mode. For example,

Depictions of middle-class, traditional families are changing

for Snickers begins with a Candid Camerastyle prank in

Veet created an ad for wax strips featuring a sleeping man who

rapidly, but they are only part of a broader industry trend toward

which construction workers shout pro-feminist comments at

wakes in horror when he feels his girlfriends leg stubble. She sits

diversity. Thanks to social media, people have a voice to express

attractive women who pass by. Just when we think were seeing

up, transformed in his mind into a portly gentleman wearing a

their expectations that they see faces and bodies like theirs in

a progressive message, the ad leaves us with a final phrase:

lacy pink camisole. Dont risk dudeness the ad warns. Every

visual culture, says Grossman. That is reinforcing in a positive

single person on the internet stepped on that there was a

way the idea that the world is made up of many different kinds of

big outcry and it got pulled, says Holder. The brand was

people, who come in all different shapes and sizes and genders

2014 was also a year of unprecedented cultural visibility for the

embarrassed because there is that voice of the internet now

and sexualities and lifestyles and ethnicities.

transgender community, as we report in our Beyond Gender

which will point out when brands are perpetuating awful

stereotypes or bad jokes.
If anything, advertisers seem to be struggling to catch up to

More brands are beginning to portray gay and lesbian families

Youre not yourself when youre hungry. Presumably, after

Gender-Fluid Branding

eating a Snickers, the men can return to objectifying women,

as is their implied natural tendency.
Does more diversity necessarily mean progress overall?

story on page 2. This has led advertisers to take tentative steps

What weve seen is a segmentation of the market, says Wade.

in their campaigns, aiming messages at the general market

towards using transgender content. For its spring 2014 ad

If you want to consume programmes and advertising that

rather than at gay media alone. Chevrolet ran an ad featuring gay

campaign, department store Barneys enlisted photographer

are more progressive, youll find that. If you want to consume

cultural attitudes that are shifting faster than many anticipated.

and lesbian parents during NBCs coverage of the 2014 Winter

Bruce Weber to shoot 17 male and female transgender models,

programming and advertising thats deeply misogynistic, you

Lisa Wade compares this to the rapid shift in attitudes toward gay

Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, which became controversial

ultimately releasing a series of short films. The transgender

can find that too.

marriage over the past decade. In the case of marriage equality,

following the introduction of homophobic laws in that country.

model Lea T went from being the face of Givenchy to landing

opinion is leading and politicians are being dragged behind,

The US digestive biscuit brand Honey Maid created a campaign

a contract for haircare brand Redken. When the campaign

to the average consumer, advertisers are now able to target

she says. I wonder if thats what were seeing with media TV

called This is Wholesome, which aired on ABC during shows such

appears in print and online in January 2015, she will become

more specific demographics. And thanks to big data, the

advertisers are being dragged behind changing attitudes.

as The View, featuring a gay couple raising their two sons.

As the internet has multiplied the media options available

the first openly transgender individual to be the face of a

advertising we see will only become more personalised as our

The advertising firm JWT attempted one of the few studies

global cosmetics brand. And while not transgender, Eurovision

digital footprints grow. But, misogyny in advertising could still

to pressure from digital feminists, but also following their own

of mainstream attitudes toward such campaigns in April 2014,

performer Conchita Wurst brought her over-the-top androgyny

thrive on millions of mobile screens, slipping under the radar

research. A study by Saatchi & Saatchi and the website Mumsnet

finding that 80% of consumers agreed that showing gay people

to a headphones campaign for French electronics company

as our attention is directed away from mass media events

found that only 19% of British mothers had ever identified with

in advertisements simply reflects the reality of our society

Parrot, which started in November 2014.

like the Super Bowl.

a woman in an ad, while 75% believed that the perfect mum

today. Additionally, 72% of respondents thought that brands

epitomised in classic television campaigns by brands such as

portraying gay people in ads were being brave.

Some agencies have changed their tune however, not just due

Oxo was pure fiction.

