A documentary film that reminds viewers that we still have a long way to go, baby, screened at the Raven's Cry Theatre in Sechelt on March 27 to an audience of mostly women.
Miss Representation, an award-winning film by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, explores how women are under-represented in positions of power in America despite the influence of feminism, and how their portrayal in the media continues to be based on how they look.
Big boobs and collagen-injected lips can still win the day in the eyes of what one woman described as "a nation of teenage boys" completely preoccupied with female sexual characteristics.
How will young women find role models to encourage them on their path to leadership? And how will women stop loathing their bodies when they compare themselves to cadaverous advertising models?
A spectacular cast of interviewees, including former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and actresses Geena Davis and Jane Fonda, spoke out about their experiences.
Fonda, who has been an activist most of her public life, told how the prevailing attitudes affect us all, whatever age: "Media creates consciousness," she said. "When a female reaches age 30 or 40, the message is that she needs to go away."
Both a high school boy and an older man answered a question: do women in power threaten men? Of course they do, and this is why we will see only the bravest of young women run for class president and eventually for U.S. president.
Several of the interviewees made suggestions for change. Women need to write their own stories that can be depicted in film and TV, and they need to use buying power to support media that are creating change rather than buy into tabloid journalism.
Chatelech Secondary School students were given a special showing of the film that same afternoon organized by theatre manager Deb Proby, who brought the film to the Coast.
At the evening screening, Margaret Page hosted a panel of two local women: Coast Reporter associate publisher Cathie Roy and author and management consultant Dorothy Riddle, who elicited comments from the audience after the film.
"Language shapes our experience," Riddle said. "Stop calling mature women girls." Riddle repeated the suggestion to use buying power to stop offensive advertising. Instead, write a letter to the manufacturer about their portrayal of women on TV. Start a petition through change.org or through avaaz.org, the on-line petitions that have garnered much public support.
"We can change this," she said.
Roy was struck by how different Canada is to America regarding women in leadership positions, and she pointed to the high percentage of women on the Coast who had run for municipal government. Nevertheless, Canada is still ranked only 20th in the world in terms of gender equity.
Page recommended that we turn our attention to supporting and mentoring more women. As the film's Marie Wilson, founder of the White House Project, said, "You can't be what you can't see."
Several audience members spoke out passionately. One woman said that she was all for mentoring younger women, but how we raise our sons is so important - teaching them to love and respect.
Others suggested that organizations like the local Girl Guides (currently in need of adult leaders), or the Coast's Sharing Women of Passion that supports and encourages women in their endeavours, could be helpful. Avalon House, a women's 12- step resource, is also available.
The $10 admission price for the screening raised funds for Yew Transition House.More about the documentary can be found at www.missrepresentation.org.
