hope springs internal

the queen of directors claims the throne

If you're interested in women in the media and you haven't yet heard the name "Kathryn Bigelow," you must be living underneath a rock. This woman is making history over the past few months -- and has been directing amazing films for much longer than that. Most recently, this weekend Kathryn Bigelow became the first female director to win the Directors Guild Saturday for her movie The Hurt Locker. Even more amazing is that Bigelow beat out her ex-husband, James Cameron, for the title (I know, I know, that shouldn't matter at all but it does kind of make me smile to know that she is thriving just as much as he is and not merely living off alimony payments or something like that...). 

After winning the award, Bigelow turned attention away from herself, instead focusing on what she felt was most important -- the film. Bigelow said, "Just to be in the room with all of you is an unimaginable honor. We all felt a deep responsibility to tell this story as honestly as possible, given the courage of our troops overseas. This is the most incredible moment of my life. And with that, I'll disappear." Of course, reading into this, I have to shake my head a little bit. Awesome as winning the award was and as much as she is making history with her amazing directing abilities, Bigelow, like so many women, is putting herself in the background, avoiding the spotlight, and turning the attention to others. Yes, it was important to make the film, but it's equally as important to accept the wonderfulness that is your success, Bigelow. Being awarded something like this is important, not only for her but for women as a whole, and it's not something Bigelow -- or any woman -- should shrink away from.

Now that I've stated my opinion on her statement, I do have to admit that I'm really excited to see a director like her amidst the great (and mostly male) directors of the past. She's been praised by directorial greats like Quentin Tarantino and Lee Daniels (who were both nominated in the same category) and quite rightly so. Tarantino referred to Bigelow as the "queen of directors," and I think he's right. She's made a place for herself in this world of male-dominated direction, and, even if she doesn't want to identify as a female trailblazer (and who wouldn't?!), she is one. She's opening doors and blazing trails and providing inspiration for women everywhere who want to direct and who now see that it's possible to be rewarded for doing the behind-the-scenes directing that makes films into the magic that they are when we see them on the silver screen.

Read more about Bigelow's win here:

Kathryn Bigelow Tops Directors With 'Hurt Locker'

Focus on Kathryn Bigelow's Gender

A Big Bold Crack in the Glass Ceiling: Kathryn Bigelow Wins DGA Prize

Wikipedia: Kathryn Bigelow

the great betty white: a lifetime of achievement

"Keep the other person's well being in mind
when you feel an attack of soul-purging truth coming on."

Advice from Betty White

On January 17, 1922 a star was born. Of course she didn't know it at the time, but baby Betty White was born to be a success and, now, 88 years later, she's still shining bright as ever. On Saturday night, I watched Betty receive the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award and, man, was I impressed by her career. Watching image after image of her go by highlighting her career as an actor and comedian, I grew more and more impressed. Over the years, Betty has acquired 6 -- yes, 6! -- Emmy Awards (with 18 nominations in the process) and has had -- and continues to have -- a very full and what appears to be fulfilling career.

Before Saturday night, I was aware of Betty White as an actor, but I had no idea what an amazing career she has had. The only thing that comes to my mind when it comes to Betty is The Golden Girls, and that's only a tiny piece of who she is as an entertainer. Betty has been on many, many, many TV shows -- too many to even mention here -- and happily took her place as a comedian in the male-dominated television scene back in the early 1950s. In fact, in 1954, Betty was even given her own show called (quite un-originally) The Betty White Show. After this, Betty went on to star in and co-produce a show called Life With Elizabeth. What is so awesome about this show is that it made Betty one of the very first women in television to have creative control both on and off screen. Betty set the stage for women who wanted to be both involved with the acting aspects as well as the behind-the-scene aspects of television (Tina Fey of 30 Rock certainly owes a big thank you to Betty!).

As I did a little more digging into the life of Betty White, I discovered that one of the main focuses of her career was game shows (I had no idea!). In fact, she was so well-known for hosting game shows that she became known as the "First Lady of Game Shows." Today it doesn't seem that many women are hosting game shows (off the top of my head I cannot think of any...), and I'm sure it was similar when Betty White was beginning her career. She apparently paved out a place for herself in the industry though and was even awarded with an Emmy for "Outstanding Game Show Host" in 1983. Considering how few female game show hosts there are even today, I consider this an awesome accomplishment not only for Betty but for women everywhere.

