EqualPYXX
Photo Challenge
2023

The Power of Images

The real world is varied and diverse – and the images used in the Swiss media do not reflect this. Women are strongly underrepresented from a visual perspective. A study from 2019 revealed that half of the ten most frequently sold stock photo categories contained women in less than 40% of cases. In various categories like technology and science, women are represented in even less than 20% of images.

Every day we are confronted with stereotypical images, representations and photos. Why do we see images of female nursery teachers, but not male ones? Why is a leader usually portrayed as a man, while there are no female CEOs represented?

“You can’t be what you can’t see.”

This is the mindset that inspired EqualVoice and womenbiz to hold the EqualPYXX Photo Challenge. In cooperation with Keystone-SDA, our aim is to shake up the stereotypes surrounding traditionally established gender roles.

The Challenge

Do you want to make a name for yourself as a photographer? Or do you just like taking pictures in your free time? Then this is the perfect challenge for you! We’d like to invite all photographers to take pictures that help break down gender stereotypes and challenge traditional gender roles. The images should show women and men in authentic everyday situations that bring more of the real world to the images used in the Swiss media. Give your creativity free rein – enter our EqualPYXX Photo Challenge now and join us on this journey towards an equal and prejudice-free visual environment in the Swiss media!

Entries

Entries for the EqualPYXX Photo Challenge can be submitted between 16 August and 6 October 2023. Participants can submit one image for each category, and will be required to define which image fits which category best. One winner will be selected per category by our jury and the subsequent public voting.

The three categories are as follows:

New Role Models – We’re looking for images that show people in extraordinary, inspiring and authentic situations. People who bravely take others by the hand and show them the way. The images should reveal new perspectives and encourage unconventional paths, to help make things easier for others further down the line.
Leadership – We’re looking for images that show people in their leadership roles. Images that show how a leader doesn’t have to be a suit-clad, middle-aged, Western male. We’d like to see new and refreshingly authentic representations of people with responsibility, leadership qualities and spirit.
Break the Bias – We’re looking for images that challenge typical clichés. People who are still considered unconventional in society, just by being who they are. Gender, origin, ethnicity, appearance, sexual orientation, and religion are all irrelevant, and the images should make it clear that our (un)conscious ideals are long outdated.

EqualPYXX has guidelines that cover technical image quality, compliance with personal rights and image submission. Please read them carefully: Requirements for image submissions

We’d like to point out that failure to comply with these requirements may result in the image material you submit being rejected. Thank you for your understanding.

Award

Last but not least – what about the prizes? There will be one winner per category. The three winners and the chosen images will be presented at Ringier’s exclusive EqualVoice event with a first-rate audience and live reporting. All three winners can look forward not only to receiving an exciting voucher, but also to a contract with the Keystone-SDA news agency and inclusion of the three images in Keystone-SDA’s image database. Not quite enough? We think so too! Which is why EqualVoice will be inviting all winners and a companion each to attend the first-class, exclusive EqualVoice Summit 2024, with prestigious guests and exciting content around the topic of equality. Take a look at the wrap-up video for the EqualVoice Summit 2023 for more of an idea of what you can expect.

So do you fancy being one of the three winners of the EqualPYXX Photo Challenge and winning all of these great prizes?

Contact the EqualPYXX team at info.equalpyxx@ringier.ch if you have any questions.