THE WONDER, GIRL PROJECT CAMPAIGN
Girls get bombarded with messages about what is seemingly acceptable given their body types or shapes, or hair texture, gender, intelligence, aptitude for sports, music, etc. It is time for a new narrative. It is time that all girls feel empowered to wonder. And not only to wonder, but to make it happen. The Wonder, Girl Project is one effort towards that inspiration. It is a project highlighting young women who are not allowing themselves to be limited by stereotypes or by how others might classify them or otherwise think of them. These are young women who are setting a new standard, young women who are doing it (whatever that special 'it' is for them). The new narrative is BE WHO YOU ARE. Wonder, girl! Book coming soon.
See more at www.patriciafortlage.com or join the campaign on Facebook by clicking on the FB link in my profile.
Tattoos and Bows
Girls get bombarded with messages about what is seemingly acceptable given their body types or shapes, or hair texture, gender, intelligence, aptitude for sports, music, etc. It is time for a new narrative. It is time that all girls feel empowered to wonder. And not only to wonder, but to make it happen. The Wonder, Girl Project is one effort towards that inspiration. It is a project highlighting young women who are not allowing themselves to be limited by stereotypes or by how others might classify them or otherwise think of them. These are young women who are setting a new standard, young women who are doing it (whatever that special 'it' is for them). The new narrative is BE WHO YOU ARE. Wonder, girl!
Shot on location courtesy of Liquid Amber Tattoo in Vancouver, BC.
Not your stereotypical burly or biker tattoos here!
Shot on location courtesy of Liquid Amber Tattoo in Vancouver, BC.
Only 25% of all Emergency Department doctors in the US are female, and those that are often have to prove to patients that they are in fact the doctor on duty.
Shot on location courtesy of Banner University Medical Center in Tucson, AZ.
It takes a pretty fierce doctor to work emergency...
Shot on location courtesy of Banner University Medical Center in Tucson, AZ.
Breaking the stereotype of who a model is.
Shot on location courtesy of Suite Q Photography Studio in Monterey, CA.
Supermodel Sarah Villa
Shot on location courtesy of Suite Q Photography Studio in Monterey, CA.
Talk about highlighting women who are breaking stereotypes! Power, strength, agility, self confidence, capable of anything… yep, these women are representing!
Community and Competition
This body positive beauty is an artist extraordinaire! You can see her talent all over her face… literally!
Sometimes things are black and white. Sometimes not. Often things are camouflaged. Chloe and her art appears pretty straightforward on the surface, but look closely. There is amazing beauty in the detail.
"I never imagined I would launch something into suborbital space this early in my career." Roslyn Norman (shown above with her project that was launched into outer space on a sounding rocket at NASA's Flight Facility in Virginia).
Shot on location courtesy of the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, AZ.
Move over, Lara Croft! Roslyn Norman is here and she isn't messing around. A former Marine Corp Vet, Roslyn is studying mechanical engineering at the University of Arizona with a focus on robotics... and a determination to be part of the Mars project.
Shot on location courtesy of the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, AZ.
Get inspired by Desiree' Choy who recently spent 3 years abroad (2 years living and teaching in Ecuador, plus one year traveling the world). She's already been to over 50 countries!
Shot on location courtesy of the Monterey Regional Airport in Monterey, CA.
Waiting for a plane...
Shot on location courtesy of the Monterey Regional Airport in Monterey, CA.
Female Strong
Shot on location courtesy of the Presidio of Monterey Army Base in Monterey, CA.
Audree is active duty military, a powerlifter, and a makeup artist.
Shot on location courtesy of the Presidio of Monterey Army Base in Monterey, CA.
"Politics may be thought of as an older, white male field, but this young, Asian woman isn't letting that stop her. I'm very blessed to have such strong women role models in Arizona." Sierra Yamanaka, President of the Young Democrats of Arizona
Shot on location courtesy of Pima County Young Democrats in Tucson, AZ.
Minority Women in Politics
Shot on location courtesy of Pima County Young Democrats in Tucson, AZ.
At the Helm
After attending a huge national maritime expo where less than 5% of all attendees were women, and practically every single one of them attended the one small breakaway session meant for women (by the one maker of women's gear) I was inspired to highlight their work. This is Nelly Hand of Drifters Fish (driftersfish.com), her own company which runs boats out of Alaska. This petite, beautiful woman tossed about gear and managed equipment like a boss. And no, it doesn't matter what gender she is, or how big or how burly. This woman can fish!
Pulling Crab Nets.
With a graduate degree in International Development, Megan will begin a two year stint with the Peace Corps in Armenia in the early spring. Have a thing for program design and analysis? Development Aid might just be the right career path for you, too!
Shot on location courtesy of Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in Monterey, CA.
International Community Development
Shot on location courtesy of Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in Monterey, CA.
