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eloisegirlinnovators · 2 years

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GIRL INNOVATORS--Inside the Magical and Terrifying World of Disney

There are many different things that I will touch on in this project such as how the princess narrative affected young girls, representation within Disney, as well as racism in the corporation. Furthermore, I will speak on how there have been efforts to make a more positive switch and represent more than just white people. In this blog, there are many different details of Disney that I will express and examined. The world of Disney that we all witnessed as young individuals have many undertones that destroy the magic. As one gets older it is easier to pick apart and examine these ailments.

Introduction...

Disney. The magic. The characters. The sexism. The racism. Most when thinking about the multibillion-dollar company think of magic and fantasy. The vision of the people is clouded while there is a large part of Disney that is ignored. For decades the Disney corporation has allowed various inappropriate ideologies that affect their young viewers. When it comes to little girls and boys watching these films there are many inaccurate depictions that affect their young minds. I will first start out with the age-long tale, the damsel in distress who must have a male (most of the time a prince) to come to her aid and save her. This is something that is seen extremely frequently throughout Disney princess movies. While there are many examples I will start off by looking at some of the original Disney princesses versus the now further-developed Disney princesses.

When examining our original princesses such as snow white, cinderella, and aurora, there are obvious aspects that show how all of these women need a man to succeed. Below is an article I found that had many different opinions concerning this subject. When reading this article, these Disney princesses have something in common: their lives were greatly improved by a man swooping them off their feet. Cinderella, for example, had an absolutely miserable life being controlled by her step-sisters and step-mother, but the second that a prince fell in love with her she would live an idyllic life. This may seem like it does not matter but these stories are carried by young children as something that they strongly hold onto. It gives the audience who watch these movies and shows the idea that a male partner is the only way to be happy. With the viewers of Disney princess movies being young moldable minds it makes it all the more crucial to not have the message that men will make your life better. With this, there have been progressions toward feminist girl boss princesses. Below I will discuss the way that Disney has started to pivot for the better when feeding younger generations fairytales.

Below is a picture of the "original Disney princesses" where there are very clear racial and sexist undertones within their stories. From Pocahontas where there are clear inappropriate racist plots, to the damsel in distress that most princesses play Furthermore when researching, I sought out a picture of the "original Disney princesses", when searching on google I found that Pocahontas was not included in most images. This surprised me because of the way that I grew up thinking that Pocahontas fit into that category. This ties into an aspect of inclusion and the way that Disney has left out diversity in these movies.

Run Down of Disney Princess movies and the things that are just not right....

CINDERELLA: This princess is a classic story of rags to riches. Cinderella is cruelly ruled by her stepmother who treats her as her own servant. One night she sneaks away to a ball, where a prince falls in love with her. As she leaves in a rush he will only be able to find her by a glass slipper. There are many things wrong with this storyline. Cinderella is only noticed once she becomes “beautiful” wearing a ball gown and looking like a princess. The message that comes across in these actions is that you must look a certain way to become a princess. This idea can be quite detrimental when it comes to young girls watching stuff like this as it sends the wrong message.

AURORA: There are a lot of controversies when looking at the story of sleeping beauty. There is a large presence that surrounds the lack of consent. While I am aware that a “true love's kiss” has been a common subject throughout the history of princesses, allowing to show this message is something that should not be taught to young people. To further the extent of this, when doing research I came across an article that told the original story of princess aurora. “In the original Italian version of Sleeping Beauty, known as Sun, Moon, and Talia, Princess Aurora is awakened by repeated rape by the King and eventually gives birth to two children while unconscious.” This makes the lack of consent shown all the more inappropriate.

BELLE: Beauty in the beast is a seemingly love story, but many aspects of the plot contradict this. Belle is taken by the beast into captivity, and after trying to escape a couple of times is run away by wolves and other obstacles. She ultimately ends up with the beast, which makes me wonder if she just got together with him out of compliance. Young children should not look at this movie as a good relationship because of the way that Belle was essentially kidnapped.

ARIEL: When looking at the story of the Little Mermaid, there are aspects of Ariel that I do not think are positive for feminism. Ariel suffers between wanting to be on land, while her father wants her to stay in the ocean. When she meets Prince Eric the desire only grows. When she is cursed and told that she must find a true love's kiss in order to stay on land, the intensity grows. Ariel in the end leaves her life behind for Prince Eric. This is an issue because of the way that she is so easy to abandoned her whole life for a man. In a perfect world, Ariel would be able to balance her family and her love.

