Revert To Gender Type: How Old Feminine Ideals are Making a Comeback
Ashley Mauritzen
In the last fifteen years, the deconstruction of constrictive feminine norms and toxic female beauty standards has taken centre stage – championed by both consumers AND brands. But for all the impassioned copy and diverse representation, we’re seeing the resurgence of feminine ideals that many assumed we’d left behind.
In a presentation bridging the commercial and the philosophical, I’ll bust the myth of linear emancipation from outdated feminine ideals – exploring their resurgence in popular culture and questioning whether, when it comes to the beauty category, they ever truly went away.
By doing so, I aim to point the way towards a more conscious language of femininity – ultimately, asking the question, what could the semiotics of an authentically modern femininity or post-femininity look like? One that truly embodies its stated values – be they inclusivity, neutrality or something else entirely. And can we ever truly liberate the semiotics of femininity from the ideals (and values) of the past?
Ashley Mauritzen
Ashley Mauritzen is a commercial semiotician, cultural analyst and brand strategist based in East London. With a background in fashion journalism, her practice is distinct for its emphasis on demystifying semiotics—offering practical, personable and provocative insight that’s light on theory and heavy on strategic action. As an independent consultant, she’s been helping global brands harness the intersect between emerging identity and consumption since Millennials were the “next big thing.” When she’s not finding meaning in biscuit packaging, Ashley writes and lectures, walks and occasionally runs (but only after performing stand-up).