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smenayetk11 · 9 months

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The Best Working Mom Quotes And Images

Being a working mom is no easy feat, but it's a role filled with love, dedication, and strength. To inspire and uplift all the hardworking moms out there, we have curated a collection of the best quotes and images that celebrate the amazing journey of being a working mom. These quotes serve as a reminder that you are not alone, and that your efforts are truly appreciated. Take a moment to reflect on the joy, challenges, and triumphs of being a working mom with these heartfelt quotes and images. Being a working mom is no easy task. Juggling career and family can often feel overwhelming and exhausting. But amidst the chaos, there are moments of inspiration and motivation that keep working moms going. The best working mom quotes and images capture the essence of the challenges and triumphs of being a working mom, offering a sense of solidarity and encouragement. These quotes and images serve as a reminder that working moms are capable, resilient, and deserving of recognition for their incredible efforts. The history of working moms is one of resilience and progress. Over the years, women have fought tirelessly for the right to pursue their careers while also raising a family. The best working mom quotes and images pay homage to these trailblazers and serve as a testament to the strength and determination of working mothers everywhere. A compelling statistic shows that in the United States, 70% of mothers with children under the age of 18 are part of the labor force. This staggering number highlights the prevalence of working moms and the importance of celebrating their accomplishments. The best working mom quotes and images not only provide inspiration, but also offer practical tips and solutions to help working moms balance their responsibilities and find fulfillment in both their personal and professional lives.

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The Value of Inspirational Quotes and Images for Working Moms

Working moms are constantly juggling their careers and family responsibilities. They often face unique challenges and need motivation and support to stay focused and inspired. One effective way to boost their spirits and remind them of their strength is through inspirational quotes and images. These powerful words and visual representations can provide encouragement, motivation, and a sense of belonging for working moms. Inspiring quotes resonate with working moms because they capture their experiences and emotions in relatable and memorable phrases. Whether it's a quote about perseverance, balance, or self-care, these words can serve as reminders that they are not alone in their journey. Quotes can help working moms find solace and encouragement during challenging times and provide a fresh perspective on their roles and aspirations. Similarly, images have the power to convey a message or evoke emotions quickly and effectively. Images that depict working moms in various settings, such as a boardroom meeting, spending quality time with their children, or pursuing their passions, can be incredibly empowering. These visuals serve as reminders that working moms are capable of achieving their goals and excelling in multiple areas of their lives. If you're a working mom seeking inspiration and motivation, you can find a wealth of quotes and images online that celebrate the journey of working motherhood. For example, sites like WorkFromHome24h offer a curated collection of the best working mom quotes and images. You may also find helpful resources about time management for working moms and other related topics that provide practical advice and support. The Power of Words: Quotes for Working Moms Quotes have a unique ability to capture the essence of a message in a concise and impactful way. They can uplift, inspire, and provide comfort to working moms who often face numerous challenges. Here are some of the best quotes for working moms: 1. "You are enough. You are so enough. It's unbelievable how enough you are." - Sierra Boggess This quote by Sierra Boggess reminds working moms that they don't have to be perfect or do it all. They are enough just as they are, and their efforts and love are more than sufficient. It's a powerful reminder to let go of guilt and recognize their worth. When it comes to managing responsibilities, often working moms feel like they have to constantly fulfill different roles and meet high expectations. This quote serves as a gentle reminder that they are doing their best and that is more than enough. Example sentence with embedded link: For working moms who struggle with balancing their various roles and feeling overwhelmed, this quote can be a source of reassurance and confidence in their abilities. It's a reminder that they don't have to strive for perfection and that self-acceptance is key.!(https://workfromhome24h.com/the-best-proud-working-mom-quotes/) 2. "You don't have to be superwoman. Just being a good mom is more than enough." - Jill Churchill This quote by Jill Churchill reminds working moms that they don't have to be superheroes, constantly striving for perfection in all aspects of their lives. Being a good mom is already an incredible accomplishment. Working moms often put immense pressure on themselves to excel at work, be present for their families, maintain a clean and organized home, and be involved in their communities. This quote is a gentle reminder to prioritize self-care and focus on what truly matters. Example sentence with embedded link: For working moms who find it challenging to balance their responsibilities and prioritize their well-being, this quote serves as a reminder to let go of unrealistic expectations and focus on what truly matters.!(https://workfromhome24h.com/the-best-proud-working-mom-quotes/) The Power of Visuals: Images for Working Moms Images have a profound impact on our emotions and can convey messages quickly and powerfully. Visual representations of working moms in various scenarios can provide inspiration, validation, and motivation. Here are some types of images that can empower working moms: 1. Images of Working Moms Achieving Success Showcasing images of working moms excelling in their careers can be incredibly empowering. These images depict women in leadership positions, making important decisions, or being recognized for their contributions. They serve as a visual reminder that working moms have the ability to achieve great success in their professional lives. Seeing other working moms who have reached significant milestones can be extremely motivating, inspiring working moms to pursue their goals and believe in their own potential. Example sentence: Images of working moms in powerful positions can serve as a source of motivation and encouragement, reminding other working moms that they have the capability to achieve their professional aspirations as well.!(https://workfromhome24h.com/the-best-time-management-working-mom-daily-schedule/) 2. Images of Working Moms Balancing Work and Family Images that depict working moms finding a balance between their careers and family life are not only relatable but also inspiring. These visuals show working moms spending quality time with their children, participating in family activities, and nurturing their relationships. These images serve as a reminder that it's possible for working moms to create a harmonious blend of fulfilling their professional ambitions and being present for their families. Example sentence: Seeing images of working moms successfully balancing their work and family life can provide working moms with reassurance and inspiration, showing them that it is possible to create a fulfilling and meaningful life that encompasses both career aspirations and family connections.!(https://workfromhome24h.com/the-best-time-management-working-mom-daily-schedule/) Conclusion Inspiring quotes and empowering images play a crucial role in providing working moms with motivation, encouragement, and a sense of connection. These powerful tools remind working moms that they are not alone in their journey and that their experiences and challenges are valid. By incorporating inspiring quotes and empowering visuals into their lives, working moms can find solace, inspiration, and the motivation to continue thriving in their careers and personal lives. So, embrace the power of words and images, and let them uplift and empower you on your journey as a working mom. Read more about time management for working moms and find more quotes that celebrate the strength and resilience of working moms.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about the best working mom quotes and images. 1. How can working mom quotes and images inspire me? Working mom quotes and images can be a great source of inspiration and motivation. They capture the essence of the challenges and triumphs of being a working mother, reminding you that you are not alone in your journey. Quotes often feature empowering messages that encourage you to keep pushing forward and remind you of the value of your work. Images, on the other hand, can serve as visual reminders of the beauty and strength of working moms. By surrounding yourself with these quotes and images, you can uplift your spirits, boost your confidence, and find solace in knowing that many other women have walked a similar path and succeeded. 2. Where can I find the best working mom quotes and images? The internet is a treasure trove of working mom quotes and images. You can find them on various websites, social media platforms, and even in dedicated communities and forums for working moms. Social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are particularly popular for finding and sharing beautiful and inspiring quotes and images. You can also explore books, blogs, and podcasts that cater to working moms. Many authors and influencers share their personal experiences and insights, accompanied by powerful quotes and images, to help you navigate the challenges of balancing work and motherhood. 3. Can I create my own working mom quotes and images? Absolutely! Creating your own working mom quotes and images can be a wonderful way to express your unique perspective and experiences. You can use various tools and apps to create visually appealing graphics with inspiring quotes or share your thoughts and reflections through written quotes. Consider exploring graphic design apps, such as Canva or Adobe Spark, that offer pre-designed templates, fonts, and elements to help you create professional-looking images. If you prefer written quotes, you can use apps like Quotes Creator or simply write them down on beautiful stationery and share them with other working moms or on social media. 4. How can working mom quotes and images make me feel empowered? Working mom quotes and images have the power to make you feel empowered by acknowledging and celebrating the strength, resilience, and achievements of working moms like you. They remind you of your capabilities, worth, and the positive impact you have on your family and society. By reading and reflecting on these quotes, you can shift your perspective, embrace a positive mindset, and feel a sense of pride in your ability to balance work and family. The images, with their powerful visuals, can visually represent the diversity and strength of working moms, reinforcing their empowerment. 5. How can working mom quotes and images help me find work-life balance? The best working mom quotes and images often offer insights and reminders about the importance of finding a healthy work-life balance. They encourage you to prioritize self-care, set boundaries, and remind you that it's okay to ask for help. When you come across quotes and images that resonate with you, they act as gentle reminders to pause, reflect, and reevaluate your priorities. They can inspire you to make necessary changes in your life to achieve better balance, whether it's delegating tasks, taking breaks, or setting aside quality time for yourself and your loved ones. Being a working mom is never easy, but it's a journey filled with love, determination, and strength. Here are some powerful quotes that celebrate the amazing women who balance their careers and motherhood: - "A mother's love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible." - Marion C. Garretty - "You can't have it all but you can have what matters most." - Unknown - "Mothers are like glue. Even when you can't see them, they're still holding the family together." - Susan Gale - "Being a mom might mean that my hands are full, but my heart is overflowing." - Unknown - "Being a working mother means doing twice as much in half the time." - Unknown These quotes remind us of the love, sacrifices, and strength that working moms bring to their families every day. Whether they're juggling deadlines or comforting a crying child, working moms are true superheroes! Read the full article

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eerieskreativekorner · 10 months

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Empowerment Elegance for Radiant Queens: Soulful Strokes: Adult Coloring Book for Strong Black Women...

"Empowerment Elegance for Radiant Queens: Soulful Strokes" 👸🏽🎨 invites you into a realm of artistic empowerment and inspiration tailored for strong black women. This adult coloring book boasts 40 captivating images that seamlessly weave together the beauty of stunning portraits of black women 🖌️🖌️ and empowering quotes from iconic figures. 💬💬 The carefully curated collection is a celebration of strength💪🏾, resilience, and elegance. 💎

Half of the pages feature exquisite portraits that capture the diversity and radiance of black women. 🎨🎨 Each portrait is a canvas waiting for your artistic touch🌈, allowing you to infuse these depictions with your unique style and color palette. 🎨

Interspersed among the portraits are enchanting mandala patterns🌼🌼, serving as the backdrop for empowering quotes from renowned black women. From wisdom-filled words by Maya Angelou 💭 to trailblazing insights from Michelle Obama💡, these quotes resonate with the essence of empowerment, creating a harmonious blend of art and inspiration. 🎨💬

To enhance your coloring experience, each page is thoughtfully backed in black ♠️, ensuring that your chosen colors pop vibrantly without any bleed-through. 🌈"Empowerment Elegance for Radiant Queens: Soulful Strokes" is not just a coloring book; it's a journey through the strength and beauty of black womanhood 👸🏽, offering a space for creativity and reflection. 🎨💭 Immerse yourself in this empowering fusion of portraits, quotes, and mandalas as you embark on a coloring adventure that celebrates the elegance and resilience of radiant queens. 👑

#scaryfairy #coloringfun #fun4allages

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quanjewelry · 1 year

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Unleashing Serenity: The Quan Jewelry Yoga Necklace Om Pendant in Sanskrit, Empowering Women with Inspirational Gifts

In today's fast-paced world, finding inner peace and serenity can be a daunting task. We often get caught up in the chaos of our daily lives, leaving little room for self-reflection and personal growth. That's why the Quan Jewelry Yoga Necklace Om Pendant in Sanskrit has become a beacon of hope for women seeking inspiration and tranquility.

One of the standout features of this jewelry piece is its authentic and handmade design. Crafted with care, each pendant carries a Sanskrit quote that reads, "Keep calm and Om Mani padme hum." This minimalist yet powerful message serves as a constant reminder to stay grounded and centered, no matter the challenges we face. The attention to detail and craftsmanship make this necklace truly special and meaningful.

