About the photographer

Dr. Leelannee K. Malin is a savvy, sassy and smart communications practitioner and professor with two decades of experience in the communications industry. As the owner of Malin PR, she specializes in providing services to individuals and organizations in sports, entertainment, non-profits, and corporate communication. Malin helps clients develop unique messages in order to tell powerful stories. Her research, writing and speaking agenda include gender stereotypes, strategic communications, sport, and the popular culture. A NOLA girl at heart, Malin resides in Maryland continuing to cherish all things New Orleans, including black and gold, charbroiled oysters, and café au lait.

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Leelannee Malin: Electronic images

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1921 or 2021?

Men Working signage posted at the corner of a New Orleans East neighborhood. Residents complain about lack of progress with construction and repairs. Signage demonstrates that the concept of gender inclusive language in certain workplaces lacks progress as well.
In 1920 the Women's Suffrage movement spurred the right to vote, declaring for the first time that women, just like men have the rights and responsibilities of American citizenship. Though women received the right to vote, working outside of the home in areas other than domestic or clerical roles had yet to be normalized. Now more than a century later, the proverbial battle of the sexes continues in the fight for gender inclusion by the use of gender neutral language and pay equity in the workplace. In 2021, Men Working signage is still being used in cities across America in spite of the signage being prohibited for use per the 1988 edition of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices produced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration within the United States Department of Labor. Captured in this photo taken on July 21, 2021, is construction signage being used in a suburban residential neighborhood in the New Orleans East area, where residents encounter daily construction within a subdivision still working to be revitalized following Hurricane Katrina 15 years later. As a result of the lack of preventive care and long overdue maintenance of local roads and sewage and water infrastructure, residents experience constant water main breaks, leaks, poor sewage and street flooding. Residents often complain that improvement projects are started then abandoned for long periods of time. To add insult to injury, while the signage of "Men Working" is evident, residents rarely see men OR women in the area actually working to complete the much needed community repairs.
More about this photo: https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/local/orleans/in-december-they-said-they-would-be-out-here-for-a-week-its-now-july/289-5fd20be0-4803-4f6e-8d85-667a3dc301ff