Lucy's Commentary:
I decided to keep this lovely image as inspiration. This is the inspiration for photographs that I would like to take in the future now that my photography studio has been open for quite a while. Since I do not have as much time to focus on photography since I have a family and kids now, I would like to take photographs of things that I hold near to my heart. The photography studio is my passion and I believe I must use my passion for the better. This looks at fighting for my feminist views which are represented in this photo of a group of women marching for their rights. I found this image while flipping through a British newspaper. This picture was taken in London of a famous woman suffragette, Charlotte Despard. I have collected photographs for a long time, but this one is new. I had never collected such a controversial image, but I believe that women must be independent and not be afraid to speak out. This is why I am not afraid of having this image or anyone finding me with it. In the past, I have gathered images that I feel will be wanted by the public or help my sisters succeed, but this image is more personal. I hope that my sisters along with the rest of my family will accept these beliefs of mine. I feel so blessed that I have been able to make a family, earn money rather than depend on others, and that the photography studio worked out, but I also want to be more open about my beliefs through my work going forward. I stumbled across this photo with no intention, but I am so glad I did so I can share it with my sisters and the world. I intend to print this image and display it in my studio and give it to women who I believe need some inspiration to be a version of the “New Woman”.
Editorial Commentary:
This image is a very controversial image for the time this was taken. It was said to be taken in London, but many women from different areas were experiencing the Women's Movement for more rights. Many women would fight for their rights such as their work opportunities or dangerous work environments through protesting on the streets. Lucy Lorimer was most likely a feminist woman seen through how she talks about the societal issue. The popularity of women's suffrage was rising which can be interpreted by the fact that this photo was found in a newspaper she was reading. The first wave of feminism began in the mid-late 1800s to first abolish slavery but then led to the right for women to vote. After more women began to speak up, problems also arose to light such as women in factories and even topics that didn’t relate to women such as the abuse of alcohol. (Rall 79) During this time, women’s protests began to become much more organized and were more effective in their campaigns. (Rall 80) Due to the rise in popularity of women's protests, this could be why Lucy finds this photo interesting. She seems to want to take photos like that herself because she said she was using it as inspiration for her next pieces. A possible reason for protests to increase would be the idea of the “New Woman” coming to light. “The New Woman” was a feminist ideal who would not have to lean on men for anything and was independent. The entry in the common book describes Lucy as more of a “New Woman” than an “Old Woman”.
Work Cited:
Howarth, Alice. “18 of the Most Striking Marches in History.” Evening Standard, Evening Standard, 22 Jan. 2018, www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/the-most-striking-marches-in-h….
Rall, Denise, and Moya Costello. “Women, Craft and Protest: Yesterday and Today.” Australian Folklore, journals.kvasirpublishing.com/af/article/view/310/355. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.