Not only does the Quan Jewelry Yoga Necklace Om Pendant in Sanskrit inspire with its words, but it also captivates with its trademarked packaging. This is more than just a piece of jewelry; it's a storytelling accessory that allows you to express your unique journey. Enclosed in its carefully designed packaging, this necklace becomes a personal keepsake, ready to be cherished and shared with others.

Durability and versatility are key when it comes to jewelry, and this necklace delivers on both fronts. The pendant is made of high-quality jewelry pewter, ensuring its longevity and resistance to wear. The chain, crafted from stainless steel, adds another layer of durability while maintaining its lustrous shine. What's more, the length of the chain is adjustable, offering the perfect fit for any neckline or style.

When it comes to gift-giving, the Quan Jewelry Yoga Necklace Om Pendant in Sanskrit is a true standout. With its stylish design, it's suitable for a wide range of occasions, including birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, Valentine's Day, Christmas, Easter, and Mother's Day. Whether you're treating yourself or surprising a loved one, this necklace is sure to make a lasting impression. And with the creative packaging included, there's no need to search for a separate greeting card or gift box—the presentation is already taken care of.

As a proudly USA-owned brand, Quan Jewelry is committed to providing exceptional quality and customer satisfaction. Backed by a 100% guarantee and a 90-day no-risk return policy, they stand behind their products and strive to create a positive shopping experience. The rave reviews from their happy customers are a testament to their dedication and commitment to excellence.

You can check the product here: Samadhee.

In a world that often feels chaotic, finding moments of serenity and inspiration is vital for personal growth and well-being. The Quan Jewelry Yoga Necklace Om Pendant in Sanskrit serves as a beautiful reminder to embrace inner peace and stay connected to our true selves. With its authentic design, meaningful message, and exceptional quality, this necklace empowers women to unleash their serenity and carry it with them wherever they go.

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witchvspatriarchy · 5 years

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Feminism vs Female Empowerment vs Feminist Exemplification

In the past years this thread of labeling anything that’s female positive as feminist has really skyrocketed and it bothers me greatly. Great female representation and female empowerment does not make a thing feminist. Something that illustrates, explains or describes a feminist value or point of view does not make that thing feminist.

What defines something as sexist or empowering or feminist is the context and the message or objective that it wants to convey.

There are men in the industry who are progressive and works towards equality by hiring more women, and actively trying to give us better female representation. There are women who direct women in films about women and who try to maintain a crew or team of mostly women. In both cases, none of this makes their project or them feminists.

The majority of the entertainment industry responds and caters to The Male Gaze – it does so even if there are no men operatively involved in the project, because 99.9% of people in the industry do not make art, they are here to make money.

And although it is based on what we commonly call artistic careers, that does not mean that there is a really artistic background or objective in the things being made – it’s purely commercial in a vast majority. The ultimate goal of the entertainment industry is to sell. Therefore, much of this "art" is not progressive, thought-provoking or subversive in any way, specially if the person in charge believes that this could cost them money. The main objective is to market to the consumers and they do so at the expense of everything - this includes quality, values, points of view, consciousness and self-awareness. And this is when two very interesting things happen: Faux Feminism & Female Exploitation.

Female Exploitation is when the person in charge believes that what sells is quiet, beautiful and sensual women – this is the main thing, and the character's story is secondary (so much that most end up being just eye candy or as a manic pixie dream girl). In this case they think of subversive and thought-provoking as something that can harm their income. So the actresses talent and creativity doesn’t really matter, as long as they’re pretty and sell.

Faux Feminism is when the person in charge believes that the money is in the feminist pov and they make films that could pass as feminist and with strong female characters that follow closely and/or represent the political climate and feminist discourse of today – but that does not make the product feminist, mainly because in most cases they do this in the most superficial way for a monetary gain. Keep in mind, in this cases they don’t explicitally use the word feminism in attachment to whatever their selling, but it’s very obvious.

And sometimes is neither of these, but instead Casual Feminism - when something could represent, stand for feminism but that wasn’t the intention at all. Feminists saw it and were like HECK YEAH.

Is feminist a project in which mostly or only women participate? Is feminist a project where the main roles are 99% female? Is feminist a project that addresses sexism? Is feminist a project that’s inclusive? Is feminist a project with independent and empowered women? Is feminist a project that criticizes the way in which society treats women? The answer to all this is NO.

What defines whether something is feminist or not, is first and foremost if whether its exhibitors/creators are feminists or if it was written to represent/stand for feminism explicitly and consciously. If I wear a shirt that says I am feminist, that does not make me feminist. Being a fan of Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Emma Watson or any other feminist does not make me a feminist. Reading one feminist book does not make me feminist (it’s the start, if so I decide). I'm just wearing something, following a person, consuming a product. And many artistic products are attributed the term feminist when they are not in the slightest. If you assume that it is feminist because it exemplifies feminism or is potentially empowering for women, that does not make it feminist. Talking about self-love, girl power, sorority and sexism does not make you a feminist - it makes you self-aware of your rights, strengths and weaknesses and that is excellent and encouraged, but it does not make you feminist.

Why? Because Feminism is a philosophical, social, political, economic and artistic current. What makes a feminist person a feminist, above all, is that they identify themselves as such, with all the awareness of what feminism is because they have studied it or are constantly studying it or have the intention of studying it.

We can long and dream for a feminist awakening in the entertainment industry, but precisely because of that we should not label just anything as sfeminist, because labeling something or someone as feminist when it is not is a disrespect to the person or product and misleading; and it is harmful to the people and products that are feminist and that are mostly ignored, criticized, received in a negative way and usually overshadowed by pseudo-feminist products with better marketing, plus it only helps to preserve the misinformation and misunderstanding of what feminism is and superficializes it. Not to mention it can perpetuate some misconceptions.

Something or someone not being feminist does not mean it is sexist and there IS feminism in the entertainment industry, but very little and it usually suffers from detractors from the industry itself; so what we find mostly is female empowerment, in an initial and often diluted facet.

So no, we can't call it feminist but we can call it empowering since many women feel that spark of strength, they feel identified and reflected accurately, maybe they even feel understood - and that is something very valuable. We can also use them as an exemplification of feminism, there are many artistic projects that are not feminist but serve to explain, illustrate or describe a feminist point of view because they showed it excellently.

Let’s see some examples of what I’m talking about:

Mean Girls is a great example of a feminist movie. It represents and portrays feminist points of view and feminist values consciously and with the intention and awareness of doing it directly from a feminist stand. It has the feminist label very big and very visibly. It was written by a feminist (Tina Fey), inspired on the novel of another feminist (Rosalind Wiseman). The director is not a feminist, as far as we know, but that doesn’t take away from its value as a feminist piece of work in any manner.

Legally Blonde is another great example of a feminist film. The writers, Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith are both feminists, Kirsten notably being a Riot Grrrl. It is based on a novel written by a feminist (Amanda Brown). And just as Mean Girls, it represents and portrays feminist points of view and feminist values consciously and with the intention and awareness of doing it directly from a feminist stand. It has the feminist label very big and very visibly. Also, it is very female empowering.

Now let’s talk Harley Quinn, because is a very interesting one.

First, let’s talk about her in the comics. She wasn’t created by feminists. She isn’t coded as feminist. She is not written as a feminist character. She is not female empowering for most of her story. Nor she or her story are an exemplification of feminism. The character is not meant to represent or embody feminism in any way. So is she a feminist character? No.

Now, in the movie Birds of Prey. Again, she wasn’t created by feminists. Was the script written by a woman? Yes, but not a feminist woman. Is the movie directed by a woman? Yes, but again, not a feminist woman – the director even said in an interview that she didn’t want to “sound too much like a diehard bra-burning feminist”. The film had an all women crew. Again, Harley isn’t coded as feminist - she is not written as a feminist. The character is not meant to represent or embody feminism in any way. BUT is it female empowering? HELL YES. And the movie as a whole is a great exemplification of feminism, this is another quote from the director: “a harlequin’s role is to serve, they’re nothing without a master and so the movie is about Harley Quinn becoming her own master. And not just Harley, but the Birds of Prey as well. All these women go through something and they’re all trying to break free from their own chains”. So is the movie feminist? No, and so are not it’s characters. But we can and should embrace and celebrate Harley Quinn from a feminist point of view.

Is Hermione Granger a feminist character? No. But she is female empowering and an exemplification of feminism. The actress who plays her, Emma Watson, is a feminist but that doesn’t magically makes all the characters she portrays feminists or well written female characters.

On the other hand, Lisa Simpson IS a feminist. Is the voice-actress a feminist? I don’t know. Are the creators feminists? I dont know either - but it doesn’t matter because Lisa is a feminist and she is explicitly portrayed and written as such, she voices feminism and is meant to embody and represent a feminist (even if it’s an 8 year old one) – and she does so very well if I might add.

So stop calling everything “feminist” and stop telling people that if they believe in equality they are inherently feminists even if they dont want to use that label themselves, stop this specially towards people (I’ve seen this in comment sectons). In my experience, there are three types of women who refuse the feminist label:

1) The Closeted Feminist: a woman that’s not afraid to speak up about their opinions but doesn’t describe themselves or their povs with the word feminism even though their arguments and discourse has a feminist stand that is based on feminist theory to the point where it’s obvious this person has immersed themselves in feminist books, podcasts, films, documentaries, etc – this could be because labeling oneself as a feminist is dangerous. Either in their house, or in the society they’re a part of – and with this I mean that it could actually lead to abuse or active persecution. Not everyone has the same freedom, background and opportunity you do.

2) The Double Agent: they say they don’t need feminism and they don’t believe in it but they still stand for equality and justice. Usually this person doesn’t really understand what feminism is because they have never cared to learn about it and yet they go round commenting on feminist blogs about “how feminists are wrong” – this person believes the patriarchy’s version of what feminism is. This person is aware of the injustice and inbalance but thinks feminism is sexism towards men, hatred of men and that is used for women as a women-victimizing campaign to get pity points and advantages. This are the people that said Taylor Swift played the victim for 13 years.

3) The Free Woman: she doesn’t believe in feminism, she probably voices hate towards feminism and feminists and thinks very low of them because “she doesn’t need feminism” because she loves the men in her life and has “never suffered sexism” first hand so it doesn’t exist. The Free Woman and the Patriarchal Feminist have in common that they feel feminism victimizes women and is sexism towards men. The difference is one thinks inequality is a myth and the other one knows it’s still a thing.

If ya’ll read all of this KUDOS TO YOU and THANK YOU. I’ve been thinking about this for almost a year and it took me a long time and effort to write this and put my thoughts into words cause I’m really bad at expressing myself and lack communication skills. I’d like to write too about the difference between Feminist Icon – Feminist Woman – Iconic Women, just because I’m tired of that mess too.

#feminist #feminism #faux feminism #female empowerment #female representation #long post #very loooooong post #legally blonde #mean girls #harley quinn #birds of prey #hermione granger #harry potter #lisa simpson #the simpsons

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letterboxd · 4 years

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Careful How You Go.

Ella Kemp explores how film lovers can protect themselves from distressing subject matter while celebrating cinema at its most audacious.

Featuring Empire magazine editor Terri White, Test Pattern filmmaker Shatara Michelle Ford, writer and critic Jourdain Searles, publicist Courtney Mayhew, and curator, activist and producer Mia Bays of the Birds’ Eye View collective.

This story contains discussion of rape, sexual assault, abuse, self-harm, trauma and loss of life, as well as spoilers for ‘Promising Young Woman’ and ‘A Star is Born’.

