International Women’s Day 2022
Thoughts from our team on this year’s theme #BreakTheBias
Artwork by Farmboy Artist Partner Beata Czyzowska (BMC.000.00045)
“Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.
Celebrate women's achievement. Raise awareness against bias. Take action for equality.”– International Women’s Day 2022
International Women’s Day is a global annual celebration highlighting women’s achievements and promoting continued activism towards women empowerment, visibility, and fair and equitable representation.
We’re proud to celebrate the talented women at Farmboy, who make up 72% of our team. As champions of representation through the art narratives we develop and the collections we curate, we’re committed to continuing to promote the stories of diverse communities, including women of all backgrounds. There’s always more work to be done, and we’re staying committed.
This year, we opened the floor up to our Farmhands to share what this year’s IWD theme means to them and the commitments they’ve made to themselves. Read on to hear more from them.
Ariel Grue Lee, Vice President
We have hired incredibly talented women for leadership positions within our organization and continue to ensure there is strong female representation in all our decision-making.
Mariana Rivera, Art + Curatorial Coordinator
I will forge positive visibility of women by proposing women artists for projects, researching their practice, and highlighting their work. Clear throughout art history, the art world is famously biased towards male artists. Although female artists have always contributed significantly to current dialogues and practices, they continue to be underrepresented. I believe it is the responsibility of all participants within the art community to engage with, propose, learn from, and support the work of female artists.
ORIANA VANDERBOON, PROJECT DIRECTOR
Artists, Dealers and Tastemakers have been predominately male for decades, even centuries. On this day, I am honored to be a woman in leadership at Farmboy forging a way forward in equality, diversity and inclusion for our artists and clients, no matter their gender or race.
My commitment to breaking the bias this year will be to forge positive visibility of women by leading by example, educating myself and others of the equalities, and raising awareness so our clients may foster beautiful and diverse art collections.
Jordan Hilliard, Senior Designer
"Break the bias" to me would start with my two girls. Carlie and I signed them up for a soccer league this year, and I noticed something weird. Every Saturday, all the boy’s teams would start in the mornings and the girls would play at the end of the day. If anything, these time slots should alternate every other Saturday. On crazy rain days, boys would still play in the mornings and only girl’s soccer would get canceled. I'm working on writing a letter to the soccer league to address this gender bias starting at a young age.
Robin Miller, Senior Designer
“Women aren’t strong enough to do this work.”
“You need to stop working so hard. You’re making the guys look bad, and they’re getting pi$$ed. I won’t hire you back if they’re upset.”
“You’re going to let her drive a 5-ton truck? Hope you have good insurance.”
“Who’d you ______ to get this job?”
“Ooo, you gave the girl a power tool. Watch your fingers guys!”
“I’ll never hire a woman to my crew.”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion. You’re only here because you’re fun to look at.”
“Women can’t be grips*.”
“Your a$$ looks like it is chewing Chiclets when you walk. That’s what I’m gonna call you. Chiclets.”
“Oh, is it that time of the month again? Better watch out everyone.”
A decade ago, I worked in an almost entirely male-dominated department in the Film and Television Industry. My experiences of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination were often overt or explicit. Thus, the under-representation and inequalities that women and gender diverse people face were made starkly clear early in my life and career. The fact that we still need to have a day to recognize the achievements of women is another indicator of the extent to which disparities exist in our social and political systems.
I understand that I am both a part of the problem and the solution. Therefore, I will help forge a gender-equal world by actively seeking to understand and dismantle the biases within our systems and processes and my own biases. Additionally, I will pursue ways to showcase women, of all backgrounds and expressions, through diverse and equal representation in the art and media that I produce.
It is thrilling and lovely to now work in an environment where 72% of the team members are women, where women in leadership positions are supported. I am excited to see how FBFA will continue to actively create an equitable and diverse space in the art world.
* “Grips’ responsibility is to build and maintain all the equipment that supports cameras. This equipment, which includes tripods, dollies, tracks, jibs, cranes, and static rigs, is constructed of delicate yet heavy duty parts requiring a high level of experience to operate and move. Every scene in a feature film is shot using one or more cameras, each mounted on highly complex, extremely expensive, heavy duty equipment. Grips assemble this equipment according to meticulous specifications and push, pull, mount or hang it from a variety of settings. The equipment can be as basic as a tripod standing on a studio floor, to hazardous operations such as mounting a camera on a 100 ft crane, or hanging it from a helicopter swooping above a mountain range.
— Media Match Inc.[2]” ~ Wikipedia
Meghan Walters, HR Generalist
I will Break the Bias by being intentional in recruiting practices creating space for women in leadership positions. I will also forge and support an inclusive culture within the organization that encourages all Farmhands to be their most authentic and creative selves at work. I will help forge a gender-equal world by taking a proactive approach to ensure equitable pay and equitable representation across organizational levels in our company.
Mel Mok, Senior Marketing Manager
I will challenge gender stereotypes, discrimination, and bias by continuing to expand my lens beyond the gender binary. I want the representation we see and contribute to will embrace the beauty and importance not only of women but also of nonbinary and gender-fluid identities.
Happy International Women’s Day!
To learn more, visit internationalwomensday.com