Equally, research has shown that women respond to pro-feminist

Mark Truss, global director of brand intelligence at JWT,

Will images of transgender people ever be commercially

But by the same token, these ads will continue to draw the

important to mainstream advertisers? Grossman thinks so.

ire of determined digital feminists. Brands wishing to use

The next step for the Lean In/Getty Images collaboration is to

retrograde attitudes on gender to their advantage will have

commented that the findings suggest that when diversity and

offer brands more images of women of different body types,

to contend with a growing chorus of criticism. Perhaps even

campaigns. A study by video analytics agency Ace Metrix tracked

acceptance are authentic and on-strategy for the brand,

including transgender individuals. As far as Im concerned,

worse, they risk appearing behind the times. Brands want to

responses to the #LikeAGirl campaign, assigning it a score of 800

LGBT-inclusive ads will be met with a high degree of acceptance

this is the next frontier of inclusivity and expansion of civil

look future facing, Holder says. To look cool and with it, they

among women, versus 603 for an average ad.

and benefit the advertiser.

rights, Grossman says.

have to start embracing and encouraging gender equality.

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In the late 1990s, Loaded magazine was the brash,

rowdy and wildly successful epitome of the British lads
magazine. Half-naked women adorned its covers and
crude, funny blokes filled its pages. At its height, in
the second half of 1998, it sold an average of 457,318
copies a month. By 2010, that figure had plummeted to
53,591. Today, Loaded barely limps on in a re-booted
edition and its offspring, Nuts magazine, was killed off
in 2014. In the same year, Loadeds American soulmate
Maxim was sold for between $10m and $15m, a fraction
of what it was worth in 2007 when it was sold, along
with Blender and Stuff, for $250m. FHM stopped
publishing in the US in 2006.
The era of the lads magazine is over, and while
gendered publications continue to occupy much of the
mass-media market, cheap high-quality publishing

The Gender Issue

software and the ability to reach readers on the internet

mean that were seeing a proliferation of independently

Words by Oscar Rickett

Photos by Rosie Harriet Ellis

produced titles that have moved beyond gender.

The age of the lads mag

is over with new, gendered
publications taking a
far more considered, artistic
and socially conscious
approach to their
subject matter

The big, traditional magazine as we know it grew out of

the post-war consumer boom. With the Western world
growing richer, a larger space for lifestyle publications
opened up. These were very commercial beasts that
dealt in mass socio-economic groupings, according
to Jeremy Leslie, the creative director of MagCulture,
a website that reports on the magazine industry.
These mass groupings often meant fashion for women
and mens stuff naked women, the trappings of a
financially successful life for men. This mass-market
approach, says Leslie, meant that magazines could be
very coarse and, because they were aspirational, their
focus was often on youth, wealth and a definition of
gender that was rigidly drawn.
While consumer-media companies dreamt of a
magazine that could be sold en masse to men and
women, they found success with titles that could
be easily sold to advertisers. Womens and mens
magazines supposedly have easily identifiable
demographics that help attract them to advertisers.
Thus, Loadeds young male readers could be trusted
to spend their disposable income on sportswear and
records and Vogues more sophisticated, aspirational
female readers would buy fashion and beauty products.
In the 1990s, advertising was sold against a particular
type of person, but the boundaries are never as hard as
publishers would like us to believe, says Steve Watson

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Alongside modern womens magazines such as Riposte and

Girls Like Us, The Mushpit offers a smart, personal vision of
gender that is never reductive. Brandes says she hopes it
represents the frustration we feel about the imagery were
presented with on a daily basiswere so exhausted by female
nudity being either channelled through a commodified male
gaze or simply not at all.
A number of new mens magazines also offer a more fluid
vision of their gender. LAW (Lives and Works), is something
like a new lads magazine. Its creator John Holt has said that its
who runs magazine distributor, Stack, which sends different

designed to be read by his mates who work hard all day and

independent titles to subscribers each month. Watson points

drink in the pub. Its cover stars are not naked women, though.

out that while gendered magazines got fat off advertising in

They are usually men with interesting faces and interesting

the 1990s, those days have now gone.

stories, shot in portrait from the chest up. The magazine is

With far less advertising revenue coming in, the grip that

concerned with British identity and with stories the mainstream

such gendered magazines have on the marketplace has

media has overlooked. It gives life to and provides a record

been significantly loosened. Smaller magazines are less

of British communities whose voices are often not heard and

aspirational. They are more about community building and a

whose styles are deemed unworthy of mass attention. In doing

lot of that is cross-gender, adds Leslie.

this, it provides a nuanced depiction of masculinity that is

So while the big beasts are struggling, the little beasts are
rising. Printing well-designed magazines used to be a corporate

engaging to male and female readers.

