THE HANDBAG PROJECT

Women carry different versions of their femininity in their handbags. The Handbag Project is an online documentary that examines the way our handbags carry the props of our gender performance. However, we want to encourage women to share and discuss their own experiences through the emblem of the handbag! Use this space to keep up with what we're doing, submit your own contributions and add to the conversation #thehandbagproject.

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#DressLikeAWoman (Image credit: Kamala Harris)

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Carry your feminist icons on your shoulders. 

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[thehairiestfeminist]

Achieving gender equality is about disrupting the status quo -  not negotiating it.

- Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director, UN Women

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Chanel - 2015 Spring RTW

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‘There is a specific way that society expects you to behave.’

‘You suffer to be beautiful for a certain gaze.’

‘Beauty and social constructs perpetuate feelings of self hate.’

‘We all have ingrained mechanisms that are sexist and racist.’

[libbyvanderploeg]

Strong women lift each other up! Happy International Women’s Day, ladies. Thanks to all the amazing women who motivate, challenge, and inspire me to be a stronger, smarter ladyboss everyday.

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Chanel Spring 2015

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WHEN YOU EDUCATE A GIRL, YOU EDUCATE A NATION.

[thehairiestfeminist]

Nature is busy creating absolutely unique individuals, whereas culture has invented a single mold to which all must conform. It is grotesque.  

-  U.G. Krishnamurti

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Thank you to Chelsy Smith who submitted the contents of her handbag to our Facebook page! Keep the submissions rolling in, ladies!

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“For Everyone” by Alesia Fisher on INPRNT

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No-nonsense rationalists might sneer at the passion for women’s handbags, but they began as a way of making men obsolete

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Why I carry a handbag

Submission by Veronika

I carry a handbag because the things inside are important, and I have to take them with me everywhere. I started carrying a handbag when I was about eight, and I liked the idea of handbags even then. I would see women carrying them and it seemed so practical that I started wanting to carry them too. I was a little jealous of other people, and I wanted to feel older, so I started carrying a handbag with me, even though there was only tissues and lip balm inside.

Now, that I’m eleven, my handbag is more practical for me. It holds my wallet, a spare pad, tissues, house keys, gum, one elastic, a strepsil, earphones, phone and my water bottle if it can fit. I’ve gone through my friend’s bags before and they were embarrassed with me if I found one of their pads, but I wouldn't care as much because it’s good, in my opinion, to alway have one just in case. Also, my keys are super important in case of an emergency.

I think handbags are designed for a woman to carry. I’m not saying a man shouldn’t carry a bag, but I think they’re designed for a woman because women need to have the essential stuff with them, stuff that men don’t even think about. Sometimes, it’s annoying because there’s a lot of weight on my shoulder if I’ve got my water bottle in there, plus if you carry too much stuff its a hassle to go through everything to find what you need in there. Still, I wouldn’t leave the house without it!

Want to submit an article to the handbag project? Either click ‘submit’ on our menu bar, write your post and tag us, or email us your photo and story to [email protected]

[sorryabouttomorrow]

Tues March 8, 2016 is International Women’s Day.

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We must tell girls their voices are important.

Malala Yousafzai (via mylittlebookofquotes)