Growing Up Female

Growing Up Female: A Personal Photo-Journal (1974) was a "landmark"[1] book of photography by Abigail Heyman (1942–2013).[2][3] The book pioneered American feminism in photography by documenting stereotypical women's roles.[4][5]

History

Heyman introduced the book, writing "this book is about women, and their lives as women, from one feminist’s point of view."[3] The book collected photographs of Heyman's life, "challeng[ing] assumptions about being a woman", and "documented the female experience from a feminist perspective."[1] The black and white images in the book include women doing beauty and domestic tasks such as women as mothers, preparing food, wearing curlers, and grocery shopping.[6][7] It also contained images of young girls; and demonstrated how female stereotypes were reinforced for girls starting at a young age.[5][7] According to The New York Times, "[i]n one of the book’s most arresting images, Ms. Heyman photographed herself undergoing an abortion."[2]

Andy Grundberg described the book as "test[ing] the line between reportage and personal expression."[2]

During the 1970s, the work sold more than 35,000 copies, and was a mainstay of women's bookstores and feminist literature displays, along with Our Bodies, Ourselves.[2]

Notes
  1. "Nubar Alexanian's Friends". Transom.org. August 14, 2001. Archived from the original on October 29, 2010.
  2. Vitello, Paul (2013-06-09). "Abigail Heyman, Feminist Photojournalist, Dies at 70". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  3. Hughes, Holly Stuart (June 10, 2013). "Obituary: Photojournalist Abigail Heyman, Documenter of Women's Changing Roles, 70". Photo District News.
  4. "Rencontres d'Arles : muse soumise, Zorro érotique… ces photos qui valent le détour". Télérama (in French). 2019-07-11. ISSN 0040-2699. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  5. Rosenblum, Naomi (2010). A History of Women Photographers. Abbeville Press Publishers. p. 243. ISBN 978-0-7892-0998-6.
  6. Thorpe, JR (July 12, 2016). "9 Powerful Feminist Photo Series You Need To Know About; 1. Abigail Heyman,"Growing Up Female," 1974". Bustle. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  7. Bouveresse, Clara (2021), Zarmanian, Charlotte Foucher; Nachtergael, Magali (eds.), "Le journal intime et politique d'Abigail Heyman", Le Phototexte engagé, du militantisme aux luttes de visibilité (in French), Les Presses du Réel, retrieved 2022-12-06

Further reading


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