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.
Snap made a bunch of #IWD2017 filters of famous women. My favorite: Marie Curie, who was world renowned for her expertly applied smoky eye pic.twitter.com/YSncV0aCSC
— Avery Hartmans (@averyhartmans) March 8, 2017
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 Allen (@annabelja) March 8, 2017
Shoutout to @Snapchat for adding eyelashes to the Marie Curie filter. Forgot that's what she was famous for. #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/4gN2QjzR5B
— Katy St Clair (@Selfies_AndCats) March 8, 2017
Why was it necessary to sexify Marie Curie with these coquettish eyelashes??! #snapchat x #InternationalWomensDay
— Katherine Higgins (@kat372778) March 8, 2017
I appreciate the effort @Snapchat but why add the makeup to the Marie Curie filter? #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/CQ1MZ9S3ZJ
— Eileen Dawson (@MarrowNator) March 8, 2017
Merci @Snapchat de nous rappeler qu'avec ses tubes à essai, Marie Curie portait sûrement du masacara pic.twitter.com/zcu9l4pEqT
— warrior of love (@cleskosia) March 8, 2017
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
Hey @Snapchat can you explain why you added eyeliner and eyeshadow to the Marie Curie #InternationalWomensDay filter? 🤔
— Tina Dube (@stina_weena) March 8, 2017
When @Snapchat gives Marie Curie fake lashes instead of goggles for international women's day. #snapfail 👩🏼🔬
— Gabriella Hodges (@GabHodges) March 8, 2017
Thank GOD snapchat remembered to give Marie Curie a nice smoky eye. #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/EHAFuI3T7h
— Christine Barrett (@ckbarrett) March 8, 2017
wonder who decided that the Marie Curie snapchat filter should come with smokey eyes and fake lashes 🙄 #progressive #nearly
— imogen (@imogenalicee) March 8, 2017