One thing to know about me, right out of the gate, is that I’m a staunch feminist. What images does that statement conjure? Sadly, society has several labels for what a feminist is, and looks like all of which are explored and condemned in the inspiration documentary Miss Representation. I’ve watched quite a few documentaries detailing females in media, but several of them are fairly out-of-date. Miss Representation looks at all elements of femininity in the media with an eye towards asking: What does this mean for young girls who want to be tomorrow’s leaders? A documentary that will simultaneously open your eyes and enrage you, but one that must be seen by everyone!
Director Jennifer Siebel Newsom explores the under-representation of women in politics by focusing on the role of the media in shaping the nation’s views of women.
There’s nothing that infuriates me more than the depictions of women in entertainment. If you asked me friends why they hate to go to movies with me, it’s because I always scrutinize the females in any given movie. Unfortunately, Miss Representation shows that media slant does provide unrealistic standards, expectations, and bias towards women that has detrimental effects. Ultimately, the entire system of government is forever slanted due to bias about women as a gender. In Miss Representation, the central thesis is what future female leaders will have to face if they want to enter government. It’s a sorry state of affairs as the documentary shows magazine articles comparing Sarah Palin and Hilary Clinton based on what they were, the overabundance of the word “catfight” when two women are competing in any industry, and how male newscasters/radio announcers describe women in government. The movie never skews towards one political party, but instead focusing on gender. As one commenter states, one can disagree with Sarah Palin, but they should be proud to have another woman deciding to enter government.
For an 85 minute documentary, Miss Representation wastes no time covering all elements of media representation of women. There’s typical sexualization of women, the media slant in political discussions, the dwindling numbers of women in CEO positions, violence towards women in the media, etc. None of this is new ground if you’ve seen other documentaries, but it’s strong in the opinions it presents. The list of commenters include Condoleezza Rice, Margaret Cho, Rosario Dawson, and Katie Couric to name a few. Women from all walks of the entertainment industry are interviewed, allowing for a nice balance between women in entertainment and women in government. Of course, one has to account for the fact that director Jennifer Siebel Newsom is the wife of former San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom, which I’m sure came with its own clout. It is fairly bold to open the film with Siebel Newsom telling her own story of female objectification and abuse, which opens the door to exploring the deep-seated history of violence and control of women.
Of course the documentary is not without its share of flaws. Siebel Newsom has to diverge to detail her own issues in the acting world, a job where she’s been relegated to the pretty receptionist/actress/etc. It feels like lip service to the director, and she also doesn’t explain why, despite what she knows about the industry and its views of women, she’s decided to remain in that profession. It also doesn’t ask actresses, like Rosario Dawson, how complicit actresses are in the making of their own ditzy and sexualized personas. Furthermore, there’s an interview with director Catherine Hardwicke (who I applaud for being one of the female directors working today) where she takes credit for making Twilight the success it is. No disrespect to Ms. Hardwicke, but I don’t think Twilight fans have ever worried about whose name is on the credits.
Regardless of whether you’re male or female, if you feel that equality should extend to all you must seek out Miss Representation. A strong, compelling documentary that explores the future of female objectification. It proves that me getting on my feminist soapbox is worth it!
Grade: A+
The Cinematic Katzenjammer 