The Female Filter
Who chooses how we define culture? And through which lens?
What is culture? Defined, it is the “arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement, viewed collectively.” (Thanks Google) But who defines culture? And what do we mean when we talk about culture? It’s actually something I’ve been thinking a lot about, let me tell you why.
It started with this piece about the Mona Lisa. Written by Scott Reyburn, a London-based arts journalist, the piece explores how we experience art — specifically Leonardo DaVinci’s enigmatic and iconic portrait of a lady — in the Age of Instagram. And his take is very grim, especially as viewed through the words of the Instagramming women he quotes. Long gone, in Reyburn’s opinion, are the good old days of white men sitting alone in rooms with priceless art studying and contemplating beauty merely for the sake of beauty. It just, it struck me as so odd that a man, writing about a portrait of a woman painted by a man would quote a man positively, but women negatively. Or maybe I wasn’t shocked at all, because honestly it most often feels as if the only part men want women to play in the shaping of culture is in being naked and stared at.
And then Instagram came up again, this time in the realm of science. Pallas Member, Laurie Schubert, sent me two pieces from Science, one calling out a young woman PhD candidate for her insistence on using Instagram to create her own personal brand (as well as for trying to show people that science is fun (the HORROR)), along with a rebuttal (deliciously stacked with references upon references) from the woman herself, Science Sam. The original piece is an opinion piece, and it attempts to position itself as a “women and minorities shouldn’t have to do all this extra work to engage with the public and make them love science” angle. But alas, the author spends a little bit too much time critiquing Sam’s usage of filters and emojis and selfies. She tipped her hand, and it isn’t pretty. I think you can see where this is going now, can’t you?
Guys, gals, ladies, broads, lovelies, Y’ALL: We are in this ship, and we are in it together. Not everyone has to do the same job on this ship, but we do all have to agree on a direction. Hey you! Over there! You’re the sunset Instagrammer! Snap to it! And you! You! Over there! You’re the ship’s log maintainer!
But guess what? We’re all headed to Themyscira together, so can we stop working at cross purposes now? Just because one woman likes Instagram doesn’t mean she’s going to get a better job than you, it just means she’s going to get a different job than you. This ship, and that one over there? They’re all going to be lifted by the same tide, so let’s start pulling at the same oars, k?
Culture, whether at work or out in the larger world needn’t be defined by a bunch of white men, but it IS defined by how we speak about the actions of others, the accomplishments of others — what we choose to highlight in day-to-day conversations matters. So be part of the rising tide! Spread positive gossip! Shine on one another! Be part of the solution. Bonus? It’ll probably make you feel pretty darn good, too.
This essay first appeared as the intro to Pallas List email number 18.
The Pallas List is a bi-weekly newsletter of the Pallas Network. Our goal is to connect women one-to-one with people that can refer them to the job of their dreams. As a side benefit, we also hope to add a little motivation! If you feel so motivated, please send along any job opportunities you may have. My inbox is always open: ann@pallasnetwork.com xo — Ann
