absent presence

Absent Presence is a campaign based on Caroline Criado Perez’s book Invisible Women. Through editorial photography, it spotlights the gender gap in product design. While some issues may seem like minor inconveniences—like supermarket shelves placed out of reach—others have far more serious consequences, with design flaws that can ultimately cost women their lives. The campaign illustrates just how absurd it can be to navigate a world that isn't designed for you.

Bus stop

Women are more likely to trip-chain, combining errands like grocery shopping with their commute. Yet, public transport systems are designed for simple, direct journeys, typically taken by men. This leaves women juggling bags and tasks, with systems that fail to account for their more complex travel needs.

OFFICE

The formula used to determine standard office temperature was developed in the 1960s around the metabolic resting rate of the average man. A recent Dutch study found that young adult females performing light office work have a significantly lower metabolic rate than men, which means the formula may overestimate women’s metabolic rate by as much as 35%. As a result, offices are typically five degrees too cold for women.

PROGRAMMING

Although women represent nearly half of the global workforce, only 11% of computer programmers are female. Bias in tech extends beyond pay gaps—it starts with workplaces designed for men, from tools and mentoring opportunities to industry culture. The result? An environment where women are often excluded, and brilliance is assumed to be a male trait.

CLEANERS

Women working as cleaners can lift more in a single shift than construction workers or miners. Despite this, their work is rarely acknowledged as physically demanding, and safety guidelines often overlook the risks they face. The cleaning industry is one of the most gendered sectors, with women making up 89% of home and hotel cleaners. These women often go home to a second, unpaid shift, further compounding the toll on their bodies.

cars

Despite women being 47% more likely to suffer serious injuries and 17% more likely to die in car crashes, car safety standards largely ignore the female body. Crash-test dummies are typically based on an "average" male model, leaving women at greater risk in collisions. Women are three times more likely to experience whiplash in rear-end crashes due to car seats designed for male body weights, which fail to protect lighter bodies. The lack of a properly designed female crash-test dummy in most safety tests perpetuates a system where car safety is optimized for men, leaving women at a significant disadvantage.