People Are Upset With Snapchat’s Marie Curie, Frida Kahlo, and Rosa Parks Filters
On Wednesday, Snapchat found itself in another controversy over its filters. The social media service, which caught flak for its Bob Marley filter last April, is now under fire due to its International Women’s Day overlays featuring historic figures, including pioneering scientist Marie Curie.
The filter for Curie features a banner with her name and occupation (scientist), surrounded by test tubes with multicolored liquids inside. But it’s not the science-y stuff that has people up in arms — it’s the fact that the filter, which includes a puff of smoke and soot animation when you open your mouth, also adds lashes and smoky-eye makeup to the selfie taker’s face.
Snapchat’s International Women’s Day filter in honor of Rosa Parks adds a sepia tone (which, some noted on social media, darkens the user’s skin tone) coupled with a hat as well as glasses like the ones Parks wore in her famous mugshot.
Curious as to how and why Snapchat thought a sepia toned filter for Rosa Parks and a similar one for Frida Kahlo was appropriate
— brenda meeks (@femmeminem) March 8, 2017
There's a Rosa Parks snapchat filter for women's day, I'm sure nobody will be called racist for using that one ????
— Darren (@VicariousPotato) March 8, 2017
Weird that Snapchat didn't feel the need to make Rosa Parks hot for #InternationalWomensDay. pic.twitter.com/HhPHImSTQC
— Madison M. K. (@4evrmalone) March 8, 2017
Just saw the Snapchat of white girl is the Rosa Parks filter lip syncing to 'Baby Got Back'
Is this real life? ????????????
— Sydney Merrick (@sidkneemurrick) March 8, 2017
Snapchat has a Frida Kahlo & Rosa Parks filter & idk how to feel about that ???????? considering they both make you look white #nationalwomensday
— Princess Rosie ???? (@RosiePosie141) March 8, 2017
Why is rosa parks a @Snapchat filter? Disrespectful #deleteapp #boycottsnapchat
— dont follow (@mslaunn) March 8, 2017
Who thought it was a good idea to have a Rosa Parks snapchat filter??
— Grundy ???? (@GrundyOxford) March 8, 2017
A filter honoring Mexican painter Frida Kahlo is also included, with a flower-festooned braid crown and red lipstick.
Here's what Snapchat did to my skin color as Frida Kahlo, and as a dog… pic.twitter.com/y9KMaeZdZ9
— Julia Carrie Wong (@juliacarriew) March 8, 2017
The Frida Kahlo and Rosa Parks filters are cute, but I don't think the whitewashing was necessary @Snapchat
— Mina (@minaaa_xo_) March 8, 2017
Stoked that Snapchat has a Frida Kahlo filter for International Women's Day but also disappointed that they white washed it…not cool.
— morgs ❁ (@ur_fav_culler) March 8, 2017
While a red lippie was at times part of Kahlo’s look, you’d be hard-pressed to find a snapshot of Curie rocking eye makeup. A simple image search of Curie shows that she wasn’t one for makeup. So why was a primped face included in the filter inspired by the two-time Nobel Prize winner, and not Rosa Parks’s?
Many took to social media to blast Snapchat for its misstep.
Can't tell if Marie Curie's @Snapchat filter is ironic since she died of radium exposure (found in early cosmetics) or just sexist #IWD2017 pic.twitter.com/OELkDQkdho
— Olivia Robinson (@missolivianne) March 8, 2017
the marie curie snapchat lens makes ur face thinner and gives u full eye makeup thank GOD wouldn’t want to be an unhot scientist pic.twitter.com/8wskqbs5m3
— amy brown (@arb) March 8, 2017
Not gonna lie, snapchat’s international women’s day marie curie filter bothers me for a lot of reasons… ????☕ pic.twitter.com/q3Z6ATx2Xm
— Alexandria Heston (@alexandria_hest) March 8, 2017
For #InternationalWomensDay shapchat has a Marie Curie filter. The only thing it changed about me was the addition of eye shadow. Seriously. pic.twitter.com/TL4Pbcgq64
— Addy (@adriana_lowe) March 8, 2017
Man, #MarieCurie wore a crap ton of makeup, eh @Snapchat ? pic.twitter.com/XjZtvkJfX8
— Candice McDonald (@CandiceMcD) March 8, 2017
Nice try Snapchat but I’m pretty sure Marie Curie didn’t wear false eyelashes in the lab pic.twitter.com/gQAnCKd889
— Morgan Myer (@morganamyer) March 8, 2017
I didn’t realize Marie Curie wore false eyelashes. We don’t want our women scientists to not be hot. Thanks @Snapchat pic.twitter.com/yz1oHeVkMC
— Becky Adams (@bec_keyy) March 8, 2017
@Snapchat It you want it to be clearly Marie Curie, the colorful flasks are enough. If you want you could add her light frizzy hair. NO MAKEUP!
— mare loves Ꮋ (@lilfreddiereign) March 8, 2017
@Snapchat Why was there a need for a makeup filter on Marie Curie’s filter today? #InternationalWomensDay
— bridget (@lond0nbridge) March 8, 2017
There were also those who found no fault with the filters and actually thought they were fun and educational.
Hey @Snapchat I'm loving your #InternationalWomensDay filters, my mom raised me loving Frida Kahlo and today I got to be her ???????? pic.twitter.com/h5tdJf37F6
— ???? (@emomomsclub) March 8, 2017
The snapchat filters of Marie Curie, Frida Kahlo & Rosa Parks are such a good way to educate the younger generation! #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/YuHdXzmx77
— Ebbs????️???? (@Ebbs_00) March 8, 2017
This is the best filter Snapchat has ever came up with. I have so much love for Frida Kahlo as an artist and as a woman ???????????? pic.twitter.com/PJLXJVyeTo
— Hamma (@HammaWitch) March 8, 2017
Happy International Women's Day! Look at these cool filters #Snapchat released for today's celebration. Aren't they amazing?! #IWD #IWD17 pic.twitter.com/HDgd1Ppz4k
— WTMFresno (@WTMFresno) March 8, 2017
Love love love that Rosa Parks is a Snapchat filter for international women's day????????
— eloise (@eloiseeqt) March 8, 2017
Yahoo Beauty has reached out to Snapchat for comment and will update when it responds.
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