We film lovers are blessed with a medium capable of excavating real-life emotion from something seemingly fictional. Yet, for all that film is—in the oft-quoted words of Roger Ebert—an “empathy machine”, it’s also capable of deeply hurting its audience when not wielded by its makers and promoters with appropriate care. Or, for that matter, when not approached by viewers with informed caution.

Whose job is it to let us know that we might be upset by what we see? With the coronavirus pandemic decimating the communal movie-going experience, the way we accommodate each viewer’s sensibilities is more crucial than ever—especially when so many of us are watching alone, at home, often unsupported.

In order to understand how we can champion a film’s content and take care of its audience, I approached women in several areas of the movie ecosystem. I wanted to know: how does a filmmaker approach the filming of a rape and its aftermath? How does a magazine editor navigate the celebration of a potentially triggering movie in one of the world’s biggest film publications? How does a freelance writer speak to her professional interests while preserving her personal integrity? How does a women’s film collective create a safe environment for an audience to process such a film? And, how does a publicist prepare journalists for careful reporting, when their job is to get eyeballs on screens in order to keep our favorite art form afloat?

The conversations reminded me that the answers are endlessly complex. The concerns over spoilers, the effectiveness of trigger warnings, the myriad ways in which art is crafted from trauma, and the fundamental question of whose stories these are to tell. These questions were valid decades ago, they will be for decades to come, and they feel especially urgent now, since a number of recent tales helmed by female and non-binary filmmakers depict violence and trauma involving women’s bodies in fearless, often challenging ways.

Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman, in particular, has revived a vital conversation about content consideration, as victims and survivors of sexual assault record wildly different reactions to its astounding ending. Shatara Michelle Ford’s quietly tense debut, Test Pattern, brings Black survivors into the conversation. And the visceral, anti-wish-fulfillment horror Violation, coming soon from Dusty Mancinelli and Madeleine Sims-Fewer, takes the rape-revenge genre up another notch.

These films come off the back of other recent survivor stories, such as Michaela Coel’s groundbreaking series I May Destroy You (which centers women’s friendship in a narrative move that, as Sarah Williams has eloquently outlined, happens too rarely in this field). Also: Kata Wéber and Kornél Mundruczó’s Pieces of a Woman, and the ongoing ugh-ness of The Handmaid’s Tale. And though this article is focused on plots centering women’s trauma, I acknowledge the myriad of stories that can be triggering in many ways for all manner of viewers. So whether you’ve watched one of these titles, or others like them, I hope you felt supported in the conversations to follow, and that you feel seen.

Weruche Opia and Michaela Coel in ‘I May Destroy You’.

* * *

Simply put, Promising Young Woman is a movie about a woman seeking revenge against predatory men. Except nothing about it is simple. Revenge movies have existed for aeons, and we’ve rooted for many promising young (mostly white) women before Carey Mulligan’s Cassie (recently: Jen in Coralie Fargeat’s Revenge, Noelle in Natalia Leite’s M.F.A.). But in Promising Young Woman, the victim is not alive to seek revenge, so it becomes Cassie’s single-minded crusade. Mercifully, we never see the gang-rape that sparks Cassie’s mission. But we do see a daring, fatal subversion of the notion of a happy ending—and this is what has audiences of Emerald Fennell’s jaw-dropping debut divided.

“For me, being a survivor, the point is to survive,” Jourdain Searles tells me. The New York-based critic, screenwriter, comedian—and host of Netflix’s new Black Film School series—says the presence of death in Promising Young Woman is the problem. “One of the first times I spoke openly about [my assault], I made the decision that I didn’t want to go to the police, and I got a lot of judgment for that,” she says. “So watching Promising Young Woman and seeing the police as the endgame is something I’ve always disagreed with. I left thinking, ‘How is this going to help?’”

“I feel like I’ve got two hats on,” says Terri White, the London-based editor-in chief of Empire magazine, and the author of a recently published memoir, Coming Undone. “One of which is me creating a magazine for a specific film-loving audience, and the other bit of me, which has written a book about trauma, specifically about violence perpetrated against the body. They’re not entirely siloed, but they are two distinct perspectives.”

White loved both Promising Young Woman and I May Destroy You, because they “explode the myth of resolution and redemption”. She calls the ending of Promising Young Woman “radical” in the way it speaks to the reality of what happens to so many women. “I was thinking about me and women like me, women who have endured violence and injury or trauma. Three women every week are still killed [in the UK] at the hands of an ex-partner, or somebody they know intimately, or a current partner. Statistically, any woman who goes for some kind of physical confrontation in [the way Cassie does] would end up dying.”

She adds: “I felt like the film was in service to both victims and survivors, and I use the word ‘victims’ deliberately. I call myself a victim because I think if you’ve endured either sexual violence or physical violence or both, a lot of empowering language, as far as I’m concerned, doesn’t reflect the reality of being a victim or a survivor, whichever way you choose to call yourself.” This point has been one many have disagreed on. In a way, that makes sense—no victim or survivor can be expected to speak to anyone else’s experience but their own.

Carey Mulligan and Emerald Fennell on the set of ‘Promising Young Woman’.

Likewise, there is no right or wrong way to feel about this film, or any film. But a question that arises is, well, should everyone have to see a film to figure that out? And should victims and survivors of sexual violence watch this film? “I have definitely been picky about who I’ve recommended it to,” Courtney Mayhew says. “I don’t want to put a friend in harm’s way, even if that means they miss out on something awesome. It’s not worth it.”

Mayhew is a New Zealand-based international film publicist, and because of her country’s success in controlling Covid 19, she is one of the rare people able to experience Promising Young Woman in a sold-out cinema. “It was palpable. Everyone was so engaged and almost leaning forwards. There were a lot of laughs from women, but it was also a really challenging setting. A lot of people looking down, looking away, and there was a girl who was crying uncontrollably at the end.”

“Material can be very triggering,” White agrees. “It depends where people are personally in their journey. When I still had a lot of trauma I hadn’t worked through in my 20s, I found certain things very difficult to watch. Those things are a reality—but people can make their own decisions about the material they feel able to watch.”

It’s about warning, and preparation, more than total deprivation, then? “I believe in giving people information so they can make the best choice for themselves,” White says. “But I find it quite reductive, and infantilizing in some respects, to be told broadly, ‘Women who have experienced x shouldn’t watch this.’ That underestimates the resilience of some people, the thirst for more information and knowledge.” (This point is clearly made in this meticulous, awe-inspiring list by Jenn, who is on a journey to make sense of her trauma through analysis of rape-revenge films.) But clarity is crucial, particularly for those grappling with unresolved issues.

Searles agrees Promising Young Woman can be a difficult, even unpleasant watch, but still one with value. “As a survivor it did not make me feel good, but it gave me a window into the way other people might respond to your assault. A lot of the time [my friends] have reacted in ways I don’t understand, and the movie feels like it’s trying to make sense of an assault from the outside, and the complicated feelings a friend might have.”

Molly Parker and Vanessa Kirby in ‘Pieces of a Woman’.

* * *

A newborn dies. A character is brutally violated. A population is tortured. To be human is to bear witness to history, but it’s still painful when that history is yours, or something very close to it. “Some things are hard to watch because you relate to them,” Searles explains. “I find mother! hard to watch, and there’s no actual sexual assault. But I just think of sexual assault and trauma and domestic abuse, even though the film isn’t about that. The thing is, you could read an academic paper on patriarchy—you don’t need to watch it on a show [or in a film] if you don’t want to.”

White agrees: “I’ve never been able to watch Nil by Mouth, because I grew up in a house of domestic violence and I find physical violence against women on screen very hard to watch. But that doesn’t mean I think the film shouldn’t be shown—it should still exist, I’ve just made the choice not to watch it.” (Reader, since our conversation, she watched it. At 2:00am.)

“I know people who do not watch Promising Young Woman or The Handmaid’s Tale because they work for an NGO in which they see those things literally in front of their eyes,” Mayhew says. “It could be helpful for someone who isn’t aware [of those issues], but then what is the purpose of art? To educate? To entertain? For escapism? It’s probably all of those.”

Importantly, how much weight should an artist’s shoulders carry, when it comes to considering the audiences that will see their work? There’s a general agreement among my interviewees that, as White says, “filmmakers have to make the art that they believe in”. I don’t think any film lover would disagree, but, suggests Searles, “these films should be made with survivors in mind. That doesn’t mean they always have to be sensitive and sad and declawed. But there is a way to be provocative, while leaning into an emotional truth.”

Madeleine Sims-Fewer in ‘Violation’.

Violation, about which I’ll say little here since it is yet to screen at SXSW (ahead of its March 25 release on Shudder) is not at all declawed, and is certainly made with survivors in mind—in the sense that in life, unlike in movies, catharsis is very seldom possible no matter how far you go to find it. On Letterboxd, many of those who saw Violation at TIFF and Sundance speak of feeling represented by the rape-revenge plot, writing: “One of the most intentionally thought out and respectful of the genre… made by survivors for survivors” and “I feel seen and held”. (Also: “This movie is extremely hard to watch, completely on purpose.”)

“Art can do great service to people,” agrees White, “If, by consequence, there is great service for people who have been in that position, that’s a brilliant consequence. But I don’t believe filmmakers and artists should be told that they are responsible for certain things. There’s a line of responsibility in terms of being irresponsible, especially if your community is young, or traumatised.”

Her words call to mind Bradley Cooper’s reboot of A Star is Born, which many cinephiles knew to be a remake and therefore expected its plot twist, but young filmgoers, drawn by the presence of Lady Gaga, were shocked (and in some cases triggered) by a suicide scene. When it was released, Letterboxd saw many anguished reviews from younger members. In New Zealand, an explicit warning was added to the film’s classification by the country’s chief censor (who also created an entirely new ‘RP18’ classification for the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, which eventually had a graphic suicide scene edited out two years after first landing on the streaming service).

“There is a duty of care to audiences, and there is also a duty of care to artists and filmmakers,” says Mayhew. “There’s got to be some way of meeting in the middle.” The middle, perhaps, can be identified by the filmmaker’s objective. “It’s about feeling safe in the material,” says Mia Bays of the Birds’ Eye View film collective, which curates and markets films by women in order to effect industry change. “With material like this, it’s beholden on creatives to interrogate their own intentions.”

Filmmaker Shatara Michelle Ford is “forever interrogating” ideas of power. Their debut feature, Test Pattern, deftly examines the power differentials that inform the foundations of consent. “As an artist, human, and person who has experienced all sorts of boundary violation, assault and exploitation in their life, I spend quite a lot of time thinking about power… It is something I grapple with in my personal life, and when I arrive in any workplace, including a film set.”

In her review of Test Pattern for The Hollywood Reporter, Searles writes, “This is not a movie about sexual assault as an abstract concept; it’s a movie about the reality of a sexual assault survivor’s experience.” Crucially, in a history of films that deal largely with white women’s experiences, Test Pattern “is one of the few sexual-assault stories to center a Black woman, with her Blackness being central to her experience and the way she is treated by the people around her.”

Brittany S. Hall in ‘Test Pattern’.

* * *

Test Pattern follows the unfolding power imbalance between Renesha (Brittany S. Hall) and her devoted white boyfriend Evan (Will Brill), as he drives her from hospital to hospital in search of a rape kit, after her drink was spiked by a white man in a bar who then raped her. Where Promising Young Woman is a millennial-pink revenge fantasy of Insta-worthy proportions, Test Pattern feels all too real, and the cops don’t come off as well as they do in the former.

Ford does something very important for the audience: they begin the film just as the rape is about to occur. We do not see it at this point (we do not really ever see it), but we know that it happened, so there’s no chance that, somewhere deeper into the story, when we’re much more invested, we’ll be side-swiped by a sudden onslaught of sexual violence. In a way, it creates a safe space for our journey with Renesha.

