EMPATHY ON EDGE

Gender, what a broad and controversial word. In a small town in Sweden gender became an unlikely topic of Snow plowing. Like many people, we problem solve in our daily lives as did this council in sweden. Their intentions of finding a solution for snow plowing was not malicious towards any gender however it became the talk of a bigger issue. We are so used to having men as the"default" gender and giving women a hinder in this world. Information in the world is based solely on a mans body and the realization in the past ten years that women do in fact exist. Women too need crash dummies, seatbelt accommodations, tests for heart attacks. Women have been overlooked for quite some time. Times are changing and the stigma around accommodations to both men and women are shifting. The stigma of course still exists but like in social change it takes time. 

Through Design, I want to make that changing impact for women. I want to be a voice for women who unable to speak up. Human centered design can shift to the needs and wants of women rather than the focus of men. Women need the changes in a changing world. We are no longer living in the 50's where men are the top dogs and thats that. Women are fully capable of being treated and looked at like men. Design is the voice to help women prevail. 

Source: 

Empathy on the Edge 

By Katja Battarbee, Jane Fulton Suri, and Suzanne Gibbs Howard, IDEO

Invisible Woman