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Ashling Murphy
Professor Hemingway
English 363
May 4, 2014
The Fault in Our Traditions; A Look into the Career of Stephanie Sinclair,
A Pioneering Woman in the Field of Photojournalism
Without pioneering women journalists like Nellie Bly and Ida M. Tarbell fighting for
acceptance into a field that was undeniably gendered male, women like Stephanie Sinclair would
not have been able to make such a name for themselves in journalism. In an article written for
Project Muse, Robin L. Cadwallader claims that Ida B. Tarbells article Women in
Journalism demonstrates that journalism was a valid and, at times, lucrative profession for
women in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (Cadwallader). This validity was due to
the hard work and determination of women fighting to be heard in a largely male industry. It is
because of these determined female figures that Sinclair is afforded the opportunity to become
such a well renowned photographer covering what has been described as, some of the most
sensitive gender and human rights issues (Author at VII Photo). These accolades can only be
attributed to a woman pioneering in the field of journalism.
Stephanie Sinclair had to overcome obstacles to not only make a place for herself as a
woman in journalism, but also to represent the stories of women in her work. Sinclairs work is
described as confronting the everyday brutality faced by young girls around the world (Author
at VII Photo). Some might argue that this focus on womens issues is indicative of third wave
feminism and contrasts the plight of the women who came before her in the field, as these
women fought tirelessly to be given the same stories as men. However, Stephanie has shown that
although she has chosen to focus on womens issues in her work, this focus is not in spite of

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these pioneering women in journalism, but is in fact because of them.
When questioned in an interview with PBS as to why she chose the field of photography,
Sinclairs answer was grounded in influence, the influence of her mother and the influence of the
field of journalism. Sinclair noted that she had seen her mother engage in a job she loved and
realized the difference between doing something you love and doing something just for work
(Chakarova). This realization is evident in Sinclairs work as her passion is clearly conveyed in
each photo essay she produces. In fact, it is evident that Sinclair finds inspiration in several
strong female role models and this inspiration leads her to continue to highlight womens issues
around the globe.
This inspiration is further highlighted in an interview Sinclair engaged in with World
Press Photo. In this discussion of her work, Sinclair states that she has very strong women
roles models in [her] life and that these women have given her the confidence to have value as
a woman (World Press Photo). Sinclair is highly aware of the fact that this value and
encouragement she receives as a woman, is the result of the strong female figures who fought for
womens rights in American and who have subsequently afforded her these opportunities.
Sinclair notes that this drives her to fight for those who dont have those opportunities and those
chances, thus influencing her work and the subjects which she choses to photograph (World
Press Photo).
The many photo essays produced by Sinclair highlight her passions: gender issues, and
specifically, issues plaguing women around the world. One such photo essay, Self Immolation:
A Cry for Help, portrays the staggering issue of self-immolation in Afghanistan, wherein
women are burning themselves alive as a result of the oppression they face. In regards to these
women, Sinclair notes, they were basically working as household servants without being given

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the opportunity of an education (Chakarova). She professes that there is a large gender disparity
in patriarchal societies such as Afghanistan and declares, Its absolutely something that needs to
be addressed (Chakarova). With this statement, it is clear that Sinclair feels very strongly about
these issues facing the women in Afghanistan and she feels something must be done about the
inherent inequality. Sinclair undoubtedly addresses these issues through her camera lens,
subsequently allowing her photo essays to serve as a platform for change regarding womens
issues.
Furthermore, Sinclair has investigated and photographed other, sometimes gruesome,
womens issues. One such photo essay, A Cutting Tradition illustrates female circumcision in
Indonesia. In the journal, Health Care for Women International, it is noted that this practice is
alternatively referred to as mutilation and is defended as a traditional folk practice,
supporting the notion that the potentially harmful procedure is continued in the name of tradition
(Douglas). In these photos, Sinclair captures the emotion that overcomes these young girls as
they undergo the circumcision in a dimly lit clinic, and produces photos filled with excruciating
emotion that convey a sense of oppression at the hands of tradition (A Cutting Tradition).
By photographing such circumstances, Sinclair is able to call attention to the emotional
and physical affects of a society stunted by tradition, though, she also aims to produce stories
that illustrate societies changing and adapting to be more accepting of new practices. This is
especially evident in Sinclairs essay, Womb for Rent which depicts the growing industry of
surrogacy in India. In her photographs, Sinclair captures celebrations as women observe the first
birthday of the first baby born through surrogacy in Kaival Hospital in Andal, India (Womb For
Rent). By capturing such a milestone, Sinclair is able to convey a sense of hope for the future in
a society traditionally closed off to opportunities to empower women financially.