It’s one of many thoughtful decisions made by Ford throughout the production process. “I’m in direct conversation with film and television that chooses to depict violence against women so casually,” Ford tells me. “I intentionally showed as little of Renesha’s rape as humanly possible. I also had an incredibly hard time being physically present for that scene, I should add. What I did shoot was ultimately guided by Renesha’s experience of it. Shoot only what she would remember. Show only what she would have been aware of.

“But I also made it clear that this was a violation of her autonomy, by allowing moments where we have an arm’s length point of view. I let the camera sit with the audience, as I’m also saying, as the filmmaker, this happened, and you saw enough of it to know. This, for me, is a larger commentary on how we treat victims of assault and rape. I do not believe for one goddamn minute that we need to see the actual, literal violence to know what happened. When we flagrantly replicate the violence in film and television, we are supporting the cultural norm of needing ‘all of the evidence’—whatever that means—to ‘believe women’.”

Ford’s intentional work in crafting the romance and unraveling of Test Pattern’s leading couple pays off on screen, but their stamp as an invested and careful director also shows in their work with Drew Fuller, the actor who played Mike, the rapist. “It’s a very difficult role, and I’m grateful to him for taking it so seriously. When discussing and rendering the practice and non-practice of consent intentionally, I found it helpful to give it a clear definition and provide conceptual insight.

“I sent Drew a few articles that I used as tools to create a baseline understanding when it comes to exploring consent and power on screen. At the top of that list was Lili Loofbourow’s piece, The female price of male pleasure and Zhana Vrangalova's Teen Vogue piece, Everything You Need to Know about Consent that You Never Learned in Sex Ed. The latter in my opinion is the linchpin. There’s also Jude Elison Sady Doyle’s piece about the whole Aziz Ansari thing, which is a great primer.”

Sidney Flanigan in ‘Never Rarely Sometimes Always’.

Even when a filmmaker has given Ford’s level of care and attention to their project, what happens when the business end of the industry gets involved in the art? As we well know, marketing is a film’s window dressing. It has one job: to get eyeballs into the cinema. It can’t know if every viewer should feel safe to enter.

It would be useful, with certain material, to know how we should watch, and with whom, and what might we need in the way of support coming out. Whose job is it to provide this? Beyond the crude tool of an MPAA rating (and that’s a whole sorry tale for another day), there are many creative precautions that can be taken across the industry to safeguard a filmgoer’s experience.

Mayhew, who often sees films at the earliest stages (sometimes before a final cut, sometimes immediately after), speaks to journalists in early screenings and ensures they have the tools to safely report on the topics raised. In New Zealand, reporters are encouraged to read through resources to help them guide their work. Mayhew’s teams would also ensure journalists would be given relevant hotline numbers, and would ask media outlets to include them in published stories.

“It’s not saying, ‘You have to do this’,” she explains, “It’s about first of all not knowing what the journalist has been through themselves, and second of all, [if] they are entertainment reporters who haven’t navigated speaking about sexual assault, you only hope it will be helpful going forward. It’s certainly not done to infantilize them, because they’re smart people. It’s a way to show some care and support.”

The idea of having appropriate resources to make people feel safe and encourage them to make their own decisions is a priority for Bays and Birds’ Eye View, as well. The London-based creative producer and cultural activist stresses the importance of sharing such a viewing experience. “It’s the job of cinemas, distributors and festivals to realize that it might not be something the filmmaker does, but as the people in control of the environment it’s our job to give extra resources to those who want it,” says Bays. “To give people a safe space to come down from the experience.”

Pre-pandemic, when Birds’ Eye View screened Kitty Green’s The Assistant, a sharp condemnation of workplace micro-aggressions seen through the eyes of one female assistant, they invited women who had worked for Harvey Weinstein. For a discussion after Eliza Hittman’s coming-of-ager Never Rarely Sometimes Always, abortion experts were able to share their knowledge. “It’s about making sure the audience knows you can say anything here, but that it’s safe,” Bays explains. “It’s kind of like group therapy—you don’t know people, so you’re not beholden to what they think about you. And in the cinema people aren’t looking at you. You’re speaking somewhat anonymously, so a lot of really important stuff can come out.”

The traditional movie-going experience, involving friends, crowds and cathartic, let-loose feelings, is still largely inaccessible at the time of writing. Over the past twelve months we’ve talked plenty about preserving the magic of the big screen experience, but it’s about so much more than the romanticism of an art form; it’s also about the safety that comes from a feeling of community when watching potentially upsetting movies.

“The going in and coming out parts of watching a film in the cinema are massively important, because it’s like coming out of the airlock and coming back to reality,” says Bays. “You can’t do that at home. Difficult material kind of stays with you.” During the pandemic, Birds’ Eye View has continued to provide the same wrap-around curatorial support for at-home viewers as they would at an in-person event. “If we’re picking a difficult film and asking people to watch it at home, we might suggest you watch it with a friend so you can speak about it afterwards,” Bays says.

Julia Garner in ‘The Assistant’.

But, then, how can we still find this sense of community without the physical closeness? “It’s no good waiting for [the internet] to become kind,” she says. “Create your own closed spaces. We do workshops and conversations exclusively for people who sign up to our newsletter. In real-life meetings you can go from hating something to hearing an eloquent presentation of another perspective and coming round to it, but you need the time and space to do that. This little amount of time gives you a move towards healing, even if it’s just licking some wounds that were opened on Twitter. But it could be much deeper, like being a survivor and feeling very conflicted about the film, which I do.”

Conflict is something that Searles, the film critic, knows about all too well in her work. “Since I started writing professionally, I almost feel like I’m known for writing about assault and rape at this point. I do write about it a lot, and as a survivor I continue to process it. I’ve been assaulted more than once so I have a lot to process, and so each time I’m writing about it I’m thinking about different aspects and remnants of those feelings. It can be very cathartic, but it’s a double-edged sword because sometimes I feel like I have an obligation to write about it too.”

There is also a constant act of self-preservation that comes with putting so much of yourself on the internet. “I often get messages from people thanking me for talking about these subjects with a deep understanding of what they mean,” Searles says. “I really appreciate that. I get negative messages about a lot of things, but not this one thing.”

Michaela Coel in ‘I May Destroy You’.

* * *

With such thoughtful approaches to heavy content, it feels like we’re a long way further down the road from blunt tools like content and trigger warnings. But do they still have their place? “It’s just never seemed appropriate to put trigger warnings on any of our reviews or features,” White explains. “We have a heavy male readership, still 70 percent male to 30 percent female. I’m conscious we’re talking to a lot of men who will often have experienced violence themselves, but we don’t put any warnings, because we are an adult magazine, and when we talk about violence in, say, an action film, or violence that is very heavily between men, we don’t caveat that at all.”

Bays, too, is sceptical of trigger warnings, explaining that “there’s not much evidence [they] actually work. A lot of psychologists expound on the fact that if people get stuck in their trauma, you can never really recover from PTSD if you don’t at some point face your trauma.” She adds: “I’m a survivor, and I found I May Destroy You deeply, profoundly triggering, but also cathartic. I think it’s more about how you talk about the work, rather than having a ‘NB: survivors of sexual abuse or assault shouldn’t see this’.”

“It’s important to give people a feel of what they’re in for,” argues Searles. “A lot of people who have dealt with suicide ideation would prefer that warning.” While some worry that a content warning is effectively a plot spoiler, Searles disagrees. “I don’t consider a content warning a spoiler. I just couldn’t imagine sitting down for a film, knowing there’s going to be a suicide, and letting it distract me from the film.” Still, she acknowledges the nuance. “I think using ‘self-harm’ might be better than just saying ‘suicide’.”

Mayhew shared insights on who actually decides which films on which platforms are preceded with warnings—turns out, it’s a bit messy. “The onus traditionally has fallen on governmental censorship when it comes to theatrical releases,” she explains. “But streamers can do what they want, they are not bound by those rules so they have to—as the distributors and broadcasters—take the government’s censors on board in terms of how they are going to navigate it.

“The consumer doesn’t know the difference,” she continues, “nor should they—so it means they can be watching The Crown on Netflix and get this trigger warning about bulimia, and go to the cinema the next day and not get it, and feel angry about it. So there’s the question of where is the responsibility of the distributor, and where is the responsibility of the audience member to actually find out for themselves.”

The warnings given to an audience member can also vary widely depending where they find themselves in the world, too. Promising Young Woman, for example, is rated M in Australia, R18 in New Zealand, and R in the United States. Meanwhile, the invaluable Common Sense Media recommends an age of fifteen years and upwards for the “dark, powerful, mature revenge comedy”. Mayhew says a publicist’s job is “to have your finger on the pulse” about these cultural differences. “You have to read the overall room, and when I say room I mean the culture as a whole, and you have to be constantly abreast of things across those different ages too.”

She adds: “This feeds into the importance of representation right at the top of those boardrooms and right down to the film sets. My job is to see all opinions, and I never will, especially because I am a white woman. I consider myself part of the LGBT community and sometimes I’ll bring that to a room that I think has been lacking in that area, when it comes to harmful stereotypes that can be propagated within films about LGBT people. But I can’t bring a Black person’s perspective, I cannot bring an Indigenous perspective. The more representation you have, the better your film is going to be, your campaign is going to be.”

Bays, who is also a filmmaker, agrees: representation is about information, and working with enough knowledge to make sure your film is being as faithful to your chosen communities as possible. “As a filmmaker, I’d feel ill-informed and misplaced if I was stumbling into an area of representation that I knew nothing about without finding some tools and collaborators who could bring deeper insight.”

Carey Mulligan and Bo Burnham in ‘Promising Young Woman’.

This is something Ford aimed for with Test Pattern’s choice of crew members, which had an effect not just on the end product, but on the entire production process. “I made sure that at the department head level, I was hiring people I was in community with and fully saw me as a person, and me them,” they say. “In some ways it made the experience more pleasurable.” That said, the shoot was still not without its incidents: “These were the types of things that in my experience often occur on a film set dominated by straight white men, that we're so accustomed to we sometimes don’t even notice it. I won’t go into it but what I will say is that it was not tolerated.”

Vital to the telling of the story were the lived experiences that Ford and their crew brought to set. “As it applies to the sensitive nature of this story, there were quite a few of us who have had our own experiences along the spectrum of assault, which means that we had to navigate our own internal re-processing of those experiences, which is hard to do when we’re constructing an experience of rape for a character.

“However, I think being able to share our own triggers and discomfort and context, when it came to Renesha’s experience, made the execution of it all the better. Again, it was a pleasure to be in community with such smart, talented and considerate women who each brought their own nuance to this film.”

* * *

Thinking about everything we’ve lived through by this point in 2021, and the heightened sensitivity and lowered mental health of film lovers worldwide, movies are carrying a pretty heavy burden right now: to, as Jane Fonda said at the Golden Globes, help us see through others’ eyes; also, to entertain or, at the very least, not upset us too much.

But to whom does film have a responsibility, really? Promising Young Woman’s writer-director Emerald Fennell, in an excellent interview with Vulture’s Angelica Jade Bastién, said that she was thinking of audiences when she crafted the upsetting conclusion.

What she was thinking was: a ‘happy’ ending for Cassie gets us no further forward as a society. Instead, Cassie’s shocking end “makes you feel a certain way, and it makes you want to talk about it. It makes you want to examine the film and the society that we live in. With a cathartic Hollywood ending, that’s not so much of a conversation, really. It’s a kind of empty catharsis.”

So let’s flip the question: what is our responsibility, as women and allies, towards celebrating audacious films about tricky subjects? The marvellous, avenging blockbusters that once sucked all the air out of film conversation are on pause, for now. Consider the space that this opens up for a different kind of approach to “must-see movies”. Spread the word about Test Pattern. Shout from the rooftops about It’s A Sin. Add Body of Water and Herself and Violation to your watchlists. And, make sure the right people are watching.

