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November 25, 2013

Feminism, According to Stock Photography

By Emily Shornick

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Here at the Cut, we often need illustrations for stories about women, and sometimes we turn to stock photography to meet those needs. But what does a stock service suggest when one searches for empowered female? (Hint: dumbbells and paintbrushes.) Does a stock service understand the feminine sass implied by girl power, or does it respond with scantily clad women clutching power tools? What sorts of photos does it recommend for woman with positive body image? Do stock photo companies think women can have it all?

We know that stock photography is designed to trade in cliches; we’re well acquainted with Women Laughing Alone With Salad. But after searching for working woman and turning up umpteen images of multi-ethnic women examining X-rays, we realized that the world of stock-photo tropes is richer and weirder than we had imagined. If this is how feminism looks to the world, maybe what a woman really needs is a stock agency of one’s own.

Click through to our slideshow to learn how to be a feminist according to stock photos.

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1 / 30 Photos
Women wearing boxing gloves with business attire. Search terms: empowered female, girl power ----- Photos: Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; ... Women wearing boxing gloves with business attire. Search terms: empowered female, girl power ----- Photos: Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Corbis; Corbis; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com Photo: Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Corbis; Corbis; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com
Women wearing boxing gloves with sexy outfits — or nothing at all. Search term: feminist ----- Photos: Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto; Shut... Women wearing boxing gloves with sexy outfits — or nothing at all. Search term: feminist ----- Photos: Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com Photo: Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com
Women wearing boxing gloves with workout attire. Search terms: girl power, feminist ----- Photos: Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; ... Women wearing boxing gloves with workout attire. Search terms: girl power, feminist ----- Photos: Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Corbis; Shutterstock.com Photo: Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Corbis; Shutterstock.com
Lone businesswoman on a cliff. Search term: career woman ----- Photo: Shutterstock.com Photo: Shutterstock.com
More businesswomen standing on cliffs. Search term: careeer woman ----- Photos: iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Corbis Photo: ... More businesswomen standing on cliffs. Search term: careeer woman ----- Photos: iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Corbis Photo: iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Corbis
Women climbing impossible things. Search term: career woman ----- Photos: Corbis; Shutterstock.com Photo: Corbis; Shutterstock.com
Women climbing ladders. Search terms: career woman, businesswoman ----- Photos: iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto; Corbis Photo: iStoc... Women climbing ladders. Search terms: career woman, businesswoman ----- Photos: iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto; Corbis Photo: iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto; Corbis
Looking down on women climbing ladders. Search term: career woman ----- Photos: Shutterstock.com; Corbis; iStockphoto Photo: Shutterstock.com; ... Looking down on women climbing ladders. Search term: career woman ----- Photos: Shutterstock.com; Corbis; iStockphoto Photo: Shutterstock.com; Corbis; iStockphoto
Climb, baby, climb! Search term: career woman ----- Photo: Shutterstock.com Photo: Shutterstock.com
Women holding dumbbells and smiling. Search term: girl power ----- Photos: iStockphoto; iStockphoto; iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto... Women holding dumbbells and smiling. Search term: girl power ----- Photos: iStockphoto; iStockphoto; iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto; iStockphoto Photo: iStockphoto; iStockphoto; iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto; iStockphoto
  Woman holding dumbbells and climbing. Search term: career woman ----- Photo: Shutterstock.com Photo: Shutterstock.com
Women collapsing on technology. Search term: career woman ----- Photos: iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Corbis Photo: iStockph... Women collapsing on technology. Search term: career woman ----- Photos: iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Corbis Photo: iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Corbis
Business-casual woman holding a folder. Search term: career woman Photo: Adrian Weinbrecht/Corbis
More women holding folders. Search terms: career woman, business woman ----- Photos: Shutterstock.com; Corbis; Corbis; Corbis Photo: Shuttersto... More women holding folders. Search terms: career woman, business woman ----- Photos: Shutterstock.com; Corbis; Corbis; Corbis Photo: Shutterstock.com; Corbis; Corbis; Corbis
Still more women holding folders. Search terms: career woman, business woman ----- Photos: Corbis; iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; Corbis; Corbi... Still more women holding folders. Search terms: career woman, business woman ----- Photos: Corbis; iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; Corbis; Corbis Photo: Corbis; iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; Corbis; Corbis
Women with bananas. Search terms: career woman, feminist, woman with positive body image ----- Photos: iStockphoto; iStockphoto; Shutterstock.c... Women with bananas. Search terms: career woman, feminist, woman with positive body image ----- Photos: iStockphoto; iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto Photo: iStockphoto; iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto
Women holding tools. Search terms: girl power, feminist ----- Photos: Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto; iStock... Women holding tools. Search terms: girl power, feminist ----- Photos: Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto; iStockphoto Photo: Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto; iStockphoto
Sexy women holding power tools... Search term: girl power ----- Photos: Shutterstock.com Photo: Shutterstock.com
...and this one woman using a power sander to perfect her pedicure, naturally. Search term: girl power ----- Photo: Shutterstock.com Photo: Shu... ...and this one woman using a power sander to perfect her pedicure, naturally. Search term: girl power ----- Photo: Shutterstock.com Photo: Shutterstock.com
Multitasking octopus women. Search terms: career woman, businesswoman ----- Photos: iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shuttersto... Multitasking octopus women. Search terms: career woman, businesswoman ----- Photos: iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com Photo: iStockphoto; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com; Shutterstock.com
So. Many. Arms. Search terms: career woman, businesswoman Photo: iStockphoto; iStockphoto; iStockphoto; Corbis
Independent women painting walls. Search term: independent woman Photo: Corbis
Women measuring their waists. Search term: woman with positive body image ----- Photos: Corbis; Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto Photo: Corbis; Sh... Women measuring their waists. Search term: woman with positive body image ----- Photos: Corbis; Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto Photo: Corbis; Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto
Small woman. Giant pants. Search term: woman with positive body image Photo: iStockphoto
Women looking at X-rays. Search term: career woman Photo: Corbis
They will find the answers soon, only if they keep looking at X-rays. Search terms: career woman Photo: Corbis
So many broken people, so little time. Search term: career woman Photo: Corbis
Women's heels conquering menswear. Search term: feminist Photo: iStockphoto
Womens' heels conquering men. Search term: feminist ----- Photos: Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto; iStockphoto Photo: Shutterstock.com; iStockpho... Womens' heels conquering men. Search term: feminist ----- Photos: Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto; iStockphoto Photo: Shutterstock.com; iStockphoto; iStockphoto
Women's heels conquering tiny men. Search term: businesswoman Photo: Corbis
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Tags:

  • stock photography feminism
  • feminism
  • stock photography
  • working women
  • empowerment
  • girl power
  • gender studies
  • slideshow
  • More

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