Shared Quotes
Each member of my sample had a “pin board” that was dedicated to quotations. These quotes were typically written out in a decorative font with a solid or printed background. The words were written as script, typewriter and/or mock handwriting. The sayings may have originally been spoken by famous authors (e.g. C.S Lewis, E.B White, F. Scott Fitzgerald), celebrities (e.g. Andy Warhol, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn), prominent spiritual figures (e.g. Jesus, Buddha, Dalai Lahma) and/or fictional characters (e.g. Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, Carrie Bradshaw). Below are several gendered values that my sample conveyed in their shared quotes:
Confidence and self-worth. Members of my sample circulated quotes about having confidence and self-worth. These quotes enable Pinterest members to remind each other that they are strong women who should never have to settle. For example, one member of the sample “pinned” a picture with the following quote: “Your value doesn’t decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth.” Her “pin” takes the form of a stationery card and has a faded appearance. The aesthetics of the “pin” make it appear as a mantra that might have been passed down by someone’s grandmother. It symbolizes that this mindset is one that all women should adopt and also reinforces Pinterest’s emphasis on female bonding. This user has several additional “pins” that reiterate the same message. For instance, another “pin” says: “Confidence is the ability to feel beautiful without needing someone to tell you.” The background of the “pin” is hot pink, while the writing is in white block letters. The color-coding of this “pin” indicates that this is a message that should be shared among women. The quote makes the claim that a woman does not need anybody else to tell her that she is beautiful; however, the aesthetic of the “pin” suggests that women should remind each other that they are beautiful. This emphasizes a female-centered message in which men are not necessary for a woman’s self-validation.