Brittany S. Hall and Will Brill in ‘Test Pattern’.

I asked my interviewees: if they could choose one type of person they think should see Promising Young Woman, who would it be? Ford has not seen Fennell’s film, but “it feels good to have my film contribute to a larger discourse that is ever shifting, ever adding nuance”. They are very clear on who can learn the most from their own movie.

“A white man is featured so prominently in Test Pattern as a statement about how white people and men have a habit of centering themselves in the stories of others, prioritizing their experience and neglecting to recognize those on the margins. If Evan is triggering, he should be. If your feelings about Evan vacillate, it is by design.

“‘Allies’ across the spectrum are in a complicated dance around doing the ‘right thing’ and ‘showing up’ for those they are ostensibly seeking to support,” Ford continues. “Their constant battle is to remember that they need to be centering the needs of those they were never conditioned to center. Tricky stuff. Mistakes will be made. Mistakes must be owned. Sometimes reconciliation is required.”

It is telling that similar thoughts emerged from my other interviewees regarding Promising Young Woman’s ideal audience, despite the fact that none of them was in conversation with the others for this story. For that reason, as we come to the end of this small contribution to a very large, ongoing conversation, I’ve left their words intact.

White: I think it’s a great film for men.

Searles: I feel like the movie is very much pointed at cisgender heterosexual men.

Mayhew: Men.

White: We’re always warned about the alpha male with a massive ego, but we’re not warned about the beta male who reads great books, listens to great records, has great film recommendations. But he probably slyly undermines you in a completely different way. Anybody can be a predator.

Searles: The actors chosen to play these misogynist, rape culture-perpetuating men are actors we think of as nice guys.

White: We are so much more tolerant of a man knocking the woman over the head, dragging her down an alley and raping her, because we understand that. But rape culture is made up of millions of small things that enable the people who do it. We are more likely to be attacked in our own homes by men we love than a stranger in the street.

Mayhew: The onus should not fall on women to call this out.

Searles: It’s not just creeps, like the ones you see usually in these movies. It’s guys like you. What are you going to do to make sure you’re not like this?

Related content

Sex Monsters, Rape Revenge and Trauma: a work-in-progress list

Rape and Revenge: a list of films that fall into, and play with, the genre

Unconsenting Media: a search engine for sexual violence in broadcasting

Follow Ella on Letterboxd

If you need help or to talk to someone about concerns raised for you in this story, please first know that you are not alone. These are just a few of the many organizations and resources available, and their websites include more information.

US: RAINN (hotline 0800 656 HOPE); LGBT National Help Center; Pathways to Safety; Time’s Up.

Canada: Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centers—contacts by province and territory

UK/Ireland: Mind; The Survivors Trust (hotline 08088 010818); Rape Crisis England and Wales

Europe: Rape Crisis Network Europe

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commonplaceprojkelseyh · 3 years

Text

Reflection!

Kelsey Harper

Professor Dr. Richards

(ENG-3298-01, WGS-3298-01, GBS-3298-01)

July 30th 2021

Individual CommonPlace Book & Reflection Paper

Feminism & Gender Equality

Did you know that eight out of the top ten countries have a larger female gender population compared to the male gender yet the percentage of women within the workforce was at 28% since 1959 up until 2020? That means for every 1 male, there are 7 females to that one male, making the population higher for women. It is sad to report considering I have been a part of that percentage since 2000. To think that an entire race of extraordinary females for more than just one reason are not on the same working tier as man, even though woman represent a great deal larger within the population compared to men is astonishing. I know what you are thinking, it is due to our past ancestors that made the corporate world, “a man’s world” however, so much has changed in today's society to encourage women that they are just as equal to man in more than one way!

I, for one, grew up in a “both my parents work” home situation, which ultimately left my brother and I with a lot of babysitters. For many other people like me, that can be normal right? Well, what I didn’t know for the longest, was that my mom was working as a Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor managing over 500 million dollars in assets which ranks her in the top one half percent of all females and more importantly males in her industry. Ironically she has been doing this for over 34 years and the percentage of women who are at her level in the investment business has never moved past 15%. Making her one of only 200 other women in the entire industry at her level(which made her job an everyday event to consistently prove herself to the men around her.) She picked a career that was based on meritocracy, so there was very little subjectivity to her advancement. Basically, she was responsible for her own success, the harder she worked, the better she did. This inspired me at an early age because my mom never seemed to think that whatever she was searching for, shooting for or hoping for was unreachable. If anything it never even crossed her mind to not work as hard as she could to be within her industry and have the reputation she has built up to today. She has made it her mission to bring up other women to follow in her path. Okay, so you may ask well how does this even relate to our class? Well, part of the reason I was so interested in taking the class in the first place was the title, which is, “Woman’s Writing Worldwide”, which stood out to me because of the first word. It stood out because of that five letter & two syllable word that can make or break a human coming into the world. For others, within third world countries, like the ones we have been reading about, that word defined one from the jump and almost pre-decided that female's destiny. As much as I would like to say it is different in the United States, it is similar in the way that being a woman in today’s culture is a huge ever-growing adjustment because men are only making it harder for us to speak our truths and claim our spots within the working class. Trust me, I may sound like a hater on the male race, but I am eternally grateful to a lot of them for making me the person I am today, however if men truly understood woman, like we do them, the world would be a much fairer place because it is not a competition all the time like men tend to make it to be.

One person that spoke volumes to this exact subject was Meghan Markle, in her speech that specifically dealt with her first encounter with being a woman’s right advocate at the early age of 11. In that speech, she essentially told the audience that she was watching a TV show in grade school, when a commercial came on for a dish liquid with the tagline, “woman all around America are fighting greasy pots and pans,” when two boys in her class quickly said after that commercial, “yeah that is where women belong, in the kitchen.” She was so bothered with this that she wrote to the first lady, then Hilary Clinton, Linder Elerby, Gloria Albred and the soap manufacturer, Proctor and Gamble to change the tagline to, “people all over America are fighting pots and pans.” When in fact, a month later they in fact did change the tagline and opened the doorways for Markle to really understand the magnitude of her actions within this topic. She then goes on to even say that, “women need a seat at the table, they need an invitation to be seated there, and in some cases when a seat is unavailable then they have to make their own. It is said that girls with dreams become women with vision. May we empower each other to carry out such a vision because it is not enough to simply talk about equality and it is not enough to simply believe in it, one must work at it. Let us work at it together, starting now.” I absolutely loved her entire story because it really hit home for me who was mesmerized by her willingness to stand up and say something. Without that willingness from women such as her, women as an entire race will never have a seat at the table. I am thankful to her and for the blessed opportunity to come across that story which inspired me to start a club chapter of CHAARG(changing health, attitude, actions to recreate girls) to encourage women to speak their truths, focus on themselves and be inspired by the powerful woman around them to step up and not only prioritize their mental health & wellness but their eating, their exercise, their self care, their mental health and overall happiness.

Another important factor to add, is that it has been observed in women's fight for equality in the workforce, that there are a lot of women that fall into the category of being a part of the “sandwich generation.” This generation of professional working women have been tasked with both caregiving for their children and their aging parents. This has caused breaks within their career paths and deferred promotions. This is particularly felt within the wealth gap of income disparity between men and women. Recently, I have noticed a corporate trend towards improving this disparity. Corporations are offering more flexible work hours to accommodate these “sandwich generation” working mothers.

One speaker that really spoke volumes to this exact subject was the Msimang TED talk, where she described a time in her life where she had something taken from her by the opposite gender and felt for the first time the extreme difference between a boy’s perspective and a girl’s perspective. A great quote from our actual syllabus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was, “The problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue but that they are incomplete. They make one story be the only story.” I enjoyed this quote because both the story by Msimang and the quote by Adichie, touch upon a common goal, equality in every form. Another element that really moved me within Msimang’s TED Talk was her inner passion for storytelling and really trying to capture what makes a good story. I also was really inspired by the TED Talk by Dalia Mogahed, a religious muslim that spoke heavily on the idea of Muslims within America. Although her topic wasn’t exactly about gender equality but more so about racism in general, she spoke about a time in her life when she felt embarrassed to not only be a muslim but also a female muslim. Her story about being scared for her life after the 9/11 attacks, was the first time in her life, she said, that she was afraid to be her true self. I felt for her in this way that I too, felt similar when walking down a city street by myself as a young adult female. Although the two are still very different, in the moment while watching her speak about her story, this was the first image that popped into my mind.

Most importantly, I enjoyed the TED Talk by Kavita Ramdas, with her extraordinary opener, which was: “ Given my TED profile, you might be expecting that I'm going to speak to you about the latest philanthropic trends -- the one that's currently got Wall Street and the World Bank buzzing -- how to invest in women, how to empower them, how to save them. Not me. I am interested in how women are saving us. They're saving us by redefining and re-imagining a future that defies and blurs accepted polarities, polarities we've taken for granted for a long time, like the ones between modernity and tradition, First World and Third World, oppression and opportunity.” This got me thinking more and more about gender equality as a whole and just how important and influential women are in society. Countries such as China, took a very long time to find this out, as many of new born baby girls were sold to the States for money because in their culture, “boys were the only ones that could work to bring the family up, girls are an embarrassment and are only here for one thing, reproduction.” However, after several years, they grew to know that they ended up needing more women because they were running out of women to bear children, hence the population drop in 2019 into 2020.

To combat that however, it has been proven through the last century that intellectually women are naturally more nurturing & emotionally smarter than men, just like the saying that “women develop maturity faster than men do”. So women tend to outshine men in industries such nursing. However, men tend to rely more heavily on their physical strength in order to obtain certain jobs that are not typically where women fit into the picture such as construction and engineering. I, for one, have never viewed it like that because I have always believed that no matter the race or ethnicity, age, gender, religion, sexuality or financial standing, everyone deserves to work a job they love in any industry and that all judgement should be shoved out the window without reason.

In conclusion, I believe in the strength of women as a whole race to be able to one day never have to speak of women's rights. I envision a time within my life that women will have a seat at the table, they will be heard, understood and most importantly treated equal to men. I believe it starts with women empowering other women first and then men following that trend.

#gender equality #womansrights #womansadvocate

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lovingcloudpaper · 3 years

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Wonder Woman and Feminism

Wonder Woman was created by lawyer and psychologist William Moulton Marston. He was ahead of his time in a lot of ways. She first appeared more than 70 years ago, “as lovely as Aphrodite, as wise as Athena, with the speed of Mercury, and the strength of Hercules.” This has led to a number of writers exploring whether Wonder Woman can or should be viewed as feminist.” Why is that even a question? (Marston and Peter 1941). i

I watched Professor Marston & the Wonder Woman when it came out in 2017. That was a surprise. I had not heard anything about this history and his relationships. I watched Professor Marston & the Wonder Woman when it came out in 2017. That was a surprise. I had not heard anything about this history and his relationships. Of course as part of my research for this project, I had to watch the 2017 Wonder Woman film with Gal Gadot on Amazon Prime. It was awesome! hope there is a sequel.

My first introduction to this Amazon was the Wonder Woman series with Lynda Carter way back in 1975. At the time I had no idea that it was connected with feminism. It didn’t hook me, so I never finished watching it. I added it to my viewing list, now that she has my attention.

Philip Smith writes in a 2018 article “that the character has been seen as a political leader since Marston’s issue of ‘Wonder Woman for President.’” He also writes that the system “holds women to an impossible and self-contradictory standard, where she is read as sexualized and then punished for that reading, and where the only way to be regarded as a legitimate public figure is to reject any signs of femininity.” ii I think that confident, ambitious women have always been seen as a threat to the patriarchy. One of the tactics that those in power use is to demean and dis-empower those they perceive as threats with all the tools that money can buy.