Learning more about Betty made me realize what a true star she is and what a stellar career she has led. As she gave her speech on Saturday night, she seemed genuinely happy (and even made some pretty funny jokes) with her career and her achievements. She mentioned during her acceptance speech that she'd also recently received an award for a lifetime of service to animals. As an animal lover, this instantly grabbed my attention. After doing a little research, I learned that Betty has been a pet enthusiast and animal health advocate for decades. She's been involved with the LA Zoo Commission, Morris Animal Foundation, and Actors and Others for Animals. Not only has Betty been a shining beacon of light for female actors and comedians who dream of a lifelong, successful career, but she's also a wonderful friend to animals, to those who do not have voices to speak for themselves. Betty White's career in and of itself is an inspiration, but her dedication to helping animals is truly moving and inspiring.

When I saw Betty White achieving her Lifetime Achievement Award (presented to her by her recent The Proposal co-star Sandra Bullock -- see image to the right) on Saturday, I thought to myself, "Wow, she really has had a lifetime of achievement. Not only has she had a fabulous career that she seems to truly and honestly enjoy, not only does she geniunely seem to be herself without holding back, but she's broken through many of the gender barriers in the world of television and she's dedicated her time and energy to helping animals." To me, that's what a TV star truly is -- someone who has gone above and beyond to create a career doing what she loves (and dedicated her time to help others in the process!). Watching her receive her award and make her funny little speech, I was inspired. Watching Betty made me realize that there really is such a thing as a lifetime of achievement.    

la roux: pop music with an androgynous twist

 

A few months ago I was introduced to the inspiring tune, "Bulletproof," by La Roux. (You can check out the awesomely '80s videoon YouTube). Lyrics like,

"I won't let you turn around,
and tell me now I'm much too proud,
to walk away from something when it's dead,
do do do your dirty words come out to play when you are hurt?,
there's certain things that should be left unsaid,
tick tick tick on the watch and life's too short for me to stop,
Oh baby, your time is running out..."

inspired me and the catchy music didn't hurt either. I thought the song was a good one, but didn't really think much of it until I read a recent article on Fbombabout La Roux. One thing that really grabbed my attention in the article was the mention of the meaning behind the band's title: "The band’s name originates from Jackson’s red hair; she has said,'To me, it means ‘red-haired one’ –- and it does, vaguely. It’s just a male version of ‘red-haired one’, which I think is even cooler, because I’m androgynous anyway. So it kind of makes sense.'" After reading this, I decided to do a little more digging and find out more about La Roux.

What is La Roux? La Roux is a two-person band made up of Elly Jackson (pictured above) and Ben Langmaid. This British pop duo has been making music together since late 2007 and have recently made quite a splash in the music industry. While of course I can't discredit Ben's musical talents, it's Elly that interests me most. In the Wikipedia post on La Roux, I discovered that twenty-two year old Elly "has been linked to a pop music trend that features androgynous twenty-something women with a strong individualistic attitude." When I read that, I thought to myself, "A-ha! That's what I like so much about her. I love the fact that she's such a stand-out individual."

Her look, her sound -- so much about Elly is unique. According to Wikipedia, Elly has claimed to be "unhappy with what she perceives as a 'normality' fashion trend among a majority of today's musical acts." From taking a look at Elly, it's clear that she doesn't want to adhere to traditional norms in terms of dress and style -- and apparently the general public is enjoying Elly's flair for the unusual. Women in London have begun picking up on her style and imitating it. So, not only are Elly's musical abilities being adopted by the public, but her stylistic choices are making an impact too. This isn't all that uncommon in the world of music, but it's pretty cool to see someone who is completely doing her own thing (tainted with her clear adoration of the 1980's) and who is accepted for it.

If you haven't already checked out the video for "Bulletproof," I'd highly recommend it. And if you're interested in learning more about La Roux and Elly Jackson, check out the list of links below.

Interview: Elly Jackson

Breaking: La Roux in Rolling Stone

Where the Wild Girls Are

 

book review: female brain gone insane

 

I was recently given a copy of the book Female Brain Gone Insane: An Emergency Guide for Women Who Feel Like They Are Falling Apart by Mia Laundin. I'll admit that when I first heard the title I thought to myself, "Female brain? Insane?" It didn't sound like it was going to be a positive thing. I know far too many women who jokingly refer to themselves as "crazy," and I wasn't sure if this was the kind of thing that should be reinforced with a book like this. However, once I started reading, my mind was instantly changed. The book exposed so many things -- especially the emotional state of women -- in a new light. As Laundin writes, "Many health care practitioners still fail to recognize the connection between women's hormones and their mental states." Most people have heard about hormones and people often blame actions and words on them, but, as Laundin uncovers in her book, the connection between hormones and one's mental state. 