TALC is another magazine providing a less aggressively

concern because of the money and expertise needed. Now,

gendered twist on a traditionally gendered model: the erotic

digital printing software is easy to use and means that you can

magazine. Edward Vince, its editor-in-chief who predicted the

sit in your bedroom and produce magazines that are as well

genres demise, says that TALC began life as a new take on

designed as Elle or Vogue. Adobe Creative Cloud keeps you

lads mags. He says TALC evolved through its production

This equal readership provides evidence of a long-standing

up to date and can be rented for 30 a month, says Watson.

to become an adult magazine designed to appeal to all, not

truth, which is that women have long read mens magazines,

much from being in a magazine as opposed to online. So a lot of

It has allowed a whole wave of new magazine-makers to print

specifically men. TALC is very much about an appreciation of

and vice versa. James Brown, who co-founded Loaded and

the new (and old) magazines are being careful to print material

digitally at much higher standards. Independent bookstores

beauty, he says, and this is reflected in its readership, which

now runs the Sabotage Times, says that his new venture,

that feels like it really warrants those high design and editing

still do excellent work stocking new magazines, but these

is evenly divided between the sexes.

brash humour, secrets, lies, gossip and sex dont benefit so

despite boasting plenty of football coverage, also has an equal

standards. The internet in the form of free, endless porn has

can also be sold and funded (using crowdfunding sites like

gender-split in its readership. This is something hes

also arguably been behind the demise of magazines like Nuts.

Kickstarter and digital newsagent Newsstand). Sites like

pleased with. Brown doesnt long for a return to Loadeds

Newspaper Club also allow the creator to print as few of their

heyday and says that the internet has allowed whats interesting

to drive traffic, but young magazine-makers have also taken

to come to the fore. Im sure that sites like The Debrief (an online

the aesthetics of web design into print. The democratisation of

magazine for women) or Telegraph Men are probably read by lots

print publishing has ushered in a new generation of editors and

of men and women respectively because they have interesting

designers who began on sites like Tumblr but have ended up

pieces, he says.

feeling the age-old pull of print; the desire to hold something in

own newspapers as they want.

With magazine production now cheaper and easier than
before, writers and designers are free to follow their own
interests, which rarely fit into the commodified, gendered
world of mainstream magazines. For example, Benji Knewman
is written by two Latvian women from the point of view of a
man in his 30s, who is trying to be genuine, and it seems he
sometimes manages. Its written in Latvian and English, can be
ordered online and is unlike any magazine on the mass market.
The new wave of magazines also hits back at accepted
notions of gender. Bertie Brandes started The Mushpit with her


The kinds of things
that gendered magazines
specialised in for a
while list-making, brash
humour, secrets, lies,
gossip and sex dont
benefit so much from being
in a magazine as opposed
to online

Websites have borrowed some old article-models from print

Brown also points out that the internet means that what we

your hands. They have also seen the explosion of niche-interest

read can be found here, there and everywhere: I think the move

sites on the web and reinvented them for the page, resulting in

from print to digital means its easier for readers to read exactly

magazines ranging from The Plant the magazine that loves the

what they want, regardless of where its published. Social media

leafier side of life to The Gourmand where food meets art.

allows you to follow a gender-specific title you wouldnt buy and

just cherry-pick stories or films youre interested in.

There is still a great deal of misogyny and simple-minded

gender identification in the mainstream media but, thanks to

Much of the content associated with highly gendered magazines

these new contemporary titles, which dare to look beyond the

has migrated to the internet. As Seb Emina, editor of Penguin

prescribed confines of the mass market, our media as a whole

magazines that we actually liked when we were growing up but

magazine The Happy Reader says, the kinds of things that

is becoming broader, more personal and more interesting. Its

couldnt find any to suit us in our late teens/early 20s.

gendered magazines specialised in for a while list-making,

almost as if were not completely defined by our gender.

friend Charlotte Roberts because we remembered reading

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Protein has been documenting consumer culture since 1997.

We publish global inspiration, insights and ideas via our daily
Feed, monthly events, quarterly Journals and Reports as well
as our annual Audience Surveys and Briefings.
We also help brands understand and connect with influential
audiences around the world through our agency and network
businesses. To find out how we might be able to help your
business, please contact sales@prote.in

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