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Sinclairs ability to address such issues is a result of the work numerous women did to be
accepted into the field of journalism years before her birth. When Sinclair set out to begin her
career as a photojournalist, she did not immediately start documenting womens issues. Instead
she began her career covering the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and it was on those assignments,
that she found herself confronted with the daily horrors faced by women and young girls around
the world. Because of the freedoms the pioneering women in journalism had offered her and
other women in the field, Sinclair was able to pursue these stories of oppression. Her time in
these countries spawned the previously mentioned essay Self Immolation: A Cry for Help and
also one of her most praised and notable works, Too Young Too Wed, a decade long project
examining the topic of child marriage.
Sinclairs project on child marriage is some of her most acclaimed work and she has
received national attention and accolades for her expos on the topic. The issue of child
marriage, Sinclair notes, plagues over 50 nations and is a topic very close to her heart (World
Press Photo). In an interview with World Press Photo, she details her inspiration for her work and
the motivating factors behind her decision to pursue a career in photojournalism. In this
interview Sinclair repeats a key theme of gratitude for those who have come before her in the
field and pursued womens rights, and her need to repay that debt by pursuing equality for other
women.
Notably, Sinclair asserts, People fought for [womens] rights in my country, and I feel
lucky to have been the recipient of that. And I feel like its our responsibility to fight for the
rights of people that dont have them yet. This statement not only details Sinclairs motivation
for pursuing a career in the field of photojournalism, but also illustrates the influence womens
abundant rights in American has had on her work. Undoubtedly, Sinclair recognizes that without

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the work of women in the field of journalism years ago, her career would not be possible. As
such, it easy to deduce that Sinclairs decision to portray womens issues in other countries can
be attributed to the pioneering women in journalism who made her work possible.
By exploring such topics as child marriage, womens circumcision, Indian surrogate
mothers, and even women in Hillary Clintons security detail, Sinclair draws attention to various
issues regarding the roles of women in society. In doing so, Sinclair embraces her figure as a
woman in journalism and utilizes it to bring greater attention to women at large. In this sense,
Sinclair contributes the narrative regarding the role of women in journalism by establishing that
women in journalism contribute to the betterment of womens rights throughout the world.
Although this is not true for every woman in journalism, similarities can be drawn between
Stephanie Sinclair and other female journalists we have encountered this semester.
Foremost, Sinclairs career draws several parallels to that of Deborah Copaken Kogan
who authored the book, Shutterbabe, describing her time as a photojournalist covering wars in
the Middle East. In the novel, Kogan describes her frustration having to wear a head covering or
even a burka while working (Kogan). In this instance, both women recognize that this is a
cultural politeness, and feel empathy for the women who must cover themselves on a daily basis.
In an interview with PBS regarding her time in Afghanistan, Sinclair is questioned on what her
most memorable experience working there was. In her response, she seems to recognize the
oppression that the women wearing these veils must feel as she responds that women observing
her walking through a park wearing a headscarf noted how free she must feel and how much
that moment impacted her as a photojournalist (Chakarova). In this instance, something that
herself and Kogan may have seen as an impediment or sexist rule to their role as women in
journalism, served as a reminder of the freedom they have been afforded as women in America

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and subsequently, the necessity to use that freedom to benefit others not afforded the same
luxuries.
Although Sinclair recognizes that men in the industry would not be required to wear such
a head covering, she does not give the impression that she feels slighted as a woman in
journalism. Instead, she embraces the advantages she has been afforded as a woman in the field.
Specifically, in an interview with Vogue, Sinclair notes that in general, things are mostly the
same for men and women in the field (Glaviano). She gives travel as an example of this
equality, noting that both men and women face the same homesickness abroad and work the
same hours. They all must be okay with travel and must be comfortable with being placed on
long-term assignments. However, she does admit that women have the aspect of starting a family
to think of, and a career in journalism forces you to put having children on hold in her opinion
(Glaviano).
Sinclair does not dwell for long on the disadvantages of being a woman in the filed of
journalism. Although she recognizes that motherhood can be an impediment to women in the
field, she quickly asserts that being a female journalist gives her a key advantage above her male
counterparts: access to other women. She describes the access to women in Islamic culture as
access to half of a population that men do not have (Glaviano). I think this assertion is key in
the larger narrative to women in journalism. Access to womens issues is a key advantage women
have over men in the field and is something that allows female journalists to carve out their own
place in the industry.
Sinclairs photo essay Hillarys Angels is in stark contrast to much of her other essays,
which detail the struggles women around the world face and is an example of Sinclairs growing
repertoire of womens topics. In this collection of photographs, Sinclair features women who