Hard work. Making opportunities for oneself. This is an american tradition. Emy Higdon knows this well. When the american economy took a dive in 2008, she couldn't find work anywhere. Times were hard.. very hard. So she came up with an idea for her own business. She took her interest in teaching kids about marine biology (and getting more girls interested in STEM) and turned it into an especially inviting way to learn. Alas, Mermaid Odette was born. Emy (Mermaid Odette) participates in educational events and panels and also entertains kids at parties, weaving in the importance of marine biology and caring for the environment. She makes her own tails from polymer clays, fiberglass, and neoprene... and business is booming! Be sure to look her up in the Tucson/Phoenix area (she travels too)!
Mermaid Odette busy at work in her shop building her next tail. Coupling her skill with Hollywood style prosthetics along with her creativity, she makes her visions come to life. Read more of her story on the Wonder, Girl Project Facebook page!
Shot on location courtesy of Mermaid Odette Studio in Tucson, AZ.
Since Jen was 18 she has been travelling around the world teaching kiteboarding, snowboarding and skiing. She has traveled to both east and west coasts of Canada, Dominican Republic, all over Australia, Thailand and South Africa teaching at ski resorts and kite schools.
Connecting the lines.
Overcoming childhood trauma is not easy, but Caitlin is a beautiful example of courage, determination, and success. Today she has found family in her students and colleagues as a Montessori teacher... and her wonderful husband. Her mantra:
"Light a candle for peace
Light a candle for love
Light a candle that shines all the way around the world…"
Light a candle for love
Light a candle that shines all the way around the world…"
(From the song, Light a Candle for Peace by Shelley Murley)
Shot on location courtesy of DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun in Tucson, AZ.
"... that shines all the way around the world."
Shot on location courtesy of DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun in Tucson, AZ.
Can you be a beauty AND a warrior at the same time? Of course!! Jules snowboards like a boss.
“My identity is very important to me. I am a huge body positive champion, as I am plus size. And I’m trying to help people understand the idea that FAT is not a bad word! I promote the idea that in media fat people are more than just the comic relief. We are the love interest, the super heroes, and brains of the world too. All bodies should be celebrated and I hope to inspire people to be happy about their bodies in a world that tells us our bodies should be a certain way.” 2nd year law student, Megan Odgers
Shot on location courtesy of Monterey College of Law in Monterey, CA.
All Bodies are Good Bodies
Shot on location courtesy of Monterey College of Law in Monterey, CA.
I spent a lot of time watching adolescent and teen girls learning to skate and they all had one thing in common... how they dressed. They all wore boy clothes that were baggy and dark (literally, clothing sold in the boy's department), usually with a baseball cap (under their helmets) to boot. But when classes were done, they would go back to whatever their typical style was. One little girl went back to an actual pink tutu. This inspired me to find professional female skaters who don't fit the standard male mold. This is Kristin Ebeling and Jasmin Kwan of Skate Like a Girl proving fierce comes in all shapes and styles. You definitely don't have to be a boy to skate like a pro. You can be. But you don't have to be.
Preppy Girls Can Ride...
According to The Celluloid Ceiling, in 2016, women comprised 17% of all directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers working on the top 250 domestic grossing films. This number is slightly less for production designers at 16.1%... but this isn't stopping Diane Huynh. Diane works in Vancouver as a production designer overseeing film and TV prop design... and definitely breaking stereotypes!
Ever wonder about all those props you see on shows? Where do they come from? Well, a small number are product placements, but most are actually created by prop builders. They can't use actual products unless the sponsor funds/approves it so they literally build everything from scratch. Diane built this particular can from scratch. Yep, she typed up and printed out a fake (but looks real) label, applied it to the can, and then took to the process of aging the can... all for the sake of authenticity!
“'I’m not sure I exist,' was something I said to my mother at age seven. What I meant was that I didn’t see my own gender diversity reflected back in the images of womanhood that surrounded me. I couldn’t see myself anywhere in the greater picture of the world." ...Alex
"Growing up as a tomboy (truthfully, as a young gender-non-conforming kid) I had no possibility models to wonder after, no examples of a happy life successfully imagined and lived. I’m relieved to say that I am beginning a new chapter of my life as a transman, and I couldn’t be happier! As it turns out there are as many ways to empress gender identity as there are people in the world and all are wonderfully unique and true expressions of the human form. It’s okay to wonder beyond the confines of what is considered normal. Gender doesn’t have to be a one size fits all model." ...Alex
Chelsea, of Go Traffic, is a traffic control supervisor for various construction companies and projects in and around Vancouver. Don't let her small stature fool you, she manages the flow of not only traffic, but also the heavy machinery working in and around these job sites... ensuring safety and maximum efficiency for all.
Supervising people, heavy machinery, and processes.
Briefcase, Pink Earbuds and a Beanie... skateboarding to work.
