Meet The Designers Behind Fashion’s Most Empowering T-Shirt
Our editors are making the Ovaries Project shirts their own.
Given the current political climate in the U.S. (read: scary, frustrating, not great for progress), it’s easy to feel discouraged. Since Coveteur is made up of primarily women—and a few standout guys—we care deeply about the effects of the Trump administration’s tone-deaf agenda regarding women’s rights and health care. But we’re also intelligent, capable, and resilient women (!!), and we couldn’t be prouder to feature others who are doing their part to fight back. That’s why, when we heard about the Ovaries Project, we couldn’t wait to learn more about the remarkable team behind the project, which benefits women and children not just in the U.S. but around the world.
Artist Patricia Iglesias and designer Delfina Balda are the founders of the Ovaries Project, which is a charity for Circle of Health International. Inspired by their mutual passion and support for women’s rights, they collaborated on two t-shirts which feature a painting of the female anatomy. A percentage of the profits will benefit the Austin-based nonprofit, which provides exceptional maternal, newborn, and reproductive care, and offers training and services to women and children worldwide.
To promote the project, Iglesias and Balda selected several women to be photographed wearing the shirts, including Tarajia Morrell, Pamela Love, Lotta Nieminen, Mona Fastvold, and more, all of whom they felt best represent their message of female empowerment. Several of our editors were able to participate in the project as well, each with her own personal connection to Iglesias and Balda’s mission.
“Fashion is such a powerful medium for self-expression and a great indicator of cultural shifts, so I’m thrilled that Patricia and Delfina have combined fashion and art with a means to improve the lives of women and children worldwide. Especially as I watch members of Congress continue to use women’s issues as political ping-pong, it’s important to step back and remember how far we’ve come, as well as everything we still need to accomplish. I’m proud to be a woman, and I’m proud to wear our anatomy on my shirt for everyone to see. It’s a helpful reminder that even though the current state of women’s health worldwide is disheartening, we are making real strides to improve conditions and care, despite the political background noise.” —Hannah Baxter, Assistant Editor
“There is a running joke in the office that I am a worrier, but when it comes to women’s health, I have a reason to be. Did you know the US has the highest rate of maternal deaths in the developed world? It’s a shocking statistic, and something that continues to be on my mind as I get older and think about having kids. I also just want to be able to talk more freely about birth, miscarriages, and even my freakin’ period without feeling someone in the room cringe. People hang testicles from their car. It’s time to wear ovaries on a shirt.” —Samantha Sutton, Editor
“Access to affordable, quality healthcare isn’t something that any woman should have to worry about—especially in a country as wealthy and technologically advanced as the United States—but unfortunately, here we are. As infuriated as I am with the current administration’s lack of competence, compassion, and common sense when it comes to this matter (along with a slew of others), I’m glad there are so many efforts being made to resist the madness, including this one.” —Leah Faye Cooper, Features Editor
“Healthcare is always something I took for granted. I’m the first to admit that. I’m Canadian (and admittedly, privileged) and luckily never found myself or my family members in any financial turmoil over getting treatment or basic access to healthcare. It was really when the current US administration took office, and conversation shifted for my American colleagues, who were contemplating what I considered remedial things like getting birth control. My colleagues, living in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, in one of the most internationally loved cities in the world, had to seriously consider risking their own health because they couldn’t afford or had their access taken away from them. It blew my mind. But it’s initiatives like the Ovaries Project that shed a light on these issues, in the US and around the world, by way of fashion and art, which are both, in my mind, so impactful.” —Noah Lehava, Senior Editor: Health and Wellness
“To me, there’s nothing more transformative than wearing your heart on your sleeve, or in this case, your ovaries on your shirt. As scary as everything is right now—with an administration who is so disconnected from reality they might as well be living on another planet—I find projects like this to be reassuring. Whenever I feel down, wearing a shirt like this lifts me up, and is a way to spread a message without saying a word. Just buying this shirt helps benefit the Circle of Health International, a global women’s health initiative. It’s also a conversation starter that can incite action. When I wear this and someone stops me on the street to ask, ‘Hey? Are those ovaries?’ I say yes and tell them what they can do to help.” —Tara Gonzalez, Assistant Editor