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serve on Hillary Clintons security detail, and highlights the career success these women have as
members of a support system for a strong female power figure in American politics (Hillarys
Angels). Although this essay has just as much to do with the role of women in society as her
other projects, it illustrates another aspect of the role of women and exposes powerful female
figures in control of their lives and serving in an important role. By highlighting this aspect of
womens culture, Sinclair shows that she is not only committed to highlighting the inequalities
women today face, but also that she is interested in showing all aspects of topics concerning
women. This is an important realization as it points to Sinclairs overall contributions to the story
of women wherein she carves out a place in journalism for topics of womanhood in all aspects of
society.
While examining Sinclairs work, it is important to note that although she exposes some
truly devastating womens issues in her photo essays, she does so with immense respect for the
cultures she studies, and with overwhelming empathy and compassion for the subjects she
photographs. Sinclair truly seems to demonstrate an understanding of the cultures she
photographs and recognizes the beauty in their antiquated ways. In numerous interviews, Sinclair
asserts her desire to always be respectful to the families of her subjects. In these interviews she
attempts to explain to the public why these societies feel what they are doing is right and points
to a lack of education as an explanation for their undermining of women and girls. By displaying
compassion and understanding, Sinclair is able to gain the trust of her subjects. Then, by
exposing what she feels is at the root of the problem; Sinclair is able to inspire change.
In the aforementioned interview with Vogue magazine, Sinclair states that she believes
photography can change things (Glaviano). This has truly been illustrated through the difference
her works have made throughout her career. Sinclair notes that she has already seen a decline of

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child marriage in the places she previously visited. By her photographing these uneducated
populations, Sinclair feels these people begin to realize the fault in their traditions. Furthermore,
by bringing a greater awareness of said problems to the world at large, society is made aware of
these issues. In an article titled Child Marriage Threatens Girls Health, published by the
Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. Tracy Hampton states, Cultural traditions are
hard to change. We have to work with the community structures and bring recognition to
communities about how child marriage compromises opportunities and health for women and
their children (Hampton, 509). By photographing these child marriages, Sinclair aims to bring
the recognition necessary to incite change. Inspiringly, Sinclair notes that she is now beginning
to revisit the countries where she photographed child marriages and is now photographing the
refusal of marriages. These societies have seen a change resulting from Sinclairs ability to raise
awareness regarding the issues they face.
By photographing womens issues across the globe, Stephanie Sinclair has been able to
inspire change amongst societies and raise awareness regarding womens rights. By giving a
voice to these issues, Sinclair has not only made a role for herself as a woman in journalism but
has also defined a larger role for the representation of women in the media. In doing so, Sinclair
has honored the pioneers who carved her place in journalism. When referring to the ability of
villagers to remedy the problem of child marriages, Sinclair stated that her subjects often knew
what they were doing was not okay and that they wanted to change. She asserted that change
could only come as a communal decision, concluding no one can fix this on their own
(Glaviano). The same can be said for the inequalities women in journalism face, but just as the
women who came before her in journalism, and the women she photographs, Sinclair is a
proponent of change, and she is not alone.

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Works Cited
Cadwallader, Robin L. "Ida M. Tarbell's "women in Journalism"." Legacy: a Journal of American
Women Writers. 27.2 (2010): 412-413. Print.
Chakarova,Stephanie."InterviewWithStephanieSinclair."Afghanistan:ACryforHelp
LivinginaPatriarchalSociety.PBS,Web.
Douglas, JH. "Female Circumcision: Persistence Amid Conflict." Health Care For Women
International 19.6 (1998): 477-479. CINAHL. Web. 1 May 2014.
Glaviano,Stephanie."StephanieSinclair."TooYoungtoWed.VogueItalia,Web.
Hampton,Tracy."ChildMarriageThreatensGirls'Health."JAMA:TheJournaloftheAmerican
MedicalAssociation304.5(2010):509510.Print.
Kogan,DeborahCopaken.Shutterbabe:adventuresinloveandwar.NewYork:VillardBooks,
2000.Print.
Sinclair,Stephanie."ACuttingTradition."VIIPhoto.VIIPhotoAgency,n.d.Web.1May
2014.<https://viiphoto.com/articles/acuttingtraditionfemalecircumcisionin
indonesia/>.
Sinclair,Stephanie."Hillary'sAngelsVIIPhoto."VIIPhoto.VIIPhotoAgency,n.d.Web.1
May2014.<https://viiphoto.com/articles/hillarysangels/>.
Sinclair,Stephanie."TooYoungtoWedVIIPhoto."VIIPhoto.VIIPhotoAgency,n.d.Web.1
May2014.<https://viiphoto.com/articles/tooyoungtowed/>.
Sinclair,Stephanie."WombforRentVIIPhoto."VIIPhoto.VIIPhotoAgency,n.d.Web.1
May2014.<https://viiphoto.com/articles/wombforrentsurrogatemothersinindia/>.
"StephanieSinclair,AuthoratVIIPhoto."VIIPhoto.VIIPhotoAgency,n.d.Web.29April
2014.<https://viiphoto.com/author/stephaniesinclair/>.
"StephanieSinclair,PhotoJournalistUSA."WorldPressPhoto,n.d.Web.30April2014.
<http://www.worldpressphothttp://www.worldpressphoto.org/stephanie
sinclairo.org/stephaniesinclair>.