Now where are OUR role models?

It is challenging to represent your ideals through designing type. Due to a long legacy of printing and type drawing studios being run by men and the type design profession and its education are still strongly male dominated. Even when learning about the (mainly European) history of type, female designers are hardly ever mention or just appear as side notes. We are not critical enough with the affective pull of prevailing stories about our disciplines, our histories and our futures. Ever since I got into the field I was missing leading role models representing me and my gender. Many young female designer are making the same experience. The design field as such is often described as being free and full of possibilities for everyone, but it is in fact no exception to the rule. I want to talk about my experience of being educated through a male design perspective with rare mentioning of personalities that I, myself, could fully relate to. When I started my studies, I was unconsciously trapped in methodically following the rules of “good design”. It took time to ask who in fact established these rules. I will tell a story of how I am working on finding my place and feeling represented by discovering truly inspirational female designers that I could look up to. Making this experience made me wanna share my discoveries and let others take part in the inspiration I found through these women. Their contributions to society deserve to be recognized, to be mentioned and celebrated.