Fun Fact! “Rosie the Riveter was the 1st icon of the feminist movement. https:// www.aaaa.org/timeline-event/rosie-riveter-face-feminist-movement.

“Wonder Woman was imagined before the USA had joined World War II, and her first story was published the same month as the attack on Pearl Harbor. It is worth noting the history of when these characters were created because they are products of their time. Wonder Woman was imagined as a character that would end the fighting on man’s world during one of the worst wars humans would ever see. She is also a product of the changing image of women in US culture including the Rosie the Riveter images that would soon appear.” iii

My mother was actually a Rosie the Riveter during World War II. I just grew up with that kind of mentality even though it wasn’t a time in my life that I paid any attention to feminism or even knew what it was about.

The author Phil Jimenez states that he would like to see Wonder Woman fight against Ares by destroying “systems of oppression” and that he wants to “see her challenge our points of view on the world again on issues of women’s rights, about equality, ending racial bias and the many problems we face.” iv

YES!! Wouldn’t that be awesome? I definitely think that someone should write that script. It would be a major box office hit. I can’t wait to see Gal Gadot take down the patriarchy.

Philip Smith writes in a 2018 article “that the character has been seen as a political leader since Marston’s issue of ‘Wonder Woman for President.’ ” He also writes that the system “holds women to an impossible and self-contradictory standard, where she is read as sexualized and then punished for that reading, and where the only way to be regarded as a legitimate public figure is to reject any signs of femininity.” ii I think that confident, ambitious women have always been seen as a threat to the patriarchy. One of the tactics that those in power use is to demean and disempower those they perceive as threats with all the tools that money can buy.

“In the same year of her 75th anniversary outside of comics, after our symposium, Wonder Woman was announced as a U. N. Ambassador (Cavna 2016), but within months her appointment was ended.(McCann 2016).The idea here was that Wonder Woman might inspire girls, women and all of us to be empowered to make a change. But the protests and the petitions impacted the decision to end Wonder Woman’s tenure as an ambassador.” v

What a shame that they caved! That makes me sad, disappointed, and angry.

INTERSECTIONALITY “Intersectionality was designed to analyze interlocking systems of privilege and oppression and to develop strategies that challenge those systems, with an emphasis on racism, sexism, heterosexism, and classism.” vi

Until I took feminism classes, I don’t think I had ever heard the term intersectionality. But of course it makes sense because one size does not fit all. While we are all human beings, our origins, cultures, preferences, and personal or family histories are varied.

Because we live in a world of hierarchical rankings, those variances of race, class and sex/gender that we were born into and/or were arbitrarily assigned to, determine the advantages or disadvantages that women experience.

To quote, Alison Winch, “ we are witnessing a greater divide between women along the lines of class, and therefore of race and ethnicity.” This of course is a problem that needs to be addressed if the goal of equality of all women is to be achieved. vii

Wise words from Benjamin Franklin. “We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.”

WORKS CITED

i. Cocca, Carolyn. “Negotiating the Third Wave of Feminism in ‘Wonder Woman.’” PS: Political Science and Politics, vol. 47, no. 1, Jan. 2014, pp. 98–103. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uno.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsjsr&AN=edsjsr.43284491&site=eds-live&scope=site, p. 1 ii. Camden, Vera J., and Valentino L. Zullo. “Wonder Woman and the Public Humanities: A Reflection on the 2016 Wonder Woman Symposium.” Journal of Graphic Novels & Comics, vol. 9, no. 6, Dec. 2018, pp. 515-516 EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/21504857.2018.1540130. iii. Jimenez, Phil. “Wonder Woman, Feminist Icon? Queer Icon? No, Love Icon.” Journal of Graphic Novels & Comics, vol. 9, no. 6, Dec. 2018, pp. 526–539. iv. Cocca, Carolyn. “Negotiating the Third Wave of Feminism in ‘Wonder Woman.’” PS: Political Science and Politics, vol. 47, no. 1, Jan. 2014, pp. 98–103.EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uno.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsjsr&AN=edsjsr.43284491&site=eds-live&scope=site v. Camden, Vera J., and Valentino L. Zullo. “Wonder Woman and the Public Humanities: A Reflection on the 2016 Wonder Woman Symposium.” Journal of Graphic Novels & Comics, vol. 9, no. 6, Dec. 2018, pp. 507–525. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/21504857.2018.1540130.

vi. Aguayo-Romero, Rodrigo A. “(Re)Centering Black Feminism Into Intersectionality Research.” American Journal of Public Health, vol. 111, no. 1, Jan. 2021, pp. 101–103. EBSCOhost, doi:10.2105/AJPH.2020.306005.

vii. Winch, Alison. “Feminism, Generation and Intersectionality: Generational Differences within Feminism Are Also Opportunities for Dialogue.” Soundings, no. 58, June 2014, p. 8.EBSCOhost,search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uno.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsglr&AN=edsglr.A398074334&site=eds-live&scope=site.

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rachelfaasfibers · 4 years

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Reading as Resistance: Gendered Messages in Literature and Media

By: Laraine Wallowitz (2004)

“I wanted them to understand that reading a text from a feminist perspective changes their understanding of its meaning, that literature and media both reflect and create images of femininity and masculinity, and that readers project their own assumptions about gender onto a text.” (page 26)

Wallowitz is speaking on the topic of how teaching Women’s Studies to high school students give them ideas of how to view gender stereotypes and how to become aware of them through life. With having his students read in a “feminist” perspective, the students are able to become more aware of subtle and strong signs of gender stereotyping throughout a day to day basis. This could be from what they read in school, on the internet, social media, television and many other contributing factors. With this, they can determine perhaps what they have experienced in life. I find that when I was growing up, often times I would lean towards the color pink for example, was that my decision or was their underlying factors that caused me to gravitate toward that color specifically.

“Empowering students by teaching them how to read the “word and the world” (Freire and Macedo) necessitates a new way of thinking about English instruction.” (page 26)

This goes in line with reading in a feminist perspective. I find that just because I read something from class, does not necessarily mean that I have to have the same assumptions that that specific text has. With this in mind, one is able to refer to past learnings and experiences with reading the “words” of the text through their own lens of the world. With reading the world, this goes align with how Wallowitz strives to get his students to understand how the world has labeled genders. It is important that we not only learn about the past, with understanding where stereotypes stemmed from, but also how we have challenged those ideas, embracing that times are changing and women and men are starting to be seen more as equals rather.

“Without a broadened sense of the variety of texts that create and reflect notions of gender, students, like Laurie, make false assumptions both about the texts they interact with and about themselves.” (page 27)

This emphasizes how we cannot simply rely on traditional or academic text, but to the world around us in the media, advertisements, clothing, film, art and anything that is relevant and popular to this day and age. Much, if not all of what I have learned in studio art and art history classes, relates with what is going on in the world. Either this is from reading articles from a variety of art historians, to creating my own art in the studio. With being mindful of the world around me and connecting what I have learned in and out of school in terms of art has allowed me to focus more on own experiences and how I am an individual in the world. Art work, just like scholarly articles, stands in place as a source that people can rely on in the future to understand the past. It is important for people to grasp the importance of not only traditional learnings of text, but as well as the media and the arts.

‘’One of my objectives for the unit was to teach them how our notions of femininity and masculinity are socially and culturally constructed by the music we listen to, the books we read, the television we watch, and the stories we heard growing up.” (page 27)

Growing up, I remember going into Target and seeing all the toys, naturally being gravitated to the “girls” aisle that was pink and purple. At that time, I played with dolls, wore the color pink often, and took ballet classes. I did not see this as a gender stereotyped way of life until understanding roots of gender and how women and men were seen in the past and how they are today. The boys aisle at Target had cars, things to build, and toys guns and weaponry. As a kid, the differences were no big deal to me, for some toys were for girls and some were for boys. I learned this growing up with advertisements on TV with young girls playing with dolls and boys playing with cars and building with Legos. Now, I understand that this was all caused by the construction of our culture and how people expected genders to act.

“Students quickly learned that characters who do not fit stereotypic images of men and women are read as abnormal.” (page 27)

I think that the fact that the students recognized this, is a large step for they are understanding a point of view that does not align with how they feel perhaps. Times have changes immensely, even within the past twenty years of my life. People are starting to see these stereotypes for what they are and beginning to challenge it. It is okay if a person who is labeled as a girl wants to visit the blue Target aisle if that is what they prefer. Same goes for any person, and today that is not seen as terribly abnormal but still is an issue that people will face for years to come, for it is different than the normal that has been shown in the past.

“Personal narrative provides another opportunity for students to explore the connection between gender bias and environment.” (page 27)

Understanding the background of a person, specifically yourself, helps understand how the environment around you impacted your personal growth. With this, one can pick a part instances in their life could have been impacted by gender bias. Did I take interest in dance because it seemed “girly” and fitting to me? Was my favorite color pink because someone told me it was, or did I make that decision on my own? It is interesting to think about, for your childhood impacts your growth heavily, and these gender ideals surrounded us one hundred percent of the time.

‘’Once students have a better understanding of the ways in which environmental factors, such as childhood and family culture, influence concepts of gender, they are ready to recognize subtle (and not-so-subtle) messages in literature and media.’’ (page 28)

I find that now that I am more aware of gender stereotypes, I can interpret and understand certain movies from the past in a different way. As a kid, it was normal for the girl in the story, normally a princess, would need help from the prince in some form to fulfill their life. Most plots went along with this, and that did not seem bad. But now understanding how needy and gentle these women were, and how they were seen as characters girls looked up to, is extremely concerning. Today many people see that it is important to raise their children, no matter the gender, strong and independent. This staggers away from the traditional way a young girl should act or behave, but it is challenging the past ideas. This is why I believe this quote is important for it explains the importance that students understand the influences around them.

“Folktales serve several important functions in a society that include projecting values and expressing a culture’s taboos and anxieties.” (page 28)

I find this important for it speaks on the topic of girls, princesses, and fairytales and how they impact the values that children embrace at young ages. Wallowitz speaks about discussing Cinderella, and how she is seen as a house maid, staying indoors and does not have much say in her life. Yet, young girls are inspired by her, for in the end she is happy with her prince and that is all she needs. These stories have been passed down from generation to generation, so this is often seen as a normal way of life. Due to this, it is hard for people to escape the past and look into the future for a more understanding way of life. Recently, women have made more leaps in regard to education, accomplishments and success, leading us to making the genders more equal. There have been more movies and music artists for instance in recent times that highlight women in a powerful way, meaning that this is how many want to view women today and recognize them for.

“Casey, who read “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, discovered how women are objectified in literature and noted the narrator’s unfair comparison of his wife to a flawless statue, an ideal impossible for her to achieve.” (page 29)

This quote shows that students understand how certain ideals that were pressed onto women, were impossible to do and how that was disturbing to them. No one wants to be told what to do, how to dress, who to like, and so on. Yet people are gravitated to the normal and often times do not see that. There have always been standards of women and how they are meant to look and act, but these change over time. This impacts many by social media (who is popular, where they shop, what they eat, and so on). People nowadays have the capability to alter their images of their bodies they post on social media for instance, because they want to be seen like the famous people who look a certain way. They feel their body is not good enough for the standards that are held for women today. Clearly this is an ongoing problem that does not seem to be going away anytime soon, we just need to learn how to understand and grow.

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eerieskreativekorner · 10 months

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Empowerment Elegance for Radiant Queens: Soulful Strokes: Adult Coloring Book for Strong Black Women...

#scaryfairy #coloringfun #fun4allages

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lavendergrace13 · 4 years

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riptide - a TS8 album concept

So... I saw a lot of album concepts going around online and I got inspired to create my own. Here’s ‘’riptide’’, an album that is like Lover and reputation’s love child with RED lyrics and Speak Now vibes. It’s pop country with a lot of other influences.