SNOW WHITE: The plot of snow white is similar to sleeping beauty when it comes to the lack of consent that is shown. The reason that this is so significant is due to the fact that in both of the situations these women are left asleep and speechless, therefore unable to consent to the kiss. When looking at an additional article for more insight I came across this quote, “Though the by-laws to the Queen’s spell does include the by-law of love’s first kiss waking Snow White to life, it is problematic if Prince Charming simply assumes that role to himself.” This is crucial to my point because any man can just choose to take action to kiss the sleeping princess. Consent to young children is an important thing to learn and this strongly contradicts that.

POCAHONTAS: Thus far I have looked at the anti-feminist ideologies in these movies, but I want to shift to look at that as well as the racism presented. Within the movie, Pocahontas the key element is the fact that it is a true story. This makes it important that there is historical accuracy to do the certain characters justice. The marriage between Pocahontas and john Rolfe (called John Smith in the movie) was believed by historians to be non-consensual as she was kidnapped by settlers. Furthermore, there are many inappropriate terms that are used by the settlers such as “heathens, savages, etc” when referring to the native people. The problems in this movie stem from the depictions of Native American people and the inaccuracy of the true story.

MULAN: Despite the fact that Mulan is one of the more feminist characters out of the group listed, there are misrepresentations present in the movie. Mulan the main character in the movie is seen to be more “westernized” compared to the other characters. “Mulan has paler skin than any of the other characters, as well as rounder eyes.” I found insight in a review on did where the author highlighted “Shan Yu is grey-faced and yellow-eyed with long, pointed fingernails like claws, and pointed fang-like teeth.” It is clear in the comparison of Mulan and Shan Yu that there are racist undertones. Furthermore, sexism plays into this throughout the lyrics of the songs in the film, “Men want girls with good taste, calm, obedient, who work fast-paced.” the shows those watching that you must fit into a category in order to be liked by the men around you.

JASMINE: In the movie Alladin there are controversial scenes with microaggressions throughout the film. Jasmine is a woman who is controlled by the men in her life with little to no option to make her own decisions as her father wants a man to take care of her. As Jasmine doesn't wear a Hijab in the film there is a sense of feminism but it contradicts itself when Jasmine is only seen in a Hijab when disguised as a poor Muslim woman. When it comes to the things said in the film there are various things to point out. First, the mispronunciation of Arab words in the film is offensive to a culture that is not Disneys. The main characters such as Jasmine and Aladdin have lighter completions, while other characters are depicted as seeming to be more Middle Eastern.

Sources for the Information above...

While not all of Disney should be looked at in a negative light, I believe that there are aspects that must be taken into consideration and ultimately hold Disney accountable to an extent. Although there are many ailments when examining Disney's acts on their characters, not all of these princesses confine themselves to the stereotype. I will now examine the positive aspects that can be seen in Disney films. When researching this assignment, the first article I came across was about princesses' positive effects on young girls. This was very surprising because when I went into this project, I planned on primarily focusing on the negative aspects. I believe that it is very common for those in slightly older generations to think that all older Disney princesses feed the wrong message but I was amazed to find this article that contradicts that motion.

Within the article above many important ideologies came to my attention. As previously mentioned there are negative aspects that surround many of the Disney princesses, but this article above was able to open my eyes to a different side of this argument. As mentioned in the title of the article in Time magazine, even the researcher was surprised by the results of the study. In a study by Sarah Coyne, various discoveries were made regarding how young girls have been affected when watching princess movies. The author of the article describes these results, "She was shocked to find that girls who were obsessed with princess culture at 5 were actually more likely to hold progressive views about gender roles—to advocate for both female empowerment and for men to express their emotions—at age 10." Finding out this information made me feel significantly better about the culture that surrounds princesses. As older people see the imperfections in these movies is very clear, to now that young children are not absorbing all of the bad things is very positive. Although this does not make it okay, young girls are powerful and will learn to use that power in amazing ways.

When looking at what I will be calling the more progressive princesses, there are many messages that can be positive for developing minds. In this section I will look at the stories behind Elsa, Ana, Merida, and Moana. Starting with looking at the movie Frozen there are many concepts that deny the ideas of following a man. As seen in the image above Elsa is clear that one should not marry a man they just met, while naive sister Ana thinks otherwise. She quickly falls for a man who ultimately is evil and out to get her. The movie progresses and in the final scene Elsa has created a giant snowstorm that her sister Ana and others have been trapped in. Ana who had been previously struck, was told that only an act of true love could thaw a frozen heart. Ana races to find her love interest and be saved. When he betrays her she freezes and it seems like all hope is lost. Then Elsa comes to her and huggs her and crys and she unfreezes. This message is so incredibly amazing for a multiude of reasons. To switch it up and have a story about sisterhood and the strong meanings behind it rather than another love story is a step in the right direction. For young audiences to see two main characters who are strong women as well as independent is extremely important. Lastly to bring the concept of a sister or friendship being able to heal a person is crucial to a new age of Disney movies.

