Growing up female: A personal photojournal

Growing Up Female: A Personal Photo-Journal (1974) is a pioneering work in American feminist photography. In this photojournal, Abigail Heyman documents the female experience by capturing images of women performing domestic and beauty tasks—such as preparing food, wearing curlers, and grocery shopping—while also highlighting how these stereotypes are reinforced for girls from a young age. The book combines personal diary entries with black-and-white photographs to challenge societal assumptions about womanhood. It is noted for its honest portrayal of the female life, including an arresting image of Heyman undergoing an abortion, which set a significant tone for the work's exploration of bodily autonomy and gender roles.