Celebrating Miss November 1972

Lena Forsén was a Swedish model who incredibly became an iconic figure in digital imaging due to a photograph taken for Playboy magazine in 1972.

The image, known as "Lenna," was cropped from her magazine centerfold and had been used extensively in the field of image processing as a standard test image. Its journey from magazine page to digital staple is one that has been fraught with controversy, it has raised issues around copyright, sexploitation, and the representation of women in technology.

Are you even aware of it?

Miss November 1972

Don't get me wrong, I am not a fan of female pageantry, exploitation of any gender in any part of the pornographic industry, but I can appreciate that there are individuals who would leverage their personal allure and physique to get ahead.

The internet has been littered lately, with haters and critics of OnlyFans exhibitors, Bhad Bhabie, Lily Allen and Corinna Kopf so the topic clearly triggers some.

I cannot criticise them as individuals, I cannot comment on their personal circumstances and nor is it my place. If they manage to achieve their goals and derive desired outcomes without too much damage to themselves or others, along the way then more power to them.

I can only express disappointment in the fact that they are outliers and definitely not representative of a seedy underbelly that is often tied to the industry as a whole. There are many who are exploited and many who exploit. Celebrating Miss November 1972, is in part a reminder that many benefit along the way, some by accident, but often the source of that benefit doesn.t

Lena Forsén, then known as Lenna Sj??blom, posed for Playboy as Miss November 1972.

The photograph, taken by Dwight Hooker, featured Forsén looking back at the camera with a hint of a bare shoulder visible. Shortly after its publication, researchers at the University of Southern California chose this image as a test case for algorithms aimed at digitizing photographs.

Though the choice was probably quite arbitrary; they almost certainly did not find the image in a catalog of modeling photographs, a formal portfolio or something more innocuous or benign. Nope, they almost certainly harvested the image from what they had to hand, the centerfold of the magazine. I'll leave you to guess what kind of image that might actually have been.

The researchers sought an image that included a human face and a variety of light and dark elements. The cropped version became widely adopted in academic and industrial circles for testing image compression techniques, notably contributing to the development of the JPEG image and file format.

Widespread Use and Controversy

For over fifty years, "Lenna" has been reproduced in countless journals and educational materials, and at one point was synonymous with digital imaging. However, ubiquitous use has not come without backlash. Critics, myself included, argue that using a nude photograph of a woman as a standard reference simply reinforces outdated notions of women’s roles in technology and perpetuates a culture of sexploitation within the industry.

The subject, Forsén herself, is torn about the legacy; she acknowledged pride in being part of technological history, she also stated that it was time to retire her image from such contexts.

In recent years, there has also been a concerted effort to challenge the continued use of Lenna's photograph. Organizations like the IEEE have banned its use in academic publications, citing ethical concerns and a commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion within tech fields. The IEEE's decision reflects broader societal shifts towards recognizing the need for equitable and appropriate representation in all areas of life, including technology.

Bans and Challenges

The push to retire Lenna gained momentum with the release of the short documentary Losing Lena, which highlights the implications of her image being used as a standard test case. In this film, Forsén states, “I retired from modeling a long time ago. It’s time I retired from tech too,” emphasizing her desire for change in how women are represented in technology. Following this sentiment, several academic institutions and journals have subsequently moved away from using her image altogether.

In 2018, publication, Nature, a leading scientific journal, announced it would no longer accept submissions featuring Lenna due to its problematic history. The IEEE followed suit in 2024, officially banning its use starting April 1st. Such actions reflect an increasing awareness within professional communities about the importance of appropriate use, ethical standards and representation. Something not dissimilar to the raging AI debate going on right now and well highlighted by the BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT .

The lesson for today

While Lenna remains an iconic figure in digital imaging history, her status is increasingly challenged by movements advocating for gender equality in tech. The ongoing debate centering around whether images like hers should continue to be used or if they perpetuate harmful stereotypes about women. Forsén's call to "lose Lena" resonates with many, myself included, who believe that only by retiring such images can we set ourselves on a pathway for more inclusive practices within technology.

On a more positive note, this image really does appear to have been largely retired. Hopefully for all the right reasons.

Take pause then, reflect on Lena Forsén's impact on both modeling and technology, it becomes clear that her photograph served as more than just a test image; in itself it embodies broader issues regarding women's representation and rights within male-dominated fields. The conversation surrounding Lenna is not merely about that one photograph but instead, speaks volumes about how we view gender roles in society today.

Lena Forsén's story illustrates both the potential for women to influence technology and the challenges they face within it. As organizations continue to reevaluate their practices regarding representation, the legacy of Lenna may serve as a catalyst for a bunch off opportunities for change - encouraging greater respect for women’s contributions across all sectors of society.