Though there were parts of the book I'd never experienced personally, reading Laundin's work gave me a sense of what it would be like to have hope when battling some intense emotions. Hope is one of those things that's (obviously) very important to me and for those dealing with the negative connotations of words such as "hormonal," irrational," and "out of control." Anyone who has suffered from a hormonal imbalance has probably heard (or felt) these words, and Laudin's book expands the general understanding of what the female brain means and how to deal with emotions that at times feel insane. 

One of my favorite lines in Laudin's book -- "Having emotional issues is not a sign of personal weakness or lack of character" -- really made me see a sign of hope for those suffering from hormonal imbalances. It seems to me that this is an issue that is rarely discussed and usually covered up with descriptions like PMS and menopause. Rather than realizing that one's brain chemistry is out of balance and that hormonal imbalance is something that's out of one's control, many women blame themselves or rationalize their actions/reactions. Taking control of the situation, as Laudin suggests, provides a foundation for women who are living a life that seems irrationally dominated by their emotional states. 

In the book, Laudin goes on to explain not only what the imbalances mean but the options for dealing with them. One of the greatest features about the book is the worksheets and interactive sections that really help women find the best course of action for them. Everyone is unique and this book addresses that fact, providing a variety of solutions and options. The "Emotional Rescue Plan" as it's referred to in the book would be really helpful for any woman who feels as though her emotional state is out of her control. Another great feature of the book is personal examples. If one is suffering from the symptoms described in the book, reading about the stories of others would be very encouraging. It really does help to feel that one isn't alone when dealing with a situation like this. 

According to Laudin, her goal in writing this book was "to hold your hand and rescue you from the trenches of hopelessness and despair through these pages filled with information, inspiration, and support." Though I cannot say that I used all of the tools in the book personally, I found it to be a wonderful resource regarding women who are suffering from hormonal imbalances. With the interactive features, the many examples, and the underlying theme that there is hope, the book delivers a great deal of information and support to its readers. 

If you are interested in reading more about the book tour for Female Brain Gone Insane, click here. Some other links that may interest you are: 

Female Brain Gone Insane website  

Mia on Twitter  

Mia's Female Brain Gone Insane blog 

Female Brain Gone Insane on Amazon.com

bitch: a feminist response to pop culture

 

When I was in college, I somehow came across Bitch Magazine and was instantly enamored by its honest, open analyses of popular culture from a feminist perspective. According to Wikipedia, Bitch is "a nonprofit, independent, quarterly magazine published in Oregon that describes itself as a "Feminist response to pop culture." Articles offer a third-wave feminist perspective on current political events and social and cultural trends. The magazine also includes reviews of television shows,movies, books, and art  from a feminist perspective, and interviews with people from all walks of life. In contrast with conventional women's magazines such as Self, Vogue, or Marie Claire, Bitch explores gender issues in greater depth and from unconventional viewpoints." When I first read the magazine I was inspired. It was so refreshing to see a new perspective on popular culture. There were points when I was reading the magazine that my whole entire view of the world -- and the popular culture within it -- was shifted. Reading the articles and examining the topics Bitch chose to focus on led me to have a new understanding of what popular culture really means -- and how its interpretations of gender have a much great impact that many of us realize.

According to the Bitch Magazine website, the magazine's mission is to "provide a feminist critique and analysis of pop culture, to encourage discussion about how the media influences us, and to promote the connection between cultural critique and social-justice activism." What I love most about this mission is the encouragement of discussion. Reading Bitch makes me think. It makes me look at the popular culture around me and wonder, "What's really going on here?" It's very easy to fall into the complacent attitude that popular culture is silly and meaningless, but it actually has a very important impact on our society as a whole. Whether you like it or not, whether you participate in it or observe it or not, popular culture does impact you in a big way and I believe it's important to look at popular culture from many angles in order to really comprehend the effects of it.

Many people, of course, wonder why Bitch chose to use what is often a derogatory term for the title of its magazine. It sounds so negative and, for many, can be very off-putting. Here's what the magazine has to say about that: "When it’s being used as an insult, 'bitch' is an epithet hurled at women who speak their minds, who have opinions and don’t shy away from expressing them, and who don’t sit by and smile uncomfortably if they’re bothered or offended. If being an outspoken woman means being a bitch, we’ll take that as a compliment. We know that not everyone’s down with the term. Believe us, we’ve heard all about it. But we stand firm in our belief that if we choose to reappropriate the word, it loses its power to hurt us. And if we can get people thinking about what they’re saying when they use the word, that’s even better." Again, Bitch strives to make us think, to take what we already know and to think about it in a new way. For this reason, I think the magazine's title is incredibly fitting when coupled with the thought-provoking content found in its pages.

