The City of Geneva has put its money where its mouth is and is changing, from 2020, 250 pedestrian crossing signs with a view to increasing the visibility of women in public areas. In agreement with the cantonal transport office, a series of six feminised pictograms will now cover half of the road signs where previously only male figures were represented.
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As part of her year in City Hall, Sandrine Salerno is introducing a series of projects relating to the theme of equality and diversity. By using road signs indicating pedestrian crossings, she intends to promote parity in the urban environment. In connection with the municipal action plan against sexism and harassment in public areas, replacing 250 of the existing 500 signs is designed to enhance the visibility of women within the city and to call into question representations of people who legitimately live there. As the vast majority of road signs are masculine, under the pretext of neutrality, this is a key action in opening up new avenues of thought on the presence of women in public areas.
Geneva, a pioneering city
By adapting the shape of the signs and permanently altering the representations to include women, the City of Geneva – in collaboration with the Department of Infrastructures of the State of Geneva – is implementing a pioneering project. Among existing road signs, only non-prescriptive signs can currently be modified. This is why the “pedestrian crossing” sign has been chosen, as it is one of the few signs used for solely informative purposes while showing the figure of a person.
From a visual standpoint, to avoid projecting a stereotyped message, six different versions of these signs now exist, including with a pregnant woman, a senior citizen and a female couple. These new signs can be found in all the districts of the municipality on both sides of the lake. Ms Salerno also wishes to invite the other municipalities of Geneva to use the visuals developed by the City.
A project designed to enhance the visibility of women
This road sign feminisation project is in line with the policy of promoting gender equality and combating discrimination against the LGBTIQ community in the City of Geneva. The aim is to take action within the urban environment with a view to ensuring that each and every citizen enjoys a feeling of legitimacy in public areas.
Historically speaking, public areas have been designed by and for men. However, as Sandrine Salerno clearly states, the “omnipresence of stereotyped male representations in public areas, in particular through road signs, only serves to reinforce the idea that certain individuals, and in particular women and minority groups, are less welcome there than others.”
This sentiment is shared by Serge Dal Busco, State Councillor responsible for the Department of Infrastructures: “The initiative taken by the City promotes a necessary change of mindset in terms of equality in every aspect of our society; highlighting diversity on official signs is not a case of paying lip service to this issue. It is a tangible, visible and pertinent contribution to global action in favour of equality.” By rethinking the way in which the city is designed and the visual messages conveyed, the municipal and cantonal authorities wish to make the city more welcoming and inclusive for all.
Contact
Anne Bonvin Bonfanti
Département des finances, de l'environnement et du logement
Conseillère de direction
Contact médias
5, rue de l'Hôtel-de-Ville
1204
Genève
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Article modifié le 20.07.2023 à 09:06