The next character that I believe is important for young minds to witness it Merida. Although Merida has a princess title, she does not play into the stereotypical role of a princess. She is tough, doesnt care about her appearance, and most importantly does not seek out a man. In this movie Merida is told she must marry but frankly she would rather shoot her bow and arrow and ride her horse. This movie has many more messages than just the idea that Merida does not want a husband, but when looking at this movie compared to older ones that stands out the most. Another important factor in this movie is the way that in the end Merida ultimately ends up by herself. She does not care about having a partner, and would rather be with her family and the company they can provide for her. One of the many reasons why this is important is because it sends a message to young minds that you dont need to have a partner. Not everyone has that desire and no one should be subjected to being with someone when they dont. Merida shows girls that life can be just as good with a man or not. It is movies such as Brave that continue to make disney movies progressive in a feminsit sense.

The next progressive princess I will look at is Moana. The first thing to look at in this movie is the way that there is zero love interest. In almost every movie created by Disney there is a sense of two people falling in love with one another. Moana is simply on a mission to save her community, which is just one more positive thing in this movie. Further speaking there is more representation racially. Moana is a polynesian character and is actually for once represented as one within her features. In addition to this Moana is one of the frist Disney characters that I have seen that has a normal body. It is common that a princess is skinny and perfect and clean looking, which is not what everyone looks like. Having the representation of someone who isnt tiny is extremely important especially within childerens movie. The last aspect of this movie that is positive it the family and community. Moana seeks to go on a mission to restore the health of her home, not for a man but for her loved ones.

While most are aware of the continuous racism in Disney productions, the representation that is given to white girls and no others has been harmful to those unrepresented. In the article below a researcher conducted a study to look into this aspect of Disney deeper. This study included asking young girls worldwide to draw a princess. The results were in a sense heartbreaking. "In this sample, nearly every drawing — 61 out of 63 — depicted a light-skinned princess, many of those resembling Disney characters. Fijian girls drew multiple Ariels; Indian girls drew Belles and Sleeping Beauties. Not one girl drew a princess in her country's traditional garb." This is all the more reason why representation matters so much for young minds. While looking further the researcher discovered that most young girls would pick the "traditional" white princesses over any of the others. Knowing this just furthers the need for Disney to continue to show more and more diversity when it comes to movies that are catered to young groups. This being said in the next section I will further look into the way that racism in Disney has been present for far too long.

Racist Moments from Disney Movies...

“Who's the fairest of them all?”---This quote from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves although seen to be fine has undertones of racism. The quotes allow for a sense that being white is being the "fairest" of them all or being superior in a sense.

“Keep on working / Stop that shirking / Pull that rope, you hairy ape”--- This quote from the movie Dumbo has very clear racism due to the fact that this is shouted at faceless black circus crows (actually workers).

The scene with Native Americans in Peter Pan and the depiction that is created is very racist. They are seen speaking gibberish and smoking copious amounts of tobacco out of a pipe, while also seen offering the pipe to the children such as Peter Pan.

Within the Lady and the Tramp, there is a song sung by two Siamese cats. In this song, they are seen with slanted eyes, bucked teeth, and East Asian accents. Within the remake, this was cleared by removing the song and changing the breed of the cats.

"Where they cut off your ear, if they don't like your face / It's barbaric, but hey, it's home."--- This quote from an Aladdin song was a part of the original lyrics to the song Arabian nights which was later just changed to "its barbaric, but hey, it's home". This change is somewhat different but still incredibly offensive to those from these areas.

With the information above it is very clear the offensive and horrible history is very much present. That being said there are been efforts over the past couple of years to include more diversity and representation. While there are many strides to be made movies like Raya and the last Dragon, Moana, and Frozen have made efforts in the right direction. When it comes to a goal that Disney needs to face the priority should be to continue to further to make movies that have different bodies, races, sexual identities, etc.

Sources for this section...

Conclusion...

