The media of feminism or feminist media?
Does having a feminist undertone to a form of media make the director a feminist? This is a question we have been asking all semester as we witnessed The Piano by Campion, who is a self-proclaimed non-feminist film maker.
There are many people who fight to produce films for the feminist cause and others who fight to keep the patriarchy of today’s society. As stated before there is groups that without trying or meaning to, give cause to feminism by promoting and displaying its message. Feminism/feminist is a subject or person fighting for equality between all genders. These genders can be blurred depending on who you are talking to and intersectionality also plays apart of many feminist directors and activist. There are causes that Women of Color need to demonstrate for their particular group as No shows us rape and gender violence as there is the need for Indian women to educate others on their oppression as in Water. Overall there is a movement toward acceptance of feminist movies and (can I be brave enough to say) a feminist viewpoint or the development of a new gaze. Some authors we have seen in this class feel that this is an impossible objective. I am going to take a post-feminist approach and say soon the day will come for a feminist gaze to be accepted. Media is feminist through female authorship, female voyareuism towards male characters, female heroines who possess masculine qualities, and the breaking of former barriers. This class has expanded my viewpoint on gaze and roles in moves. The male gaze of Hollywood is keeping the mainstream audience oblivious to more appreciative pieces that linger under indie titles. After this class I can look at a movie like Water (Mehta) or Boys Don’t Cry (Pierce) and see the underlying messages. Women oppression is too apparent and feminist film makes people aware from a different more raw standpoint than normal films do. Feminist media is materializing whether the author was aware or not and the feminist media is bringing a new wave of equality and independence to the feminist thought.