Sexism row over new passport design
The new creative-themed design features five men and only two women, with UK Passport Office director general Mark Thomson blaming “very finite space.”
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The new passport design intended to showcase the country’s cultural and creative heritage features only two women.
Mathematician and writer Ada Lovelace and architect Elisabeth Scott are depicted in the latest version of the travel document unveiled by Immigration Minister James Brokenshire on Tuesday.
By contrast, seven men including artist John Constable and sculptor Anish Kapoor are represented either in portraits or through their achievements – William Shakespeare is featured as a security watermark on every page.
A new passport is launched in the UK every five years, with work on the new design starting more than two years ago. It has been produced as part of a 10-year £400m contract.
Déjà vu
Prominent figures including sexism campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez criticised the desicion to include only two women. Ms Criado-Perez became well known during her campaign to keep a famous women featured on UK bank notes. Emily Thornberry MP tweeted: “Here we go again – new UK passport has 7 men featured and just 2 women.”
Labour MP Stella Creasy encouraged her twitter followers to suggest women that could have been featured on the passport design:
So @ukhomeoffice a few #tellHERstory ideas to help add to 2 uk women you know (google them!) Marys wollstencraft or seacole, Annie besant..
— stellacreasy (@stellacreasy) November 3, 2015
Hereâ??s some more for @ukhomeoffice to google – barbara Hepworth, Beatrice Webb, Virginia Woolf, Beatrix potter, jane Austen.. #tellHERstory
— stellacreasy (@stellacreasy) November 3, 2015
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‘We’ve got 16 pages, a very finite space’
Mark Thomson, director general of the Passport Office, defended the design saying: “It wasn’t something where we said let’s set out to only have two women.”
He said the design showcased a “range of locations and things around the country to celebrate our triumphs over the years, so there we are.”
Asked about the omission of female icons such as Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters, he said: “Whenever we do these things there is always someone who wants their favourite rock band or icon in the book.”
Mr Thomson said the 16-page book was “a very finite space.”