To conclude I do believe that going back and looking at all of these storylines and plots are extremely important. Since media is something that has become bigger and bigger every year the things we allow children to watch matter. Despite certain studies that show that not all children are affected in a harmful sense, we still must make the effort to remove these points. We must raise the generations below us to feel able to be independent without the need to be with a man to make them happy. Teaching children through movies can be beneficial due to the fact that technology is something that is so prevalent in our world. My goal for this project was to illuminate the way that Disney has failed to empower young women in the past as well as offend communities with many racist undertones and micro-aggressions. I want my kids in the future to be able to watch movies and see every type of person and feel connected and represented when watching movies. Disney has come further than have in the past but there are still many different people that need attention and representation. Throughout this project, while examining all of these different points I felt sad in the sense that I was raised watching these films with no realization of all of these important points. Overall my goal of this was to show the way that there are so many little things that have been shown to us as young children that we were so oblivious to, but when looking at it later in life so many things become more apparent. Princesses do not need a man to save them or to come to their aid, the newer progressive princesses are independent Girl innovators who will do amazing things without a man or partner.

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eloisegirlinnovators · 2 years

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GIRL INNOVATORS-Final Project Proposal

SUBJECT: Disney Icons: An overview of girl characters, race, fairy tales, and the Disney icon machine: Snow White to Frozen. How do these stories impact, empower or hinder real girls? What has changed in the history of representation for people of color?

For this project, I thought it would be very interesting to touch on the various negative aspects of the Disney corporation. There are many different things that I want to touch on in this project such as how the princess narrative affected young girls, representation within Disney, as well as racism in the corporation. Furthermore, I will speak on the ways that there have been efforts in order to make a more positive switch and represent more than just white people. While I'm unsure which characters within Disney I will directly focus on I have many good ideas when it comes to this subject.

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eloisegirlinnovators · 2 years

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WEEK NINE--GIRL INNOVATORS Supernatural Girls: Teen Girls, Witches, Stranger Things, and Super Powers

1. What are your thoughts on the evolution of depictions of Supernatural Powers in young women?

I think when it comes to the evolution of young Supernatural characters there has been a large switch. Many of the older examples of supernatural TV shows or movies show characters who have powers but usually have not been seen as equal to male superheroes such as Superman or Batman. When it comes to the evolution of superpowers in women it includes women being recognized as superheroes in larger more empowering roles. Though I do think that there are powerful supernatural characters, I think an important part of the evolution of this has a lot to do with giving women equally powerful roles when in comparison to the stereotypical male superhero.

2. How is magical power related to adolescence?

I think that in many of these different examples of films magic and adolescence run hand and hand. It is common that these powers, whatever they may be, are triggered by a turning point in one's young life. In a movie called Ginger Snaps, this can be seen when she begins changing. This can be looked at as a parallel as she is changing into a supernatural being but also changing at that point in her life. I also think that magical power and adolescence ran hand and hand. There is usually a moment in films with these themes where one magical power changes or emerges but that can also be foreshadowing for the adolescent developing in other ways as well.

3. What impact does the depiction of magic and the sense of agency it represents have on real girls and young women in this era of emerging teenage girl leadership?

Being able to see a young powerful supernatural woman can be positive for many people. The idea of a powerful magical woman is inspiring and exciting. There are not always women that other women can look up to who are badass supernatural powerful beings. When this is present within film or media in general it gives the audience a sense of their own power. There most definitely is an impact that allows women to seek power from seeing other women on screen.

5. Do you see a correlation between the career opportunities of these young women performers, the roles they have played, and their evolution as feminists?

I believe that these career opportunities that are offered to woman actresses definitely have an impact on their evolution as feminists. With roles that have to do with supernatural beings and powers, there is a sense of empowerment in the roles. When playing a girl boss character allows for one to take all of that in and further their own doings. For example, in various films, a woman with supernatural powers is in control and contains a power that not all do. I think there must be a sense of adopting this feel for those actresses who play these parts.

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eloisegirlinnovators · 2 years

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WEEK EIGHT--GIRL INNOVATORS Woman Filmmakers and the Girls Eye View (LadyBird)

Who is the director? (a brief bio)

The director of the film LadyBird is a woman named Greta Gerwig. Gerwig was born in Sacramento, California, and is known for her writing as well as acting. Greta has done various jobs involving films and plays, but is most known for the film LadyBird.

What do you identify as unique to the female perspective and the 'female gaze' in the film?

I think when it comes to the uniqueness of the female gaze in the film surrounding LadyBird herself. She challenges many norms from the beginning of the movie and continues to protest those around her throughout the film. Ladybird makes actions that appeal to those similar to her which is an important subject to intrigue the viewers.

What rite of passage in the protagonist(s) life/lives does this story explore? What fresh perspective, if any, does the director bring to this story? Are sexual or gender taboos traversed in the process?

