Video Q&A: Juliana de Faria of Think Olga on How to Become a Feminist Blogger

Journalist Juliana de Faria was tired of writing stories about beauty tips, sex, and other superficial subjects. After having an article about sexual harassement rejected by a magazine in Brazil, she decided to buy a domain and write her own content. Today, the Think Olga blog is a think tank creating new research and content to discuss problems such as harrassement in public spaces and online bullying. The campaign Chega de Fiu Fiu ("No more catcalling") surveyed nearly eight thousand women about their experiences in public. The research led the São Paulo Public Defender's office to create a new booklet about violence against women, and the project could soon expand to become a documentary. The experience transformed de Faria into an entrepreneur, too: she then created Think Eva, a communication consultancy that works with publicity agencies and companies interested in understanding how to better portray women in their marketing products.  

In this interview on the sidelines of AS/COA Women's Hemispheric Work first conference in São Paulo on March 19, de Faria talks about how harassement can limit a woman's career development. She explains that violence "isolates women" and limits their life choices. "Specifically sexual harrassement, it makes women not experience a city as a man does." She explains how the media needs to understand that women are not a niche in the market, but rather, "They are the market," and that publicity needs to change its messaging around women today.

Learn more about the AS/COA Women's Hemispheric Network at as-coa.org/women.