We Speak!

We're Here But They Don't Seem to See US {Image from the 2020 Leading Women's Society Awards}

     Women are valued in society by of our bodies because patriarchy and misogyny has spiraled down into the female body where our bodies seem to become open for commentary, judgment and ultimately public display for people to ask us things not for our  brains but for the way we look and the way they think we look. The entire slew of psychological effects  this creates is endless, insecurities, eating disorders, dangers of the internet, abortion even, because for the women out there who carry their babies, there are still men voting on whether we have the right to abort or not, well who gave them the right to have a say on our bodies? Who gave them the right to be our mirrors? Who gave them the right to say something they would kill someone for saying to their daughters? We need to find a way to take control of our bodies in ways where no explanation is necessary. Because as Gloria Anzaldua poetically stated, "But women have survived" (Pg.373, Poetry is Not a Luxury). We have survived so we will survive and by surviving we will bring the change we've been neglected for too many years for ourselves and for our sisters, mothers and children, because as strong young women today we don't hide anymore, we don't shy away because someone said something hurtful, we fight back. 

     My body is my body, religious and family values/morals aside, "Our poems formulate the implications of ourselves, what we feel within and dare make real, our fear, our hopes, our most cherished terrors," continues Anzaldua (Pg. 373 Poetry is Not a Luxury). We can recreate our bodies as poetry with our mouths and hands to write the words necessary to bring the change we so desperately desire. 

Young Women Face Gender-Specific Challenges that Limit their Political Participation 

     "...even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood. That the speaking profits me, beyond any other effect" (Pg. 40 The Transformation of Science into Language: Sister Outsider and Action). If we can't be the political advocates then we have to show it, speak it and raise awareness through our voices even if people misunderstand, even if we misunderstand ourselves, the point is we are talking and getting what we feel, what we must say to make a difference before it's too late for ourselves and for our children. We carry a child for 9 months in our stomachs, we go through child labor, every month genetically we are reminded we are women and all of this creates the sources we have had since the beginning of time to fight our fight "Within the war we are all waging with the forces of death, subtle and otherwise, conscious or not - I am not only a casualty, I am also a warrior" (Pg.41 The Transformation of Science into Language: Sister Outsider and Action). We matter, along with our brains and voices to make our stories widespread. 
     The Media is our tool to unite us all in this fight together. "This book, I said, would bring our academic dialogue back to where it began - when we were teen girls on the journey toward finding our place in society" (Pg.xxv Yelloh Girls) says Vickie Nam. Of course the media it has its faults, people can write/post/share anything they want, but we can also. That is where media becomes our friend. As more and more awareness sparks, the more television spots, webisodes, podcasts, our own ad campaigns, and vines can showcase our voices and how we will not be silenced anymore. We need this multiplicity of stories in order to execute ourselves as all women fighting one cause. We have opportunities to take our frustration and utilize its strength instead of blaming one another  for the wrongs of other people. DoNow. 

Women Should.

 

 

Definitely Shona Rhimes – Post #5

When I was thinking about this last assignment the first person that popped into my mind was Shona Rhimes. So, I choose Shona Rhime as the artist who exemplifies the feminist movement as writing women characters as they just should be written.  She is a screenwriter, producer and director. One of my favorite shows is Grey’s Anatomy where women’s characters are presented each one in a very unique way; women are intelligent, brave, strong, etc. I just think she presents women in a way that nobody else does, she mixed the characteristic of each one, not presenting them as “the ideal women” that we watch on the media all the time, she presents women that make mistakes and are not perfect, just as we really are in real life “human been”.

Shonda Rhimes and the Grey's Anatomy character (Christina Yang)

 One of my favorite characters of this show is Christina Yang which happens to be an Asian woman, an is something that we do not see often in the media, and also the fact that she is a very strong independent woman which is another characteristic very uncommon on TV. So she fights very hard to accomplish her dreams and there is nothing that can stop her. For these and many more is that I really admire Shona Rhimes, she really presents women the way it should be. 

Blog #5 - Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler has been one of my all-around favorites since I started paying attention to SNL back in the early 2000's, especially once she took over as co-host for “Weekend Update.” Always funny, always all in, and never shied away from from speaking her mind.