Whether or not you consider yourself a feminist, if you're interested in popular culture (and especially at looking at it from a different viewpoint), Bitch is a great magazine to check out. In addition to the magazine, Bitch also has a book, which I own and love. In 2006, Bitchcelebrated its 10th anniversary by publishing an anthology, BITCHfest: Ten Years of Cultural Criticism from the Pages of Bitch Magazine, which includes essays, rants, and raves from the magazine, along with new pieces written especially for the anthology. If you read and enjoy the magazine, the book is a great additional resource.

Want to learn more about Bitch? Check out their website, www.bitchmagazine.org, for more information on the magazine as well as some great blogs. The site is filled with tons of great information so you can get started learning about Bitch is all about before you even check out the magazine.

kick ass commercial: disney princess bike

                          

                              

This morning I came across this commercial featuring on Fbomb and, like the author of the post, I was very impressed with this revised idea of a princess doing the rescuing. While I don't watch all that many commercials targeted at young girls, I doubt that very many of them are as inspiring as this one. Enjoy! 

music that moves me: tegan and sara

More often than not I find myself flipping through my iPod searching for the perfect song and inevitably landing on a tune by Tegan and Sara. For the past few years I've found myself drawn again and again to their sounds, finding some sort of comfort and compatibility in their songs. I remember first hearing "Where Does the Good Go?"on a soundtrack to some television show and I was instantly hooked. For those of you who have heard them before, you know that their sound is infinitely unique. And that's what I love most about them. In a world of cookie cutter pop musicians, it has to be a difficult choice to decide you want to stand out. It has to be difficult to just be yourself and hope that others like what you're doing. But that's what these indie pop twins do -- they express themselves how they want to, in their own unique way, and have quickly found that people really do like what they're doing. Ever since they began their career as musicians, these twin sisters have been receiving praise and acclaim for what they do and I couldn't agree more with all of the positive feedback these two have been getting.

Tegan and Sara were born in (and still live in) Canada and have apparently always shared a love of music. When they were in high school, they used their school's recording studio to create their first demo albums. (How cool is that?) A mere three years later in 2000, they released their first official album, This Business of Art. On this album, and on the many additional albums that followed, Tegan and Sara share the roles of playing music and singing. According to Wikipedia, "While both twins are similarly involved in vocals and playing instruments, the singing of the lead melody usually goes to whichever twin wrote the particular song." Having a sister myself (and knowing how difficult it can be to share!), I find it very inspiring that Tegan and Sara can not only share the workload, but can also work together as a team to create some pretty awesome music and lyrics.

Tegan and Sara are clearly two very musically talented young women and I can't help but be impressed not only by their independent and innovative musical style, but their abilities to both play music and sing. Considering I can't do either one, I find the ability to do both pretty much astounding. What gets me the most about them, however, is their lyrics. They have this way of writing things down and describing emotions and events that really amazes me, mostly because it's so unique. For example, one of my favorite lines is: "I can't stop talking for fear of listening to unwelcome sound" ... oh, and this one: "When your love lets you go you only want love more. Even when love wasn't what you were looking for"... and this one: "When I was 8 I was sure I was growing nerves like steel in my palm. Make a map of what you see. Direct pain effectively." All of their words seem so meaningful and they have the ability to convey emotions in unique ways. Whether it's denial or pain or sadness, Tegan and Sara find ways to convey their thoughts without using stereotypical phrases and ideas. And, even when they do use some ideas that may seem commonplace, the way they phrase their ideas is always innovative and, for me, inspiring.

As you can see from the tidbits of lyrics above, Tegan and Sara know how to use words. They find ways to use them in certain patterns, using certain elements of their voices, that really appeal to me. Just clicking through some of their lyrics online, I came across two of my favorites: "My body moves like curtains waving in and out of wind, in and out of windows. I can't untangle, I can't untangle, What I feel and what would matter most," and "I felt you in my legs before I even met you. And when I laid beside you for the first time, I told you I feel you in my heart, and I don't even know you." I particularly like the second one. It's amazingly beautiful how they were able to capture that feeling of knowing someone before you really even know him or her. It's just one example of how Tegan and Sara have taken an emotional state and created words and music that express it in a way that is filled with vibrant meaning.

