Marie Curie was known for a lot of things: her pioneering physics research, winning two Nobel Prizes, and paving the way for female scientists.
So it struck a lot of people as a little odd that Snapchat’s filter to commemorate Curie on International Women’s Day provided the wearer with a smooth complexion, long, thick eyelashes, and a perfect smoky eye.
https://twitter.com/averyhartmans/status/839486872703414274
Snapchat made two more filters to honor the day – one for Rosa Parks and another for Frida Kahlo – which celebrated what both women were known for. While Curie’s filter has a cute animation where a test tube blows up and temporarily covers the user’s face in soot, it quickly disappears and leaves behind a full face of makeup.
Several women took to Twitter to express their displeasure that Curie’s filter seems to focus on making the user prettier. Here are some of the reactions.
@Snapchat Why does Marie Curie have a smoky eye and lash extensions? #InternationalWomensDay
— Taylor (@tailseben) March 8, 2017
good thing the Marie Curie snapchat filter gives you pretty eyelashes, otherwise you wouldn't be able to tell she was a woman scientist 🙃
— Annabel (@annabelja) March 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/Selfies_AndCats/status/839504540844048390
https://twitter.com/kat372778/status/839515240471617536
I appreciate the effort @Snapchat but why add the makeup to the Marie Curie filter? #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/CQ1MZ9S3ZJ
— Eileen (@MarrowNator) March 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/cleskosia/status/839507649972568064
Dear @Snapchat you DO NOT need to add makeup on an #InternationalWomensDay filter. That's not what Marie Curie is famous for. 🙃
— Danielle Finnegan (@danifinnegan) March 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/stina_weena/status/839485006955364353
https://twitter.com/GabHodges/status/839484764310622208
https://twitter.com/ckbarrett/status/839518533130289153
https://twitter.com/imogenalicee/status/839484270024527873