The idea behind this album would obviously be the riptide and how it can confront you with good and bad stuff as well as wash away both the good and the bad. It’s a representation of how Taylor has grown and how much she has learned over the course of her life and her career, and there’s a lot of different styles on it. It’s very reflective, maybe a little darker, but with a lot of love and light as well. Promo for it would start in early summer, with a September release. - because in September everything is brand new and as a nod to ‘’you’ll have new Septembers.’’ She’d announce it with a special video of her standing at the beach, what we will later learn is the location for the album photoshoot, telling us that this is a continuation of Lover’s vulnerability and reputation’s power. The era will have a lot of photoshoots, interviews for magazines and a lot of performances and singles, and she will bring back the polaroids. However, tis will also be a closer look into what her life is like now and it will help us understand more of why she has gotten so private. It really is all about where Taylor has come from and where she is now.

1. golden linings

the lead single and basically a continuation of Daylight with the use of the word ‘’golden.’’ It’s about how she’s happy now, how she has found a way to grow and evolve from everything that happens and how she has found that this is the best way to defeat the negative. Key lyric is something along the lines of ‘’baby, why settle for a silver lining when you can make it golden’’ and there’s a spoken word piece in it about turning her lessons into legacy (because this album is the very definition of that). It’s uptempo and the music video offers Easter eggs that are clear references to her earlier eras, with a lot of colors, pretty dresses and her doing a really pretty dance in the daylight.

2. welcome to court

a killer track in the same style as Cruel Summer, I Did Something Bad etc. It’s a call-out to the music industry and how that is like a corut full of intrigues and dirty games. It’s the fourth single - the first post-release - and Taylor goes all out with it by shooting the music video at a lavish castle and wearing the most awesome dresses, and it has scenes of her swordfighting, horseriding, dancing at a masquerade and being a queen. There’s also a small storyline in the lyrics about how she found ‘’a prince nor a king’’ who helped her flee. There’s Love Story references and this is heavily promoted as a diss to Scooter/Scott. It also resembles Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince.

3. riptide

the title track that is like a mix of This Love and Clean and uses metaphors of the riptide. The song wins two Grammys because of the gorgeous poetic lyrics and is completely self-written and played by her on acoustic guitar (first part) and piano (second part). It’s very personal as Taylor describes the things that have been her ebb and flow. It doesn’t have a music video, but Taylor promotes it in the same kind of way as she did with her journals, but this time by releasing a poetry collection to go along with the album called riptide, which also features drawings and bonus polaroids.

4. heavenly

a mix between Holy Ground and Long Live and dedicated to her fans and how she feels when she’s performing, also dedicated to the newfound happiness she experienced during the reputation tour.

5. caged butterfly

the ‘’track 5 syndrome’’ and the track we’ve all secretly been waiting for: it’s about how she sometimes felt held captive by her record label and about what Big Machine did to her, about how she was never artistically free, but also about the things about her career that damaged her, such as body image, the fact that she couldn’t go to college or have a normal life, the mockign and all that. It’s very emotional, like a continuation of The Archer as one of her most personal songs. It’s also the longest.

6. heartstrings & headlines

a very sweet acoustic song and the second single. it’s intimate along the lines of Call It What You Want and Cornelia Street. It’s about her private relationship with Joe, and in the lyrics - it’s self-written - she uses a lot of picture details about what their life is like. It’s also about their decision to keep things private and have their own little bubble hidden away from the public eye. Key lyric: ‘’our heartstrings don’t make headlines, because they’re only yours and mine.’’ a fan favorite. the music video shows Taylor and an actor in a very cozy home, with cameos for the cats.

7. catching fireflies (ft. Kelsea Ballerini)

a classic country song and the third and final single before the release. It’s super catchy and the music video has butterfly wings, glitter, birds, sidewalk chalk, pink champagne and all those things. It’s basically It’s Nice To Have A Friend meets 22 and is about how even when things are rough and dark, there’s always fireflies, AKA bright spots AKA good things.

8. crumbled fairytale

a song that turns out to be entirely different than people initially think based on the track list: they suspect it’s sad and vulnerable, but it’s actually a feminist anthem about how girls aren’t princesses and they should shatter their glass ceilings and glass slippers and toss away their fairytales. It references the Women’s March and The Man and in the bridge she also talks about Time’s Up and #MeToo and her sexual assault trial and women in the music industry. It’s the fifth single and the music video has a variety of female-identifying fans in stunning power outfits breaking stereotypes: they each start in a princess dress and then tear it off with a sword to reveal butterfly wings.

9. one million midnights

a self-written, vulnerable song about the darker times of her life. It references a lot of ‘’2am’’-parts from previous songs when she lay awake with a broken heart or a mind wandering about insecurities or scars from what people did to her, and it’s a lot like The Archer. a song she never performs live because it’s too painful for her to think back of those times.

10. reins of fate

another song that is a deep cut and hits hard, about ow her image controlled what she did for a long time, like invisible reins in her spine from the life she chose, but not the choices se chose. It’s about how for a long time she wasn’t free to curse or drink or dress in a certain way and it’s also about her system of doing what people wanted from her or said she couldn’t do. the bridge is about cutting those reins and is very powerful.

11. rewrite the stars

a continuation of track 10, but in a more empowering way with a very alluring beat and an encouragement to take control over your story, to adjust and rewrite the stars and determine your own direction. Kind of like New Romantics.

12. picture book (ft. Selena Gomez)

the sixth single and the long awaited collab! It’s about nostalgia and growing up, referencing The Best Day and Never Grow Up, with a lot of memories and a really cute music video that resembles the Everything Has Changed one, but this time with two girls becoming best friends. There’s also some emotional parts about monsters under your bed that turn out to be nothing like the real life monsters, a nod to Out of the Woods and Soon You’ll Get Better.

13. thirteen years

a hugely emotional, acoustic, very long, self-written song about the thirteen years of her career, the significance of the number 13 and the reflection on who she was and has become. the most anticipated track. she performs it with a 13 on her hand.

14. when push comes to shore

an acoustic ballad about letting go parts of yourself, parts of your life and realizing that you also sometimes need to let people go. it’s the continuation of riptide and it’s about how when push comes to shore, you will know who you really are and what you hold close to your heart and what you can let go of. the most underrated song off of the album. it’s the seventh and final single and the music video is very serene, switching between Taylor sitting at a campfire on the beach with her guitar singing the song and her standing in the riptide.

15. slumber

a very sexy song much like Dress and False God, but on the next level, about temptation and experimenting and discovering your sex life and those slumbering moments right before or right after sex, moments when you can really feel close to someone and the whole world and everything fades.

16. olive branch (ft. Katy Perry)

the biggest surprise of the album: a song that is both upbeat and slow. it’s about forgiving people when the time is right and when you’re both better people, but also about how you sometimes don’t have to forgive, and also about how you should sometimes forgive yourself. Taylor’s quote ‘’you don’t have to forgive and you don’t have to forget, you can just move on’’ is a big part of the song’s philosophy.

17. tightrope dancer

a slow, subtle, but powerful song about a relationship when you’re so trusting of each other that you know you’ll fall together, but that you’ll also be able to do the most complicated dances and catch each other. it’s about how you can sometimes tumble off the tightrope, but how that will be okay because the other person will catch you and you’ll climb back up together, through it all, and that the tightrope will never brack. it’s a lot like Delicate and people make expressive dance videos for it.

18. love letters only

a self-written, acoustic song that is basically a letter from Taylor to herself, about everything she has learned and how she has grown. it’s about the things she’d like to say to her past self and her future self and to her current self, and there’s a lot of gorgeous self-empowerment lyrics. it becomes an instagram trend to post love letters only to yourself.

In December, Taylor surprises us with a deluxe version of the album that features five bonus tracks, all acoustic collaborations. There’s no singles or music videos, but she does release an intimate video for each song of her and the other artist in the studio performing it, much like Ed Sheeran’s Abbey Road videos. She brings those other artists out on tour frequently.

1. night dreamer (ft. Ellie Goulding)

a song about sometimes wanting to escape, run away, and laying awake at night imagining that you’d leave and build another life for yourself somewhere else, to just drop off the face of the earth to start over.

2. kaleidoscope (ft. Ed Sheeran)

much like Everything Has Changed and a fan-favorite, it’s about how each person is a kaleidoscope of so many colors and shades and that it’s always hard to figure out what someone’s true colors are, referencing the backlash Ed got for not publicly supporting Taylor while they never got any less close.

3. you never had the right (ft. Halsey)

a smash song that is very powerful, addressing everything people think they’re entitled to when you’re famous. it strongly references Taylor’s sexual assault case and her stalkers and the ‘’I want the old Taylor back’’ people.

4. heartstrong (ft. Ariana Grande)

a power ballad about being confident and strong when people give you a hard time, about standing your ground and fighting back instead of shaking it off. very strong lyrics and a lot of power notes from Ariana.

5. karma (ft. Lorde)

a ‘’welcome to court/Cruel Summer’’-esque song about fighting fire with fire and being a snake or a dragon when you are wronged, but also abotu throwing off your armor because you know fate will pull at the strings to get them what they deserve. a song, in short, about knowing when to enter and exit the battlefield.

So... what do you guys think?

#taylor swift #riptide #album concept

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adrianodiprato · 4 years

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+ "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Game Changers | Series Two Reflection

Over the past five months we have experienced unmatched disruption to education and to our daily lives. For some learning communities it has understandably brought about much fear, anxiety and uncertainty. However, amid all the panic and unknowns, new channels of innovation, creativity and systemic transformation are also accelerating at unparalleled levels. We have appreciated the unprecedented collaboration in our industry as educators globally have searched for solutions to the challenges posed by the pandemic.

During this global pandemic l have been personally inspired and encouraged by the actions of many individual educators and learning communities to rethink what education can be and should be in the future. In our Continuous Learning Toolkit | Volume II – Leading Through Crisis we highlighted a number of learning communities that decided that it simply is not enough to manage a response; they recognise the importance of leading through the crisis.

All over the world, there's growing consensus that our education systems are broken. In Series Two of the Game Changers podcast we encountered educators and social entrepreneurs that shared big ideas on how we might create learning today, for tomorrow’s world.

The true mark of a leader is the willingness to stick with a bold course of action. Much like the Emerson quote, each of our Serie Two Game Changers are not followers, but innovators, that for some, may be unconventional or even controversial, yet led a path by constantly stand for something special. That specialness I speak of is their deep understanding that all people matter and that each young person is home to a unique life. And that our collective goal is to, at stated by Sir Ken Robinson “…enable students to understand the world around them and the talents within them so that they can become fulfilled individuals and active, compassionate citizens.”

Episode One | Pernille Ripp

We started Series Two with Oregon Middle School, Wisconsin, USA English teacher and prolific education author Pernille Ripp.

Key learnings – For mine, at the very heart of Pernille’s motivation it was about prioritising children's voices, choice and ownership to give them the tools to help build a harmonious and sustainable world. This quote from Pernille best articulates her motivation, “With ownership comes a deeper engagement because the learning environment is more theirs. Students should not feel like visitors in our rooms, it should feel like a safe environment that they can create, experiment, and perhaps even fail in.”

Episode Two | Pasi Sahlberg

Key learnings – What impresses me about Pasi is that when he talks, he is intentional. He is intentional in his advocacy for schools to be human places that create safe spaces where each young person can develop a lifelong, joyful passion for learning, through play, through wonder and infinite possibly. A safe space that is this poetic balance between academic mastery, creative thinking, movement and self and social intelligence and awareness.