While I cannot accurately describe in words how their songs make me feel, I can suggest that you check them out and listen for yourself. Their latest album is brilliant and I cannot even begin to put into words how excited I am to see them in concert in February. Their unique sound and creative manipulative of words makes me feel and isn't that what music is all about? Should we all be listening to songs that make us feel something, that move us in some inexplicable way? That's how I feel when I listen to Tegan and Sara. I feel moved. I feel different than I did before I listened. If I were a musician, that's what I would want: I would want people to listen to my words and to be changed in some way. Tegan and Sara do that for. They have the power to transform my mood and my state of mind with their music. When they write their songs and when the sing their lyrics, they're doing just exactly what every awesome musician should -- they're moving people with their music.

For more on these musically talented twins, check out Tegan and Sara's webite, Tegan and Sara's MySpace page, or follow them on Twitter @theteganandsara.

almost there: disney's latest princess shows progress

  
 
"Ain't gonna stop now
'cause I'm almost there..."

Tiana
"Almost There"
 

On my recent travels to NYC, I was fortunate enough to see the premiere of Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, the latest animated film in Disney’s Princess Collection. Having written a 300+ page thesis about Disney’s princesses (even referencing the highly anticipated 2009 debut of the first African American princess), I was both nervous and excited to see the most recent addition to the collection. On one hand, I was anticipating the traditional princess-finds-prince-happily-ever-after fairy tale Disney is known for. On the other hand, I had hope that this one -- which was a spin on the old fairy tale The Frog Prince -- would bring about changes in the traditional princess narrative. And, lucky for me (and for the young girls everywhere watching the film), I was pleasantly surprised.

The film focuses on the life of Tiana, a girl who is not technically a princess but who manages to live up to some pretty royal standards. She is, above all else, hard working and this is a quality that I was really pleased to see in Disney’s latest princess film. Unlike many of the princess figures that came before her (which include: Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Belle, Jasmine, Ariel, Pocahontas, and Mulan), Tiana has a goal and she works incredibly hard to go after it. Tiana is not waiting for a prince to save her. Tiana, while she does love to wish on stars, isn’t waiting around for some wish to be granted. For example, at one point in the song "When We're Human," Tiana sings,  

"Your modesty becomes you
and your sense of responsibility
I worked hard for everything I got
and that's the way it's supposed to be

When I'm a human being
at least I'll act like one
if you do your best
each and every day
good things are sure to come your way

What you give is what you get!
My daddy said that
and now I'll never forget..."

As you can see from these lyrics (which contrast sharply with Prince Naveen's that include party-boy lyrics like "When I'm myself again/I want just the life I had/A great big party every night/that doesn't sound too bad/A redhead on my left arm/a brunette on my right/a blonde or two to hold a candle/that sounds just about right..." Yeah. I don't even know what to say about that, Disney.) Anyway, back to Tiana: She is constantly working hard to achieve her goals, something we saw more of  with the most recent princesses Pocahontas and Mulan, but something we see a lot less of in the earlier (and more popular) princess films. Even Ariel in Disney’s The Little Mermaid, who works hard to achieve the goal of becoming human, has a goal that is quite directly tied to the idea of marriage and winning the love of Prince Eric. But little Ariel, who was considered to possess some feminist characteristics prevalent in the 1980s, can't hold a candle to the fiercely determined Tiana. The latest Disney princess works hard to achieve her own personal goal –- a goal that doesn't ultimately relate to falling safely into the arms of a man.

While, as you can imagine, romance is a focus in the film, it’s not the focus and, in fact, doesn’t really come into play until late in scripted narrative. What is the focus is Tiana and her hard working dedication to making her dream come true. (One small downside: The dream Tiana works towards is actually her father’s dream. Again, Disney struggles to make the female character completely independent from men in their personal desires.)  For the first time since I’d seen Mulan, I was actually inspired by a Disney princess as I watched Tiana develop as a character. Sitting in the theater filled with squirming, princess-accessorized little girls, I was actually moved by how strong and how sure Tiana was throughout the film.

Tiana was filled with desire to make her dream come true -- a dream that veered from the traditional marriage-and-babies dream of many of the princesses (which was -- finally! -- mocked in the film through the actions of another character) -- and Tiana never gave up. It was her determination through all of her struggles (and she did have some struggles!) that filled me with hope for future generations of princess-loving little girls. With Tiana as a new role model, I began to have hope that little girls would be able to see that the life of a beautiful young woman didn’t have to center around love and marriage (though, of course, Disney couldn’t leave those elements out of the film). It became clear that the roles of female characters in animated pictures truly are changing and that girls will be able to look to characters like Tiana (and others, such as EVE in WALL-E) for inspiration and motivation.