The right of passage within this film is Ladybird coming to terms with her family dynamic and their struggles financially and otherwise. The director Greta Gerwig presents a perspective of a mother-daughter relationship. There is verbal abuse from the mother and fights, but there is also a switch to the good things they do together, such as open house tours. Various taboos can be seen throughout LadyBird when it comes to sexuality and gender. First off, Ladybird's boyfriend from the drama program is gay, which is a stereotype. Furthermore, the guy she loses her virginity to becomes an asshole, which again is a classic scenario.

Does this film shed new light on the mother/daughter and family relationships? How?

This film allows for a relatable mother-daughter relationship to be seen by the audience. I think that as I watched it I related a lot to the relationship they had. There were a lot of good moments but also there was a lot of bullying that the mom did towards LadyBird. It is a tricky relationship throughout the film due to the way that the mother and daughter get along but also fight with violent words towards each other.

Describe the most startling/indelible/breakthrough scene of the film.

I would say that a breakthrough and important scene within the movie is when LadyBird changes her name back to Christine. Although this scene occurs at the end of the film I think that it is a very significant moment. She makes a big ordeal by changing her name to LadyBird but ultimately decides to go back to her original name, Christine. This scene struck me as it felt as if she finally felt complete about who she was as a person. There was no longer a need to go by a different persona.

Has the film received the recognition it deserved? Why or why not?

I believe that this film received the attention and recognition it deserved. It was widely talked about and launched many people's thoughts about relationships and growing up. I think that this film was a way for people to connect to what it can be like in one growing year. The film definitely got the publicity that was necessary.

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eloisegirlinnovators · 2 years

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WEEK SEVEN--GIRL INNOVATORS Eco Warrior Girls

Watch the Van Gogh Soup incident videos and respond to the question posed on TikTok: Is She Right? What is your impression of this form of activism? is it effective? Did the action have the intended impact? (one sentence for each)

I believe this form of activism can be very effective due to the extremity of the actions. With these two young woman’s goals being to gain attention for a cause I think that they were highly effective in that sense. The action of throwing soup cans at an iconic painting is drastic but that right there is the point. These actions gained the publicity that these women wanted, and brought attention to their cause.

2. Required reading: A Bigger Picture by Vanessa Nakate and No One is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg Write a 2-3 paragraph summary of each book...

A Bigger Picture: Vanessa Nakate explores and speaks about climate emergency and the people it affects in this book. Throughout the story, Nakate talks about her personal experiences and the experiences of her communities as a whole. Nakate began to fight for the acknowledgment of climate change alongside other women, including Greta Thunberg in an event in Davos Switzerland. During this climate event, Vanessa Nakate was cropped out of a group photo that had been taken with the other important women fighting for the attention needed to prevent climate change as much as we can. The title of this book is extremely important as it highlights the way that in the photo taken, there was more to it than who was seen. Vanessa Nakate was not given the attention that she deserved in light of the photo. The book further allows one to look at the fact that she was the only Black woman in this photo and just so happened to be cropped out. I believe that whether this was on purpose or not, Vanessa Nakate deserved to be recognized in the picture. Overall I think that it is essential to look and think about the title A Bigger Picture, as it allows one to think about how Nakate was removed from the photo as well as make one think about the ways that this may have occurred to many other women in different situations.

No one is Too Small to Make a Difference: This book by the well-known Greta Thunberg allows for a look into the fight for action when referring to the climate crisis. Thunberg is one that gained large attention when at just 15 years old began to speak up strongly about the way that we must look at the issue and take immediate action. This book contains the young girl's speeches and her ideologies when it comes to fighting climate change. Thunberg is a determined activist which is greatly shown throughout the writings. I also believe that this title speaks to great lengths. Thunberg has accomplished so much at a young age to fight for what she believes in. The title No one is too Small to Make a Difference allows her audience to take a look at themselves and the world around them, and realize the way that no matter the person, one has the power to make a difference in what they believe in. Overall this book allows for one to look at climate change from the viewpoint of one who will have to face the long-term effects of the issue, due to being in the generation she is in.