Later, she moved on to Parks & Recreation, creating one of the best fictional feminist icons we have to aspire to. (I’ll give you iffy S1 Leslie but S2 and beyond, Leslie was a force to be reckoned with.)  Life and art imitate each other so there’s no reason that young women can’t become the real-life Leslie Knope.  Or any of the wealth of strong female characters Parks & Rec boasted. Because at it's core, Parks & Rec  really showed female characters who were determined, in the end, to always support other women.

Additional to portraying the lead character, Poehler’s work on Parks & Recreation  included serving as producer of the series as well as writing and directing a few episodes. And Poehler co-created (with Meredith Walker and Amy Miles) Smart Girls at the Party, an interview style web series that focuses on girls with unique skills and views, helping them find their voice and confidence. She’s helped bring Broad City to Comedy Central and serves as Executive Producer as well.

In case you haven’t gotten it, Amy Poehler pushes and furthers her career to portray feminism in a positive light and brings into that light as well. She looks sweet and uses that to her advantage, by being loud and unapologetic and getting what she wants. In her book Bossypants, Tiny Fey relates an anecdote showing Amy’s tenacity.

“Amy dropped what she was doing, went black in the eyes for a second, and wheeled around on him. "I don't fucking care if you like it." Jimmy was visibly startled. Amy went right back to enjoying her ridiculous bit …

With that exchange, a cosmic shift took place. Amy made it clear that she wasn't there to be cute. She wasn't there to play wives and girlfriends in the boys' scenes. She was there to do what she wanted to do and she did not fucking care if you like it …”

And I think this really sums up Amy’s career. She’s worked hard and blazed a trail to get to where she is now and is looking to use her leverage to open doors for the next generation of women.  So maybe she is the real life Leslie. Either way, she's here, she's not going anywhere, and she's making room for all the ladies to join her. Get used to it.

Winter's Bone - Debra Granik

When I first saw Winter's Bone in one of my film classes I didn't fully appreciate its feminist message. Then again, at that point I knew nothing of the Bechdel test or really take a serious look at the misrepresentation of women in the film industry. In the film Winter's Bone the director, Debra Granik, tells the story of a young woman living in the Ozarks trying to find her drug-dealing, estranged father while keeping her poverty-stricken family together. In this film, Jennifer Lawrence's character, Ree forces herself into a world of secrets that nobody wants her to be part of. Sure, the plot is gripping, but the real value that I think Granik wants the film to display is that of the strength of women. Throughout the entire film, Ree has to take the care of her family out of her mentally ill mother and absent father. She shows strength and maturity little found in any teenager, regardless of gender. In addition to that, she has to ward off the sheriff from repossessing the house they live in. Intense? To say the least...

Not only are the feminist tones visible because of gender roles completely thrown out the window, but Granik brings feminism into the core plot (without being preachy or completely obvious) this apparent not only because Ree kicks ass and takes names (figuratively... sorta...) to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding her father, but because the people who are fighting against her, for the secrecy, and protecting the evil that is eating up her life and those of the people around them, are also women. In movies you have female protagonists all the time, but having female antagonists who are genuinely opposed to the values of the protagonist in a serious and dramatic way is not as common. The position of evil genius is usually relegated to men (say of that what you will) but in this film, that is not the case, despite the head honcho of the meth contingency is a man. You seldom see him though, and when you do, the women in his family usually do the talking for him. Perhaps the most gripping scene for me though, is when Ree is taken to see her father's dead body so she can prove him dead to the sheriff. The women who take her there show her no mercy, telling her to hold her father's dead hand while they cut it off with a chainsaw. Thats intense, terrifying, and badass all at the same time, which basically sums up this film.

Obviously, this film got much praise. It took awards at Sundance, and was nominated for four academy award nominations including best picture and best actress for Jennifer Lawrence. If that's not enough of an advertisement in and of itself, I'll tell you now, go see it.

Amy Schumer

Schumer's current profile picture

There are many women in showbiz but not many have achieved as much as trailblazer, Amy Schumer. First, who is she? Well she started out as your average Jewish, Upper East Side girl who earned a degree in theater, only to work as a barista until she had her first big break. Like many scarlets, Schumer has faced the sexism and inequality that many women (in and out of Hollywood) face.