Not only was Tiana determined to achieve her dream -- an element of the film that took precedence, for once, over romance -- but she was also amazingly composed in the face of danger and hardship. Tiana was flat-out brave, a wonderful characteristic for a princess. And, amidst all of her bravery and courage, Tiana was also kind, caring, and giving. Tiana put herself and her dreams first, but she also cared about the well-being of others. She was, in my opinion, an embodiment of so many good characteristics that create a person of good character. She was not passive or weak. She was not flighty or giggly. She was not cruel and insensitive. She was, instead, kind and generous and strong and courageous -- a mix of characteristics that are rare to see in a female in a Disney film.

Most Disney princess films that have come before The Princess and the Frog depict female characters as either passive and beautiful and in need of saving (the princesses) or as cruel and driven and willing to stop at nothing to get what they feel they deserve (the stepmothers and witches). The character of Tiana was a wonderful mix of strength and kindness, which provides a great foundation from which young girls can build upon. Tiana illustrates how a woman can be strong without losing some of the wonderful traits of being a woman. Often in film the strong women are given masculine characteristics, implying that women cannot be both feminine and possess strength. However, Tiana was an exception to this horrible rule. She was strong, confident, and dedicated to her dreams, but she was also kind and sweet and compassionate. (Not that men cannot be those things -- but in the stereotypes in films, these tend to be traits that are depicted in women.)

While I was very impressed with the character of Tiana (and who wouldn’t be after all of the other films I’ve seen!), I have to admit that the portrayal of the male character left something to be desired. The lead male character, Prince Naveen, was arrogant and loud, a show-off who’s main goal in life was having fun (preferably with a beautiful trail of women following him everywhere he went). Naveen embodied many of the negative (and stereotypical) characteristics that one would associate with a spoiled prince. He was cocky and self-obsessed, expecting others to cater to him and having little idea of how to do anything for himself. Though, in true Disney fashion, he does eventually come around to realizing what’s important in life, it would have been nice to have seen some of the complexities of his character earlier in the film. As with many characters in Disney’s princess films, Naveen was oversimplified and he was quickly categorized as a fun-loving playboy who’s main goal in life was finding a way to do what he wanted to do when he wanted to do it. Perhaps Disney focused so much on creating a dynamic, strong female character that they didn’t have the time (or energy) to make Naveen as interesting or complex.

Though I could go on and on about the various levels of the film --  and even some of the things about Tiana that were less than appealing to a feminist like me --  overall, I was pretty impressed with Disney revised take on The Frog Prince. Perhaps Disney somehow stumbled across my thesis and, after reading it, realized that a princess needed more in her life than a dream for a prince and hope for marriage. Disney’s take on Tiana --  and even on the topic of love --  was actually inspiring, an adjective I’d be hesitant to use with most of the other princess films. But I cannot deny that leaving the theater, my heart felt hopeful, and I honestly can say that if Disney continues to produce more princesses like Tiana I won’t have a problem with young girls wanting to grow up to be a princess. 

I don't think Disney is quite making the kind of feminist female princesses that I hope to see in their films someday, but I do think they've come a long way since the last princess film and I'll give them credit for being almost there. And speaking of "almost there," check out the lyrics from one of my favorite songs in the film...

"Mama... I don't have time for dancing...
That's just gonna have to wait a while
Ain't got time for messing around
And it's not my style
This whole town can slow you down
People taking the easy way
But I know exactly where I'm going
And getting closer, closer, every day

And I'm almost there, I'm almost there
People down here think I'm crazy, but I don't care
Tribes and tribulations have had my share
There ain't nothing gonna stop me now cause I'm almost there

I remember Daddy told me, "Fairy tales can come true.
You gotta make 'em happen, it all depends on you."
So I work real hard each and every day
Now things for sure are going my way
Just doing what I do
Look out boys I'm coming through

And I'm almost there, I'm almost there
People gonna come here from everywhere
And I'm almost there, I'm almost there

There's been tribes and tribulations
You know I've had my share
But I've climbed the mountain, I've crossed the river
And I'm almost there, I'm almost there
I'm almost there!"

Almost there, Disney... almost there...

