Skirting The Signs
"Exit" signs, the traditional running male stick figure was replaced by a running woman, this time in high-heeled boots and a skirt, hair flying behind her.
On a sign warning "Beware the Road Is Slippery," the woman carries a little handbag.(lol!)
In Vienna's town hall the signs for nappy-changing facilities which showed a mother and
child also now has an image of a man changing his baby's diaper, to show men doing what is traditionally associated with women ( i like this one), and many more changes are said to be in the pipeline.The aim is to give the genders equal exposure , and basically to make people rethink gender based stereotypes.
Beyond the signs, the city is also looking at ways of framing public policies to ensure that both genders benefit equally and bear equal responsibilities.
The diverse responses to this initiative as only revealed how unresolved gender issues remain in Austria which has been described as one of the most socially conservative countries in European Union.
Much of the negative criticism has been from men who think the campaign is just a waste of money and uncalled for. To a good extent, I think this reaction is a good reflection of a larger picture of the mindset towards the inequalities.
But some women also feel that gendering the signs shouldnt be the first focus in a country where women earn 24% less than men on the same jobs and where its so hard for a women to get top jobs. feminists also believe that depicting women in the traditional symbols of skirt and high heels still has some degree of gender bias. ( My God!)
Well, some of the arguement sounds pretty reasonable but really i think it is a first step in the right direction that has to be followed by more concrete initiatives that would make the public go beyond looking at the signs to thinking about the message behind it and putting it into practise.
9 comments:
I agree with a lot of your points. Signs are just pictures and if a lot of people are like me, they just look at the signs without noticing the gender depicted therein.
Perhaps the money should have gone towards creating an awareness group instead of signs?
That's funny! A woman running? A man changing a diaper? Is that really going to solve anything? I don't even notice these things!
I don't think anyone should have a negative reaction towards these changes, they should just laugh! So the men need to calm down and laugh!!!
BUT the money could have been used for something else...I guess
I agree with Azuka.
And also I agree with the women in the paragraph below-
"But some women also feel that gendering the signs shouldnt be the first focus in a country where women earn 24% less than men on the same jobs and where its so hard for a women to get top jobs."
Lolll @ the woman running in high heels and the man changing diapers.
I agree with just laughing at these things like Londonbuki said...its not that serious.
lol at the pics... it's a start... they can't get everything right immediately, but they have a good chance of creating equality between men and women... great post...
They are just signs sha. No one is trying to pass subliminal discriminatory messages through them.
That's really nice that they are doing all that oh. I really don't care 4 things like signs and all that, but when it comes to doing the same job as the men and earning less, that's where I have a problem
@all
yeah, they should put more emphasis on the real issues,and stop investing on the campaign that might not have any lasting effect.
the gender struggles have been going on for ages and would not just go away. good job they are doing in vienna. i think the steps taken would help desensitize the populace and help them adapt to the bigger changes(challenges) that are yet to come.
i am loving this!!!!!
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