This is Ursa. She's a tomboy. She is designing very feminine wedding dresses, proving you don't have to be girly to design frilly things. You can be, but you don't have to be. The Wonder, Girl Project is one effort towards a new narrative. A new narrative that shows teens that others are doing it (whatever that special 'it' is for them). Whether it be the petite pretty girl working on a whaler, or a grunge rocker dancing ballet, or a tomboy designing feminine wedding dresses. Instead of having to think outside of the box, removing the box altogether. The message to them is "Wonder, girl!" For as English Poet William Blake once wrote, "What is now proved was once only imagined."
Shot on location courtesy of La Belle Elaine Bridal Salon in Seattle, WA.
Femininity
Shot on location courtesy of La Belle Elaine Bridal Salon in Seattle, WA.
Brainy beauty Carrie Duddy at work. This current Monterey Bay Miss Oktoberfest (and model/actress) is also a licensed financial advisor!
Brains and Beauty
Meet Kelsey Erickson of Tucson, AZ. Kelsey is a circus performer: aerialist, silks, pole, trapeze, stilt walking and fire dancer. She completed her professional training at New England Center for Circus Arts and continues to perform with them. She also teaches so be sure to connect with her at Circus Sanctuary in Tucson!
Partner Acrobatics
Kelsey Erickson and Mika Massey of Circus Sanctuary
Petticoats in the Kitchen
Shot on location courtesy of Cafe Juanita in Kirkland, WA.
What does a chef look like? More specifically, what does a chef in a fine dining restaurant look like? Polka dots and petticoats probably don't come to mind, but that doesn't stop Chef Summer! Here she is, right at home in Cafe Juanita, proving stereotypes need play no part in everyday life.
Shot on location courtesy of Cafe Juanita in Kirkland, WA.
Sade of Zoubi and the Sea
Portrait of a Drummer
Epic is when you meet someone who was bullied and harassed for years for being gay… for being unique… for not identifying with what others considered social norms. So much so that cutting became her hobby. And then one day she realized she had had enough, and she boldly began being herself. To commemorate her growth, and to remind herself of her strength, she tattooed the words No More on her forearm. And now this warrior is inspiring others.
Alicia Keys was quoted saying, "Self-acceptance is power. Give yourself a break, see what's beautiful about you and rock it with sass. Be brave enough to be different from everyone else!"
Clothing pieces put together without a thought, unkempt hair, doll-like makeup, and tulle... heaps and heaps of tulle. You definitely don't need to look like the cool kids to be a cool kid!
If walking in a straight line isn't really your style...
A Girl Who Loves Dolls
Meet Cara, doll maker extraordinaire...
Buttoned Up Street Artist
Inspiring young women and teen girls by showing them they are not limited by stereotypes or how others might classify them or otherwise think of them.
Androgyny
Feminine/Masculine
Zoe Federoff teaches voice lessons to high schoolers, and is a mom to a little girl. She has also fronted the power metal band, Insatia, which was based in both Tucson, Arizona and Montreal, Quebec. Their second album, Phoenix Aflame, dropped June 23, 2017 and was an immediate success.
Lead Singer
Ladies, remember when you were 13 and you thought welding looked cool? But then as you were growing up you realized it wasn't that comfortable being the only girl in shop class? Well, here's Melina loving what she is doing... and well, quite frankly, making it look uber cool. Let's get the message out to our teens: Don't worry about being the only one of you in the class. You are mighty. Go ahead and wonder, girl. Be you!
Suiting Up
On the Job, 20's Style
Shot on location courtesy of Kirkland Library (King Country Library System) in Kirkland, WA.
Flapper Beauty
Shot on location courtesy of Kirkland Library (King Country Library System) in Kirkland, WA.
Never good to judge a book by it's cover...
Avia is a goth rocker who crochets... and quilts!
Goth Rocker Smiling!!
Red hair. And power. I wanted to photograph a woman from an angle that is typically frowned upon. "Shooting from the ground up will make a woman look big," I'd hear. Well, what is wrong with that? I thought. Women have big strength, and power and presence. And I hoped by marrying nostalgia to that (old hood and goggles), I would convey the sense that one needn't toss out the old to embrace the new.
Long Red Hair
Proving you don't have to be stick thin, uber feminine, and 6 feet tall to be a ballerina. Here, Sindy shows us that a grunge aesthetic will do just fine.
Girls get bombarded with messages about what is seemingly acceptable given their body types or shapes, or hair texture, gender, intelligence, aptitude for sports, music, etc. It is time for a new narrative. It is time that all girls feel empowered to wonder. And not only to wonder, but to make it happen. The Wonder, Girl Project is one effort towards that inspiration. It is a project highlighting young women who are not allowing themselves to be limited by stereotypes or by how others might classify them or otherwise think of them. These are young women who are setting a new standard, young women who are doing it (whatever that special 'it' is for them). The new narrative is BE WHO YOU ARE. Wonder, girl!
Join the Wonder,Girl Project community on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wondergirlproject or Instagram at www.instagram.com/thewondergirlproject.
