Portraits of Womanhood
Darian Dietrick poses with her favorite accessory, the classic Converse high-top sneaker. Although some might see the shoes as insignificant, to Darian, her daily staple serves a higher purpose. Not only do the timeless pair lend her a feeling of stylishness but also a sense of self-assuredness. They are a constant in an ever-changing world. “They are comfortable, they go with anything,” Dietrick listed, “and they are everything I like in an outfit. I feel confident when I wear them.” Photo by Bella Russo.
March 6, 2018
The Shield: In today’s #TuesdayTop10, we give the floor to freshman photojournalism student Bella Russo who has a perfect editorial photo essay to post during International Women’s Week.
Bella Russo: The feeling of powerlessness is overwhelming for many women. Many of us face fear daily, from simple acts like walking down a street alone to wearing our hair up. That fear and powerlessness is reinforced when we turn towards media outlets, where stories are spread of assaults and rape, where we are slandered and ignored, where we watch politicians that do not understand us yet make decisions for us. Although that ever-present fear remains in our society, the strength of those who face it and fight against it is also present although we don’t always focus on it or recognize it. Many say that being female is synonymous with weakness, but the truth is that womanhood is what makes us strong. My purpose in this photo essay is to convey the strength of the women I know and to document and present the source of their power.
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Finn Shehan • Mar 9, 2018 at 1:38 pm
This photo essay is a great representation of McCallum’s views and ideas and I am glad to see it getting posted so close to National Women’s day.
Katie • Mar 9, 2018 at 1:31 pm
This essay is so cool! It’s really fun to see these girl’s passions and what makes them feel strong. I even learned something new about some of my friends through this post, so that’s really cool. It’s really empowering.
Renee Ziegler • Mar 8, 2018 at 11:12 am
I love this article! I’m glad to see these women’s stories being told, it really shows their individuality and identity. They are all strong, and I was happy to read about what makes all of them feel that way. I’m proud of them for finding what makes them feel strong and not being ashamed of that.
Liana Smoot • Mar 8, 2018 at 11:11 am
This post is beautiful. It not only gave me confidence in myself but also pours belief into every woman reading it. I think any boy, man, guy, whoever that thinks women are less powerful just got their words handed to them because there’s no way anyone could argue with Bella’s statements. Women are strong and we all need to come together to show our power and let everyone else know that we can do anything we want.
Sydney G. • Mar 8, 2018 at 11:11 am
I really like the Ideas Bella conveyed with this photo essay. I like how you can tell she is passionate about this topic and that she wants people to appreciate and understand women and girls our age. I really like the idea of her making this photo essay and thinking of all of her strongest friends and all the women in her life that she looks up too and cares about.
gracie ross • Mar 8, 2018 at 11:09 am
I love this photo essay so much! It was so great to see some of my friends and fellow freshman displayed so powerfully and unapologetic for who they are. This photo essay was moving and wonderful. Bella did a really great job!!