Megan Jacobs

2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the long-fought battle for women’s suffrage which will undoubtedly open critical dialogues about the steps we have and haven’t made towards equality as a nation. The images in this series, Equality Then & Now, aim to encourage broader dialogues about areas of continued inequality and the need to continue pushing for equal rights. Utilizing a poetic tone, the work loosely references various waves of feminism. The series investigates the ongoing battle for women’s reproductive rights and the need for intersectional approaches through the use of a quote from scholar Audre Lorde which is laser cut into vintage floral fabric. The red rose was a symbol of opposition to women’s suffrage and here visually marks contemporary obstacles towards an intersectional approach to equality. The historic image of suffragette, Julia Marlowe, is layered on top of her uncanny contemporary likeness, Generation Z feminist, Tilcara Web. The visual similarities in likeness and the fight for equality are explored through this layering. Finally, the work ends with the layering of the hands of three generations of feminists: my mother, myself and my children. The fight for equality continues and educating our boys and girls about the necessity for feminism is paramount to achieving true equality. Images were made in collaboration with Hyunju Blemel, Sydney Nesbit, Sierra Venegas and Tilcara Webb.