Episode Three | Nikki Kirkup

Key learnings – Nikki highlighted the importance of learning communities developing a delivery model that is congruent with the value proposition of the school. And she reminded us that it is not merely a response to a crisis; an opportunity to redesign our future. Nikki and the amazing team at The Knox School have been, in her words “…designing and facilitating learning experiences that go beyond the transmission of traditional academic content; placing value on the significance of character outcomes and individual student competencies, our educators have delivered learning that fosters the development of a range of critical skills which would empower our students to not only survive through times of disruption, but moreover to thrive within any environment in which they find themselves.”

Episode Four | Greg Miller

Key learnings – Grit and perseverance: iteration, iteration, iteration. Again, infinite possibilities of what each young people is capable of unlocking. At the centre of Greg’s mission in this kind of notion of limitlessness, when the expectation is that by reshaping our environments, opportunities and thinking, we can change the world for self, place and the other. Inspiring.

Episode Five | Jan Owen AM

Key learnings – We were very fortunate to have Jan on Series Two. Her work has been inspiring me for many years and much of her research when she was at the Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) is the formation of Polaris. I particularly like how Jan challenged our thinking around the word resilience and moved the focus toward developing a resourcefulnessthat better supports the fostering of adaptability and self-efficacy of young people, to thrive in their ever-evolving world.

Episode Six | Conrad Wolfram

Key learnings – Quantification measures like NAPLAN and the ATAR have assumed an importance beyond their ability to truly judge and paint the whole picture of each individual. We utilise simplistic metrics and that we need far more agile metrics, not just for Maths learning, but for education in general, as we enter the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Age. Basically, a new age of enlightenment and a fundamental shift in Mathematics curriculum. I also loved that Conrad mentioned that Maths could learn from The Arts about crafting more open-ended assessment.

Episode Seven | Deborah Netolicky

Key learnings – Deborah had a clear focus on the profoundness of listening, deep authentic listening, to understand, not simply respond. It was about knowing your context. It was about thinking around the kinds of collaboration that you can encourage. It was about dedicating time and resources and asking how you are truly catering for the different career stages of each staff member, all centred around cultures of trust. And ultimately it was about how can you honour permission for the individual to discover their inherent possibility and that of the community in which they serve.

Episode Eight | Stephen Harris

Key learnings – Every time I encounter a conversation with Stephen I think of the absolute freedom of art and the notion of being able to bend things most people see as a straight line. He remains committed to be a learning community, that always attempts to spiral upwards the innovation and learning curves, with its central focus – relationships, via personal learning pathways and individual permission. That learning communities are about more than just buildings, and the people in them, on a set campus. We need to curate and create high-quality spaces that are inspiring encounters as well as safe, accessible and sustainable – within and beyond the boundaries of the school campus. All designed to enhance the interdependence of the collective and individual learning and wellness growth. All supporting my notion of anytime, anywhere learning – on campus, online, in context and in country.

Special Series | Julie Andrews & Leann Wilson

These six “In conversation with Phil Cummins…” were some of my favourite episodes, featuring two proud Indigenous women, Julie Andrews and Leann Wilson.

Key learnings – Leann mentioned in one of her episodes and our Global Gathering live event her father’s 4 R’s – Respect, Responsibility, Relationships and… “Remember what’s gone before you and remember those three fellas’ above you”. This typified the essence of Julie and Leann and their proud history and that of Indigenous peoples – a deep sense of truth, story, family, culture community and individual and collective responsibility. This Special Series also highlighted that it is time we start talking about Indigenous people using language that celebrates the rich history and culture, not deficit language that only serves to cultivate stereotypes that are harmful, oppressive and divisive. 65,000 years to draw upon, and a rich culture that never stands still, always evolving.

Recently Jon Yeo, the licensee of TEDxMelbourne sent me Matt Goldman’s “The search for a-ha moments” TED Salon talk. In this talk Goldman shares his schooling experience and stated, “…if these environments didn't know what to do with people who didn't fit a standard mould, why weren't we reshaping the environments to take advantage of people's strengths?”

I’ll leave you with this statement from Matt Goldman, “What I've come to believe is that we need to cultivate safe and conducive conditions for new and innovative ideas to evolve and thrive.” This new and innovative environment, for school communities to evolve, and the people within them to thrive, need to hero Wellness by Design® at the heart their remarkable learning story. Why? Because all people matter.

Thank you to Pernille, Pasi, Nikki, Greg, Jan, Conrad, Deborah, Stephen, Julie and Leann for sharing your story and passion. And thank for reminding us all that each person in our learning communities is home to a life. It is as simple and complex as that. Born from the construct of love – of self, for place and the other.

Listen to our Series Two: Epilogue via streaming platforms - SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

#permissionistriumph #game changers #Wellness By Design

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momtemplative · 4 years

Text

Watching My Diet.

Of Words and Images, That Is.

As for a spoiled life, no life is spoiled but one whose growth is arrested.—Oscar Wilde, from The Picture of Dorian Gray.

When I was pregnant, I was astounded by the amount of shit-advice people felt entitled to force upon me, thanks to the visual whistle-blower of my growing belly.

I kept the book, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin next to my bed like a sacred text. The second half of the book contains a collection of empowered women sharing inspiring stories of their natural birth experiences. I read at least one story every night to off-set the deflating stories that were pushed at me. (One, still clear as day in my mind over a decade later, came from a woman who had never had kids! She said, in low tones and with concern in her eyes, “It’s the most painful thing you will ever experience. You WILL NEED DRUGS.”)

I would often fall asleep with Ina May’s book on my chest, thinking maybe the positive messages would cause seep into my being, like a topical treatment.

Now, during the era of COVID19, the news is an IV drip of mounting catastrophe into all of our collective veins. And the way we receive news during these current times is 24-7, on screens, visual, relentless and without limits. (PS: as said in Time, “media images can be so intense that they can cause symptoms of acute stress or even PTSD.”)

Like many, I find myself falling into the habit of using my few-far-between windows of space to either read updates from the Post and the Times, or to check social media. While informative at best, these word-venues are, nutrient-wise, anemic crumbs not suitable for a bottom-feeder.

So why the impulse to keep going back?

According to Time Magazine, “The human brain is wired to pay attention to information that scares or unsettles us—a concept known as “negativity bias“. Meaning, our brains are predisposed to go negative, and the news we consume reflects this.”

On a personal level, my intake of news is rising by the day—sometimes seemingly out of my control. I’ll just be grabbing my phone to check the weather and suddenly I’m well into an article on the pandemic, as if in a trance.

Without clear boundaries and a bit of mindfulness, the news and media we are ingesting can be far more toxic than beneficial. The effects of constant negative-news consumption are real and complex.

And I feel the wear-and-tear in my mental state, to be sure. I’ve been taking in the news every night, just before bed, via my tiny phone screen as if that makes it less potent and more manageable. Not the case. I can easily slip into helplessness, along with tasting the vinegar of potent rage in the back of my throat, even as I’m trying to settle in for sleep.

Anxiety and stress create cortisol, which can wreak havoc throughout the physical body and beyond. My neck and shoulders feel like they are clutching with white-knuckles for some unseen disaster, pretty much all the time. Yoga and breathing provides a world of help while doing it, but the muscle memory is so deep, that the bad patterns often return within moments of back-to-life.

This is not to say the solution is to bypass the news entirely. But if we are in this for the long haul, deliberate choices need to be made, for the stability of everyone.

Last week, my dear friend, Steph, mailed a box of crafting goodies to my girls. An eclectic mix of junk-drawer extractions and art things—things that have the potential to clutter up a house. But, when assembled in a package with intention and love, feel like vintage treasures from another world. Girl scout patches, circa the early 1990’s, ribbon in original packaging from the Carter administration, an untethered bouquet of white plastic glitter flowers. And in the midst of this treasure chest: a hardcover copy of the Oscar Wilde book, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

It was a fancy, old-timey edition that I had read through and written-in during college, using the same red ink from the same red pen the whole way through. My handwriting is young—an un-mastered version of my current script. But my brain is searching and inquisitive. I’m not sure why Steph wound up with the book, but there was a time when I passed out Oscar Wilde books like a communist would pass out propaganda and I likely forced it upon her.

Back then—over twenty years ago, more than half my current age—Oscar Wilde spoke to me in a way I was not accustomed to being spoken to, and brought about feelings that literature rarely provided. I indulged in Him, collected photos, quotes, and bought multiple used copies of his books. He became an unwitting spiritual guide of sorts. I carried the story of his tragic incarceration and subsequent death with me the way a god-fearing man would hold the image of Jesus’ crucifixion close to his heart. If they sold Oscar Wilde on a necklace, I’d have bought one, for sure.

Placing my hands on the cover of that book—while my girls squealed and unpacked the rest of the boxed treasures—was not far from the feeling of placing my hands on a body to massage. Flesh—living, breathing flesh. Cracking open the book brought with it not only the slight sigh that takes place in the inner ear during a good stretch, but also a swell of emotions. I flipped through the pages, feeling saved.

The article, What You Read Matters More Than You Might Think, in Psychology Today discusses the difference between “deep and light reading.” Deep reading is defined as reading that is slow, immersive, rich in sensory detail and emotional and moral complexity. It is distinctive from light reading, which is little more than the decoding of words. The author continues by saying deep reading is great exercise for the brain and has been shown to increase empathy, as well as inspiring reflection, analysis, and personal subtext to what is being read.

A passage from The Picture of Dorian Gray—”Words! Mere words! How terrible they were! How clear, and vivid, and cruel! One could not escape from them. And yet what a subtle magic there is in them! They seemed to be able to give a plastic form to formless things, and to have a music of their own as sweet as viol or of lute. Mere words! Was there anything so real as words?”

Another passage (how can I resist?): “In this country, it is enough for a man to have distinction and brains for every common tongue too wag against him. And what sort of lives do these people, who pose as being moral, lead themselves? My dear fellow, you forget that we are in the native land of the hypocrite.”

How I missed that man. And what a time for him to pay a visit.

Last weekend, I was feeling particularly ill-at-ease. My speech had edges like so many sharp river rocks. Tears and sadness rotated through in unpredictable gusts.

On the particular day I refer to, a book called Ordinary Magic, Everyday Life As Spiritual Path all but did a swan dive from my bookshelf and landed at my feet. The cover-image was dated and sun-bleached. The font and spacing came directly from the early 90’s, which is when it was published. I have a vague memory of buying this book at Half-Priced Books in Columbus, just before I made my move out west, in 2002, eighteen years ago. It’s a collection of Buddhist essays that focus on sectioned-out, topics—creativity and community, for example. It did not take long to realize that the editor, John Welwood, steals the whole dang show. His intros to each chapter sparkle with the quiet wisdom of one who is not the headliner, but knows his own worthiness.

(As with Oscar Wilde, I could include countless quotable phrases, but a taste is all you need.) In his introduction to the creativity essays, Welwood said, “By being still and receptive, instead of busily trying to find solutions, we give our intelligence the time and space it needs to find an appropriate way to proceed.” I read that line and gently set the book on my lap to take pause and think to myself, Thank god.

Another account of being liberated by the right words.

The Unknowing. Yes, that is the landscape we all inhabit now. How do we work with such potent feelings of lack-of-control? A classic solution would be to distract the hell out of ourselves so the low hum of anxiety doesn’t seem as loud. Or, we could try to re-frame our reaction, teach the brain that there could be another approach.

Our lives are, in many ways, on hold as we await a vaccine to protect our collective physical health. But our mental health is not on hold. Our intellect is under non-stop media siege and our sanity begs to be nourished and protected now more than ever. An essential piece of that puzzle (the puzzle of avoiding going clinical insane, that is)—more so than what’s contained in a bottle or that can be purchased online with a credit card—may very well already live on our bookshelf.

John Welwood also said, “What is fresh and alive comes only from the unknown.” I’m pretty sure I’m going to have that phrase tattooed on my forearm in old-english script after this whole thing is over.

May 17, 2020

#momtemplative #mindfulparenting #COVIDwords #DietOfWords

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