3. Watch one of these documentaries and write a 4 paragraph review: Include clips and visuals. (The Biggest Little Farm)

I wanted to review the documentary The Biggest Little Farm. This is one of the most astonishing and moving films I have seen in a long time. This movie follows a couple and their dog who buy a farm and continues to show the ups and downs of their journey. The story of This couple is not like any other story, it is a story of how our ecosystems must live in harmony in order for everything to run smoothly. The farm begins with nothing, just 200 acres of land with endless possibilities. As the movie continues, Molly and John start to work on ways to make their farm the best possible. This meant bringing in a mentor and expert Alan York who would work to help allow this farm to thrive in every way possible. As the viewer of this film, it keeps one on their seat as when you watch you want the couple to succeed in their ventures as they face each obstacle. Thousands of crops are planted and just as you think everything is going well there is another obstacle. I love watching this documentary because of the way that one becomes so invested in the outcome the farm will have. This movie follows this farm over the span of eight years and allows a look into all of the negative and positive aspects. Furthermore, there are many heartbreaks such as the death of animals due to predators, swarms of pests killing crops, and much more. These hardships only make it that exciting when one succeeds. Overall in this movie, you become attached to each animal, person, and the whole farm. It is a heartwarming story with sadness and happiness scattered throughout the film.

Sadly below is a link to the memorial for Emma the beloved pig that is truly a main character throughout the story.

The one that started it all Todd.

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eloisegirlinnovators · 2 years

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WEEK SIX--GIRL INNOVATORS Black Lives Matter

1. What are your thoughts about Darnella Frazier's role as a bystander who chose to document a crime and became a brave citizen journalist in the process? What would you do in a similar situation?

I think that Darnella Fraziers role is a tricky one when it comes to this situation. What frazier did was what any 17 year old would do, take a video but not physically step in. Me personally I would definitely be shocked in this situation and might freeze, so I give Frazier credit for acting fast and beginning to record. I understand the perspective of one thinking that she shouldve done more to deescalte and stop the situation, but the reality of it is that even if she had tried im unsure how much that wouldve changed the outcome. These police offices that killed George Floyd were not going to stop beating on him whether a girl tried to step in or not. I do think that Frazier deserves to be recognized for documenting this moment because there was an uprising in communities after seeing the brutal acts that were done to Floyd.

2. Have you participated in Black Lives Matter marches and protests? Please share your experiences and your photographs in your post and in the thread below.

Yes I have. I went to various Black Lives Matter protests throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area. While I did not take any pictures during the events as that was not my priority I had many amazing experiences during them. To see almost every face in my town come together with roads blocked off was an incredible experience. Although we still have so much progress to make, seeing large groups of people come together for a cause was a special moment for me.

3. Choose one of the following young women BLM leaders who began their activism as teenagers and write a one-paragraph bio about them. Post a one-line summary in the thread: Zee Thomas, Shayla Turner, Brianna Chandler, Tiana Day.

Tiana Day is a young activist who is well known for leading the first Black Lives Matter protest on the Golden Gate Bridge. With that being the first protest she ever led, there was an amazing number of people attending. Tiana Day is from the Bay Area and has now started organizations to permit change on various social justice issues. This inspiring young woman continues to protest and march in order to spread awareness and improve certain issues.

4. What is your assessment of Amy Sherald's portrait of Breonna Taylor and the ensuing exhibition held at the Speed Museum? Does it do her justice? (see video clip)

I think that Amy Sheralds's portrait of Breonna Taylor is very beautiful. I believe that Breonna Taylor deserved more justice. The portrait of Taylor is in a museum surrounded by other important pieces that speak loud volumes along with this portrait. I think that the placement of this portrait does her justice in a couple of ways. It is in a space with other pieces of work that portray various injustices communities and people have endured. There is a level of power that it holds being surrounded by other paintings fighting for social justice, and leaves a continuous reminder of what happened to Breonna Taylor and many others.

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eloisegirlinnovators · 2 years

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WEEK FIVE--GIRL INNOVATORS Period. End of Sentance

I enjoy the title of this organization. I think that the way that you read the title is very empowering. When it comes to periods, especially period poverty this title fits very very well. You can read this in various ways, one being a closing statement "Period. End of sentence", and the other being "period. End of the Sentence". I think when reading the second way it is almost as if one is speaking about ending the lack of menstrual necessities. I hear it as we need to end this sentence of period poverty as well as the lack of conversation surrounding menstruation. It is so important to stop the stigma of periods being gross or whatever one may say. Period poverty is real and a lot more present than people realize. This organization uses a great name that can be read in dual meanings, which is important when looking at this title.

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eloisegirlinnovators · 2 years

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WEEK FIVE--GIRL INNOVATORS I Am Malala

1. If you could describe this book in one word what would that be?

The word that I think best describes this book is remarkable. Malala is an inspirational character but I chose the word remarkable for various reasons. First of all the things that Malala endured at her age in order to fight for all women are remarkable. Another example would be the way that she writes. Her book is so well composed, and the fact that she went through getting shot in the head and still has so much determination to accomplish more and more is remarkable.

