
When you search Google for “Working Mom,” this is what you might see:
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A woman in a bad pantsuit carrying a crying toddler in a kitchen while talking on a brick-sized cell phone. A woman with photoshopped arms to show how busy she is. A woman struggling to hold a baby, a briefcase, groceries — why are there rollers in her hair? Now do a search for “Woman Executive.”
Gross. It’s a problem that Sheryl Sandberg wants to fix. She’s partnering with Getty Images, the largest provider of these photos, to create a collection of photos that depict women in more empowering ways.
They show diversity: women of color, women in same-sex relationships, varying ages and professions, men in caretaking roles. But are they really enough to change perceptions of women? XOJane.com’s Veronica Marché – Miller says it’s definitely a good start. “I think seeing these women in these authentic situations and oftentimes just looking content is a step in the right direction,” she says.
Veronica Marché Miller is an illustrator and writer based in Philadelphia, PA. She runs a freelance illustration business serving women of color and organizations that serve them, and past clients include The Red Pump Project, Sports and the City and Contradiction Dance. Veronica also writes about fashion for xoJane.com, focusing on the fashion industry’s relationship with women of color.