Statement on Member Withdrawal

The staff and board of Women Photograph want to share a message that we sent to our members last night in response to a group of photographers choosing to withdraw from our community over our lack of a statement regarding Israel’s war on Gaza. We are deeply sorry for the hurt our silence has caused many of our members; please see our message below:

Most importantly, we are sorry. Above all else, we have tried to make Women Photograph a space for caring and safe community, and we deeply regret that we didn’t do enough to support members experiencing unimaginable loss right now, alongside everyone else grieving and standing in solidarity with Palestinians.

At the heart of our work is a desire to support our members. We didn’t issue a statement earlier because we were collectively at a loss. We also worried that adding to the cacophony of voices on social media and elsewhere would obscure the voices that most need to be heard. We understand now that we neglected to think about how a statement would have made many of our members feel validated and heard.

So no one doubts where we stand: we are outraged by the targeted killing of journalists and civilians by Israeli forces. We all — as individuals and as an organization — join the call for a ceasefire and an end to this violence. 

We are working on a joint statement with partner affinity groups which will publish soon, but we wanted to prioritize reaching out to our community first. 

We remain steadfast in our belief that statements are only a first step and our words will always fall short in the face of such violence. We continue to feel that our most vital work is in building and advocating for an inclusive community of photojournalists and other media professionals, who will produce a nuanced, accurate, and complete record of our global history. That said, we understand that in extraordinary moments like this, it is important for organizations such as Women Photograph to be vocal in supporting the safety and security of journalists and to take a stance against war crimes.

We want everyone in this community to know that we are always available to be in dialogue with you if you have concerns and want to reach out. We are a small team, and that’s why your engagement and guidance are important. The more perspectives that can inform our decision-making, the stronger we are together.