After writing this post, I was introduced to this video from Newsy, a site that analyzes news coverage from multiple sources to help viewers better understand complex issues. It's a great source to look at when you want to see a variety of opinions on the film. Check out the video, by clicking here.  

as cool as i am, dar williams is cooler

I was in college when I first discovered the musical talent of Dar Williams. (It wasn't until today, however, that I realized that she, just like the last woman I featured on Hope Springs Internal, shares the same birthday with my mom!) I remember right away being taken with her voice and her lyrics. She was creative, she was inspiring, and it felt like she was speaking directly to me. One of the first songs I heard of hers was "As Cool As I Am" and I have to say that it's still one of my all-time favorite songs. Before I dive into discussing how awesome Williams is, check out the lyrics to "As Cool As I Am":

Yea, there was a time I didn't like the love; I liked the climbers
I was no sister then; I was running out of time and one liners
And I was afraid, like you are when you're too young to know the time

And so I watched the way you take your fear and hoard the horizon
You point; you have a word for every woman you can lay your eyes on
Like you own them just because you bought the time
And you turn to me, you say you hope I'm not threatened

Oh, I'm not that petty, as cool as I am, I thought you'd know this already
I will not be afraid of women, I will not be afraid of women

So now we're at a club... you watch the woman dancing; she is drunk
She is smiling and she's falling in a slow, descending funk,
And the whole bar is loud and proud and everybody's trying, yeah
You play the artist, saying, "Is it how she moves, or how she looks?"
I say, "It's loneliness suspended to our own like grappling hooks."
And as long as shes got noise, shes fine
But I could teach her how I learned
To dance when the music's ended

Oh, and that's not petty, as cool as I am, I thought you'd know this already
I will not be afraid of women, I will not be afraid of women 

You tried to make me doubt, to make me guess,
Tried to make me feel like a little less
Oh, I liked you when your soul was bared
I thought you knew how to be scared
And now its amazing what you did to make me stay
But truth is just like time
It catches up and it just keeps going

And so I'm leaving; you can find out how much better things can get
And if it helps, Id say I feel a little worse than I did when we met
So when you find someone else, you can try again, it might work next time
You look out of the kitchen window and you shake your head and say low,
"If I could believe that stuff, Id say that woman has a halo,"
And I look out and say, "Yeah, she's really blond,"
And then I go outside to join the others... I am the others

Oh, and that's not easy, I don't know what you saw
I want somebody who sees me
I will not be afraid of women, I will not be afraid of women.

When I first heard her words (and that amazingly unique way of singing that is all her own), I was moved. I could relate. You see, like so many women, there'd always been a back-and-forth of love and hate when it came to other women. Of course I loved them in that they were my best friends, my closest companions, and some of the people I loved most in the world. But there was also the underlying current of jealousy and competition, something I'd always known so much about from having a younger sister close in age. When I heard this song, I realized just how afraid I was of other women sometimes. I was scared of their cattiness, of their jealousy, of their knowledge, and of their power. I was scared of older women for knowing more, for being more, and I was scared of those younger than me because they knew less, they knew how to be so much more free.

Hearing Williams words sent my head and heart spinning and I realized that I needed to find a way to stop being afraid of women. I needed to find a way to get past the competition and the pettiness and move towards a greater bond with woman-kind. Williams' song helped me to do that, to see that there is more good than bad when it comes to female relationships. I realized that I could have positive, important relationships in my life with other women who would bring me up, who would celebrate me for who I was, and who wouldn't see life as a giant competition between us. It took me awhile to get to this point (and, in the process, I sometimes shut men out more than I should have), but I have a greater understanding of what it means to be a sister, a daughter, a friend than I did before. Williams' song was the catalyst for all of that.

But enough about me! Let's get back to the artist, to Dar Williamsand her amazing talent. Williams was born in 1967 (April 19th!) in New York. Raised by what she described as "liberal and loving" parents, Williams was encouraged to explore her songwriting talents. While Williams was talented in that area, she first took interest in theater and studied that before releasing her first album in 1993. She's been very successful since then, putting out 10 albums since '93. In addition to being a wonderfully talented musician, Williams also supports a variety of causes. She is the founder of the Snowden Environmental Trustand has taken in many benefit concerts. She performed in a show at Alcatraz to benefit the prisoner-rights group Bread and Roses. In addition to writing song, touring, and supporting various causes, Williams is also a published author. After traveling a great deal, Williams co-authored a book called The Tofu Tollbooth, which is a directory of natural food stores.

Clearly, Williams is a very busy, very productive woman who has used to her talents not only to create beautiful music in the world but also to support those in need. Now I'd like to leave you will my second favorite Dar Williams song, "What Do You Hear In These Sounds?" which pretty much sums up how I feel about therapy, an activity that, over the past year has changed my life tremendously. Williams does an excellent job singing about a topic that few people even like to talk about. Check out the lyrics below and if you want to listen to the song, head over to YouTube and check out this link.

