Communication design to foster gender equality

Gender divide has many shapes, and it is currently at the heart of the international debate. “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls” is the fifth goal of the ONU 2030 Agenda to which this chapter aims to bring a contribution through the Communication Design perspective. From a disciplinary point of view, the issue concerns women’s representation in the media and the repercussions it has in reinforcing stereotypes which lead to stagnant gender roles (points 5.4 and 5.5 of the Agenda). Mediascape in Italy still plays a crucial part in conveying stereotyped models that influence self-perception and the resulting personal and collective identity. In this context, Communication Design has a social and cultural dimension; we as designers have to intervene to develop new tools to change the ways of seeing, consuming and distributing images, in response to the 5.1 and 5.c goals. This work is focused on the ongoing research and experimentation activities conducted by the research group “dcxcg” (Communication Design for Gender Cultures). The group’s activity is placed at the intersection of Communication Design and Gender Studies, and its main goal is to offer a critical view of the forms of representation of gender and to support new communication models in the educational context working through a multidisciplinary perspective. Starting from the schematization of the short circuit created when media make use of stereotyped models to reach the target, amplifying and affirming the stereotypes themselves, the aim is to show where and in which ways communication design can intervene on this vicious circle, focusing on the educational dimension. This could be a contribution in generating positive actions, lifelong learning, and active encouragement in our society and a step toward gender equality and empowerment in a wider perspective