"Facing Feminism: Feminists I Know" is a project in which, through art and words, the many different faces of feminism are visually demonstrated.

This project is a strong statement in contradiction to the stereotype, the one dimensional portrayal of feminists (usually as stridently against men, makeup, fashion, and graceful pursuits) that is dominant in the media. Some of us love wearing heels and perfume. Some of us don't. Some are lesbians, some are straight. We are profligately diverse. Concomitant with the many things that distinguish us individually, there are the things that unite us: our strength and our intelligence.

For this series, each woman was invited to submit a photo of her choosing and anything that she wanted to say in expressing her feminism. Each statement is individual to each woman and so it shows how individual women interpret the freedoms that they want within our common bond. And each woman is personally known to me, either face-to-face, or through e-mail correspondence. The photos and statements are then made into photoems and the entire project, the series of art pieces, is to be featured on MNArtists.org.

In addition to putting a more varied and representative "face" to feminism, and thus being a tool for education and advocacy, this project aims to enlarge the current dialogue about what it means to be a feminist and also to help women conceptualize a philosophy of feminism that works for them. It will help to de-demonize the concept of feminism. I hope this project will also allow more womenwho don't consider themselves feminists and/or don't want to be labeled as feministsto consider if they are really against having equal pay and rights as men.

Feminists come in all shapes, sizes, colors and ages (even genders, as there are men who are feminists, too) and this fact is demonstrated through the strong and smart women that are featured in this series. There are participants from around the world. Where applicable, their statement is featured in two languages (e.g., a participant from Iceland's statement is in Icelandic and English.)

The secondary phase of this project is to enlarge it to include the feminists that are known to the women in this project but unknown to meto show the connectedness that exists between us. I am visualizing a global network of strong women demonstrated visually. This is a project that will continue to grow.

"Facing Feminism: Feminists I know." Can you see yourself in these photoems?

The third phase of this project is to bring it to the media by means of dissemination through Empowerment4Women, with the inclusion of this magazine's readers in this project. We are asking our readers:

Would you like to participate? Do you feel moved to express your feminism and connect in a powerful and empowering way with the women in this series? Are you sick of being told what it is that matters to you as a feminist? Want to speak up and be heard?

Then please make yourself known to us, so that we can add your unique face and voice to this beautiful mosaic.

This third phase will also include a powerful component in actualizing the aims of this project in that the material will be included in media, per se, in the form of this magazine, as a regular column that grows and changes as the readership response dictates.

Feminism means different things to different women. Let's talk about it!

I am very excited about this project, which puts real faces to feminism in a varied and diverse representation that crushes stereotypesand empowers women.

If you would like to be one of the feminists in this series, I'd love to have your participation.

Add your voice and join the self-definition!

Annette Marie Hyder, Project Curator
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