Feminism: A word that society and the rest of the world considers as dirty and filthy. It’s like when someone hears the word “feminist” they abruptly think that it’s a crazy woman that hates the male species that easily gets triggered about the littlest criticism of what she does and accuses men of being male chauvinists but what about sexism? How comes society doesn’t label sexism as dirty? How comes society complains more about how feminism has gradually become an extreme, man hating advocacy movement but they hardly ever complain about how sexism still exists, it still victimises women and it still occurs in work places especially in the film industry?
I find it rather confusing how ignorant society can be to minimize sexism as if it isn’t an important subject matter that needs to be dealt with because it seems to me that people actually think that a woman fighting for her equal rights whether it’s her right for equal pay, their human right’s or their legal right’s, is worse than seeing a woman being treated unfairly by a group of people in an office.
Donald Trump makes these ridiculous misogynistic remarks such as neglecting a woman’s ability to write but appreciating a woman’s “young and beautiful ass” quoted by Donald Trump himself in 1991. Sickening pig. However, he makes these offensive comments but the media does nothing to challenge him and it doesn’t make any sense to me because I would take action if I were right in front of Trump but the media do nothing but record, photograph and write about Trump’s misogynistic statements as if publishing the story is going to make a change.
Not only that but becoming England’s first female prime minister didn’t seem to make much changes for feminism with Margaret Thatcher because there’s still sexism occurring in England and there’s still inequality between men and women so how exactly is there a change in equality meant to happen if even political leaders can’t make a drastic difference. This a reason why we can’t just rely on our world political leaders to make the change and do nothing ourselves, right? If we want something then we got to work hard for it because nothing’s free.
Since it’s the 21st century, 16 year old young me thought that she could work hard in college, complete her creative media course in college, then head to university to do a film production course to eventually find a career in the film industry and become a successful film maker but from learning the facts and statistics of women employed into the film industry, hearing stories and reading articles from women that had previously or still currently work on screen or behind the cameras, it made me stop and think: Can I really get into the film industry? Will I be qualified enough or good enough to be accepted into this kind of industry?
Turns out, women don’t get the same opportunities as men receive. I can confidently say that from researching the statistics of men and women in the film industry, the number of men outnumbers the number of women but I ask myself “Why is it the way it is?” It’s annoying for me because I want to have career in the film industry but knowing that women aren’t given as much job opportunities, it leaves me feeling almost hopeless when it comes the future career I want to pursue. And the sad thing is, I’m not the only female teenager that wants a job in filmmaking to become either a cinematographer, a film director or producer, there are probably millions of other young women that want the same kind of job that I also want but I feel as if us young women have to battle each other for these jobs because they’re limited for females but for the males, they can work hard in their studies and still receive a better chance than females getting into film.
Even if I do get into the film industry, would my treatment be the same as the treatment of male workers? Sadly, as much as I want it to be, the reality is that it isn’t, even till this day, women are still being discriminated. Knowing that women directed only 3.3% of high budget and feature length films isn’t the most encouraging statistic to keep my head held high for my ambitions in the future. In Hollywood, films such as The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty are action war themed films directed by the infamous Kathryn Bigelow. Both are great films and well directed however, the film industry needs to recruit more female directors that will produce films that do not just promote “masculine” themes but also films that addresses significant and broader issues in the world such as inequality, discrimination and extremism. But going back to the matter of filmmaking, women definitely have different views compared to men so there must be a difference in the way female directors produce a film and illustrate a symbolic message through the use of cinematic space, micro and macro elements because everyone is different, we all know that.
Not only that, I had read about an awful experience that German Oscar-nominated female director, Lexi Alexander had to undergo and let me tell you now that it is offensive as hell. Alexander was casted as the head director of an action film which great but the leading male actor had refused to work on set due to the fact that he was going to be directed by a WOMAN. Yes, you all heard right, because he didn’t want to be directed by a woman. It’s sad to know that some actors will give up the millions of dollars they could earn in producing a film on the grounds of being led by a female. It’s screwed up but that’s the film industry. But although we know that the film industry is screwed up, it doesn’t mean we can’t make a change: Yes, there are female directors, female producers and female filmmakers but the problem is that a lot of people in film are not willing to give women a chance or an opportunity to be come a director or any media related job occupation and that’s where the issue of sexism in film industry starts.
What else irritates my soul is that young girls are conditioned to think that they can’t do what “boys” can do as if boys and girls can only do specific things or else it won’t make them a boy or girl. These gender roles shouldn’t be promoted and I also want to address why parents must feel as if it’s an obligation to teach children stereotypical gender roles because honestly what does it do to your kids in the future? All kids can be taught to cook, all kids can be taught to clean after their selves and colours are not reserved for either girls or boys. Therefore, being a film director isn’t just for boys or guys because it’s a job where someone must led a huge crew but women can easily perform the same task as well as men can do.
I’m not promoting that women should always target their selves to do better than men because men are not the threat and someone else’s gender is not what makes them a threat but it’s how hard one works to achieve their goals which is why, if you want a job in the film industry, then stick in school, work your butts off and watch yourself take you to places you may have never thought you could go. If you encounter sexism in the future, react correctly: State your disagreement on their misogynistic statement and educate them about why they’re wrong and prove to them why they’re wrong. Fighting sexism isn’t about responding aggressively or violently but to passively fight for our equality. As you all read this, whether you are a feminist or not, we should change society’s views on whether feminism is a dirty word, to rid of sexism and to deflect the teachings of stereotypical gender roles on the upbringing of kids.
WRITTEN BY: NATALIE KIM QUITOS