From entertainer to executive producer, Amy Schumer seems to be the jack of all trades and to many, she is someone you shouldn't sleep on (and rightfully so).
Schumer has faced what many women in the entertainment business do; the double burden of a feminist Hollywood star. When you think Hollywood, you think glamorous, stunning and a real Barbie type. Although she does have blonde hair, she isn't your average bimbo. She's a successful entertainer on the rise and she's taking Hollywood's traditional standards by shoving them up your rear and changing the game for everyone.

As I previously mentioned, Amy Schumer is not only a comedian but she is also a writer and executive producer of her own show on Comedy Central (appropriately named Inside Amy Schumer). The show revolves around Amy and all the challenges/scenarios that are currently popular or controversial. Recently, she challenged the sexism in Hollywood (along with Tina Fey, Patricia Arquette) in a skit for her show in the episode titled, "Last F*ckable Day".

On top of that, she is also an avid speaker for equality and women's rights. The picture on the left states a quote she said during one of these talks when touching base on her feminist roots.

Amy Schumer is not only witty but she is also intelligent and passionate about feminism. She is a star on the rise and a force to be reckon with. If she isn't on your radar, she should be.

When my mom told me to start watching "The Unbreakable Kimmy Shmidt" I was a little wary weather or not to listen to her, until I found out that the show was written by Tina Fey.  Tina Fey is someone that I have always trusted to be funny, smart, and feminist.  Her new show which was released on Netflix on March 6th 2015, not only features a female lead character but passes the Bechdel Test in every episode.  Tina Fey has been a leader in feminism since she started her career as writer and actor/comedian on SNL.  She has been a leader in feminist media with her show 30 Rock as well.  Her new show Unbreakable Kimmy Shmidt depicts the life a woman who has lived in a bunker underground since 1999 and finally was rescued in 2015 just to start her new life in New York City.  The show has a really witty sense of humor that Tina Fey is especially known for and has a very new age mindset towards problems that exist in society today.  Comedy is often a forefront for social change and Tina Fey is a master at putting those issues at the forefront of her writing.

Yoko Ono - Cut Piece

Yoko Ono
Website: http://imaginepeace.com

1964 & 2003

(Images From Yoko Ono's Website )

When I think of Yoko Ono, I think of her as John Lennon's wife, a singer, and anti-war activist. I didn't know Yoko Ono is a feminist until I did the research. I found her art work very interesting. People reads "Cut Piece" project in many different ways, but to me, it stands out as a feminism art work. The video I found on Youtube is from 1965, she did not explain much about this piece of art.

I think her intention is for people to determine themselves, and feel the inner experience through the performance. After watching the video, I was a little moved by Yoko Ono's tears. Viewers might not know why is she holding her tears, and what is the main point of cutting the cloth apart. But through out the process, we see how a human may do to another human. The result of it makes people wonder why would they do that and what happen in the end. The amazing thing about art is that you can determine it in many different way, and there is no right and wrong. I see "Cut Piece" as an strong work of feminism. I see people tear woman's clothes apart, and feel ashamed of doing it. In this project, Yoko Ono is a representation of women, speechless and submissive. Strong Performance.

Here is an part of interview with Yoko Ono on feminism:

VOLLMER: What's your take on feminism and women's rights here and in the world right now?

ONO: I think there is an incredible repercussion. We stood up for feminism and all that, and it came to a point that we were attacked so much that women got very intimidated and said, "No, I'm not a feminist, no, I think feminism is bad." There's nothing bad about feminism. We have to help each other, because there's a lot of women in the world who are suffering because the fact is we're not equal. It's as plain as that. It's still a men's world. I don't know. We'll go on with it.

VOLLMER: What do you think about the revolutions in the Middle East with regards to women's rights?

ONO: Incredible, isn't it? I did know there will be some kind of backlash as well, et cetera. We have to work very slowly. Whatever happened in the Middle East is almost symbolic. Whatever happens to it, even if it just disappears, it's in our hearts, we'll remember it and that gives us incredible strength.

Reference:
Yoko Ono’s CUT PIECE: From Text to Performance and Back Again by Kevin Concannon
Yoko Ono on Lennon, Love, Feminism, and Japan