2. What does this book reveal about Islam, women, girls, and education?

This book allows for insight into what life is like within Islam for young girls and women. Malala was lucky to have her father who wanted her to learn and hoped that she would be allowed to do that. Most girls within Islam are not that lucky. The Taliban restricts many things when it comes to the freedom of girls. Education is something that women and girls must fight for and don't succeed in most often. Malala allows for insight into the struggles that women face within Islam.

3. What elements of chance are crucial to her story?

The main element I would think of when it comes to the chances of things in Malalas life would be her getting shot. Although this was an absolutely horrible thing that happened it began an uprising and gained lots of attention. I think that when it comes to change, the fact that Malala had such a little chance of living yet survived is a big factor. Not only did Malala survive the shooting when trying to stand up for her and other girls’ rights to education she was able to turn this event into an entire career. She was able to use the attention of what she experienced in order to make a difference for other girls seeking the right to education.

4. Unesco estimates over 160 million girls worldwide are not educated due to refugee status, war relocation, poverty, and gender preference. What would the world look like if all girls were educated? What do you think would change?

When looking at the various facts provided in the assignment there was a specific one that struck me. “If all girls went to school for 12 years, low- and middle-income countries could add $92 billion per year to their economies.” This fact was provided by "Education is the Best Investment to Grow World Economies" (Quartz, 2017) I found this concept very interesting and shocking. The way that lack of education not only affects the individual involved but affects greater things such as our economy, health, and many other aspects. If all girls and women were educated many levels of life would be affected. Again like I quoted before, economies would add significant amounts if all girls went to school, specifically speaking about developing countries.

5. What is your favorite quote from the book? Please explain why.

One quote that struck me specifically was, “If one man can destroy everything, why can’t one girl change it?” This quote is so powerful for a multitude of reasons. I want to mention the way that Malala has so many amazing quotes throughout the book. I think the reason I chose this quote is because of how simple yet deep it is. The idea is that if groups of men can rip away women's rights and education, why can't one girl fight to make the change and make things right? Malala is an extremely powerful individual who fought to great lengths for her rights, and that is simply awesome.

6. What positive global messages does this book provide, and why does it continue to be relevant?

A positive global message in this book is perseverance. Malala had the determination to continue her education and make a change for other girls and women. This continues to be relevant for many. Malala was not going to give up her education as quickly as the Taliban expected her to. She had the perseverance to fight back in order for her and other girls to continue to have access to education. What Malala accomplished with her actions will be acknowledged for a long time but it is still relevant as not every girl is able to speak up for her education.

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eloisegirlinnovators · 2 years

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WEEK FOUR--GIRL INNOVATORS Woman Monuments

What do you notice about the placement of this monument?

I enjoy this monument for various reasons, but I think that the placement is intriguing. I like the way that the women are sitting at a table together in a very powerful sense. It is a big focus in the park and when sitting down and looking at the monument many people stop to look at it and take pictures as it draws attention. The placement is positive due to the attention that it is given due to the location.

2. What story is being told by this sculpture? Who is represented and why do you think they were chosen?

The story told in this monument is about the power of women and the fight for women's rights. The three women represented in the statue are Sojourner Truth, Susan B Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The description found next to this statue describes the way that these women provoked a social change in order to achieve equality. All of these women helped encourage change within woman's rights, woman's suffrage, and abolishing slavery.

3. Research the artist behind the monument. Are they well-represented in international collections? Are they part of art history?

The artist that made this sculpture is Meredith Bergmann. Bergmann has done a lot of sculpture work over the past 40 years which she has been recognized for. On her website, she speaks about how her work is for social justice and history to be put into renowned art. Meredith Bergmann has done a lot of statue work to display historical figures or moments.

4. Do monuments matter? Why?

I believe that monuments can be very important but also at times detrimental. When it comes to the monuments that we are looking at it is an important topic. As I mentioned, monuments can certainly be negative like certain people who have done negative things. When it comes to looking at these monuments of women they are super beneficial. To see important woman who has made positive change get acknowledged is inspiring to all people and women.

Below are my pictures in Central Park at the Woman's Rights Pioneers Statue!

