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Female surgeons from across the world are recreating this inspiring illustration. Here's why

"There is no such thing as a 'a man's world."

Written by : TNM Staff

Four women with surgical masks look at the operating table, the surgical light shines above their heads- this illustration by French artist Malika Favre was the cover photo of New Yorker's April 3 edition.

And no other creation of hers has taken off like this one has.

Women surgeons from across the world are re-creating the pose and posting it on social media in an attempt to shatter stereotypes, and tell everyone that women too are, and can become, surgeons.

Susan Pitt, an endocrine surgeon at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, noticed it at a conference in Orlando.

"I just thought it would be cool to replicate this in real life and at the same time, to show people that there really are women surgeons in real life," Susan told CNN.

Along with three other women at the conference, she recreated the illustration -although sans the surgical mask, cap or even the lights at the operation theatre.

The doctor then tweeted it and what followed was women surgeons from different countries tweeting their recreation of the cover.

Susan told BuzzFeed that she feels a "punch in the gut" when people automatically assume that surgeons must be men.

"I hope to open people's eyes and minds that women can be surgeons and anything else they want to be. That there is no such thing as a 'a man's world'," she said.

"It's meant to be inclusive and not just about women surgeons," she told the site. "I think we're just a symbol of a greater problem. A lot of people who have responded have mentioned that they want to show the pictures to their daughters so they will learn that they can be anything."

Illustrator Malika Favre told CNN that when she created the image, it was not to make a public statement. It was just to demonstrate issues of body, mind and health.

"I was operated by a woman surgeon as a kid. I think it was more of my subconscious and it wasn't about making a public statement. It took a totally different turn when women surgeons actually stated reacting to it and finding lots of things in this image," she said.

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