Food for Thought

19 Photos Of Women And Men That Destroy Conventional Gender Stereotypes

‘’All emotions are universal.

Maud Fernhout, a 19-year-old photographer from the Netherlands, wanted to pen an essay about overcoming gender stereotypes, but soon realized that a photo series featuring people and their quotes would send a more powerful message. That's when she developed two photo projects: "What Real Men Cry Like" and "What Real Women Laugh Like."

"With this project, I try to get people thinking about how we view gender and gender roles," Fernhout wrote to A Plus. "Why do we tell men not to cry, but to 'be a man'? And what does that even mean? Why do women cover their mouths when they laugh, and why is it so weird to imagine a man doing the exact same thing? I am not trying to tell anyone who or what to be. If you identify as 'a man' and don't appreciate crying, then don't do it. But if you do feel like wiping away a tear while watching the notebook and eating ice cream in bed, don't let something as trivial as gender roles hold you back. And girls, let those teeth shine. Joy is beautiful, and so are you."

Here are 19 photos of men and women that prove laughing and crying are not exclusive to just one gender...’’

by Steven Lerner