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eloisegirlinnovators · 2 years

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WEEK THREE--GIRL INNOVATORS Venus and Serena (King Richard)

1. Do you think the film was appropriately titled? If not, what title would you suggest?

I do understand the reasoning behind the title of this film I do not think that it was necessarily the right title choice. Although Venus and Serena’s father had much to do with their careers I think that making the title more focused on the people that had the talent that put them on the map. I do believe that it was an exciting choice to name the film King Richard to show a sense of the origin of the girl’s careers and the impact that their dad had on both of the girl’s careers. Richard was overbearing and I think that adds to the aspect of the movie being titled King Richard. He sought out people to scout them and spent countless hours practicing with the girls but having the title be something that is again more centered on Venus and Serena could be positive.

2. Comment on the sisterhood of Venus and Serena as depicted in the film. Does it give with their public personas as you perceived them over the years? How have they changed the notion of 'sisterhood' and competition in the sports landscape?

From the start of the film it is clear that Venus and Serena truly love and care about one another. Serena says stuff like Venus is her best friend etc. As the film progresses even when Venus goes to train with the coach Serena supports her but still has a sense of sadness. Another aspect that showed the girls connection to eachother was the way that they built up there careers together and encouraged eachother. The girls continued to eachothers biggest supporters and best friends. I think that because they allowed there bond to be so strong and not allow competetion to affect that the sisterhood aspect in sports changed. Whenever I heard the girls names during heights of their tennis careers I thought of them together as sisters which I think many others had the same reactions when seeing them on television or in other public events.

3. When did you first become aware of the Williams sisters? What was your reaction when they first arrived on the tennis circuit? How did it impact you personally?

I believe that I was relatively young when the Williams sisters came into the conversation. I do remember hearing adults around me or other older people talk about these tennis stars but I didn’t completely realize the extent of the impact that careers had on the public. I dont think that it impacted me personally initially but then seeing the sisters in action as I got older it truly gave me goosebumps to see what they both could accomplish on the court.

4. How did the Williams sisters disrupt global tennis? Why does it matter?

The williams sisters disrupted global tennis for a multitude of reasons. First off being the fact that they were both young black woman tennis players playing a sport that was predominantly white people playing. On top of being a minority within this game that was created for upper class white people these girls crushed every game they played. On top of that they made records in tennis matches etc. This mattered for many different reasons but most of all these girls allowed for others to see their determination and become inspired by that.

5. Would you consider Venus and Serena to be 'warrior girl icons'? Explain why, and provide examples from the film.

They both definitely should be considered “warrior girl icons” for so many different reasons. As younger children they would go to predominantly white tennis clubs encouraged by their father, which was not a common occurrence as these girls came from low income housing areas. Both of these sisters were able to accomplish so much while being young black girls in a white dominated sport. I also think that the scene where Venus walks out of her match and all of the kids and people are waiting for her and getting signatures is very significant. It shows how even though she lost the match she was inspiring so many people around her. Furthermore these girls practiced non stop and had so much determination to succeed which is truly amazing.

6. Do you think it significant that they were both named after goddesses? Discuss how they stepped into a reinvention of Greek and Roman mythology. Does the film address this adequately?

I think that this aspect is interesting especially considering that Serena later named her child Olympia. Venus is know to mean various things but one being victory. I think their father had such large life plans for these sisters that he wanted them to have a name or title to live up to, which ultimately they did.

6. How is their mother represented in the film? Is she given equal status to the father? Thoughts on this depiction?

The mother Brandy is not given equal status when compared to the father Richard. When venus went to train with the coach the mother took her time to train Serena, who ultimately became just as big of a star. Brandy most definitely deserves more credit as she was doing training with Serena when Richard was not even training either one of the daughters. I do think that Richard went to drastic measures in order to make the girls succeed, although their mother Brandy was also there for many of the girl's event making it strange to me why she is not shed light on as much. As I previously mentioned I think there is a reason they chose to shed more light on Richard rather than Brandy. I believe that the goal of the film was to show how much Richard pushed the girls and the way that he acted throughout their careers and the efforts he made which is why I believe that Richard was a more present character throughout the film.

8. What role has Serena played in raising awareness of maternal health issues specific to women of color?

Serena Williams has gone to great lengths in order to raise awareness among women of color about maternal health. She has recently come out with films in order to raise awareness and has also become apart of a 3 million dollar investment in a tech startup in order to shed light on this issue. “Black mothers die at a rate that’s 3.3 times greater than for white mothers. The CDC says a lack of access to health care, missed or delayed diagnoses, and failures by doctors or nurses contribute to those deaths.” From the article linked below, I found this quote that was quite shocking. I think that it is very admirable that Serena is spending her time and money on an issue like this. She was raised in her early years with not as many resources as a white woman would have and she could've experienced difficulties at her birth that could've been fatal if she didn't have the resources she does now.

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