I don't go to therapy to find out if I'm a freak
I go and I find the one and only answer every week
And it's just me and all the memories to follow
Down any course that fits within a fifty-minute hour
And we fathom all the mysteries, explicit and inherent
When I hit a rut, she says to try the other parent
And she's so kind, I think she wants to tell me something,
But she knows that its much better if I get it for myself...
And she says, what do you hear in these sounds?
What do you hear in these sounds?

I say I hear a doubt, with the voice of true believing
And the promises to stay, and the footsteps that are leaving
And she says "Oh"
I say "What?"
She says "Exactly."
I say, "What? You think I'm angry? Does that mean you think I'm angry?"
She says "Look, you come here every week with jigsaw pieces of your past.
It's all on little sound bytes and voices out of photographs
And that's all yours, that's the guide, that's the map
So tell me, where does the arrow point to? Who invented roses?"
What do you hear in these sounds?
What do you hear in these sounds?

And when I talk about therapy, I know what people think
That it only makes you selfish and in love with your shrink
But, oh, how I loved everybody else
When I finally got to talk so much about myself.

And I wake up and I ask myself what state I'm in
And I say well I'm lucky, cause I am like East Berlin
I had this wall and what I knew of the free world
Was that I could see their fireworks
And I could hear their radio
And I thought that if we met, I would only start confessing
And they'd know that I was scared
They'd would know that I was guessing
But the wall came down and there they stood before me
With their stumbling and their mumbling
And their calling out just like me...and...
What do you hear in these sounds?
What do you hear in these sounds?

Check out more on Dar Williams by stopping by her Wikipedia page or visiting her website.

ashley judd isn't afraid of the F word

 

"Feminism means that you support social, political, and economic equality for women.
Maybe if it were described in those terms more often, more people would say they're feminists."

Ashley Judd

Not only does Ashley Judd share the same birthday as my mom (awesome!), but she's a pretty all around awesome and inspiring woman. I've always enjoyed her films, but I just discovered recently what an empowered and inspired person she is. First and foremost, Judd is a feminist. As I discussed in my last post, this isn't always an easy thing for celebrities (or women anywhere!) to own up to. Maybe people are scared of the word, traumatized by all of the years it has been used as a negative instead of a positive. A few years ago when Judd was asked whether or not she was a feminist, she replied with,"First of all, I think it's important to define 'feminism.' Feminism means that you support social, political, and economic equality for women. Maybe if it were described in those terms more often, more people would say they're feminists. There are still people who say they're not feminists because they don't wear Birkenstocks or let hair grow under their arms! Yes, I'm a feminist."

When I read that passage, I thought to myself, "YES!" That's exactly it. So many people are scared of the word "feminist" because they don't know what it really means. If someone had asked me ten years ago if I were a feminist, I'm not sure what I would have said. I have to admit that I probably would have said I wasn't one (an admission that makes my heart sink!), but, luckily, I was exposed to feminism in college, just like Judd. When asked in a Marie Claire article about when she began to get into feminism, Judd replied, "In college. I took a women's-studies class, and it changed my life, opened everything up for me. College taught me to trust that I had a certain innate intellect, with which I could do a lot."

My experience was similar to Judd's. When I was in college, I took a women's studies class and discovered that it was something that really resonated with me. After that first class, I took more and more classes in the women's studies department and when I graduated I was only a few credits shy of having a minor in the subject. Post-college I went on to study gender and I'm so glad that I did. Though I can't say I'm doing something specifically related to that now in my career, having studied gender impacts me on a daily basis. It's a topic I'm very interested in and passionate it about and it seems that it holds a special place in Judd's heart as well.

As a feminist, Judd has gone above and beyond to use her influence as a Hollywood star for good. According to feministing.com, "Judd testified at a Congressional hearing on the urgency to address gender equality in the battle against HIV/AIDS in developing nations. While the hearing was primarily directed towards developing a vaccine, Judd said: 'Having an AIDS vaccine would be of great benefit to women of all ages because it could reduce their chances of becoming infected...As there is not a vaccine to prevent abuse of women, however, there is nothing more important in the struggle against this disease than reversing destructive social norms that endanger women across Africa and in other developing countries.'" How amazing is that?! Judd clearly cares a great deal about women, and not simply the women surrounding her. Judd's generous spirit and her dedication to helping women extends far beyond Hollywood. Her reach is global.

According to Wikipedia, "Judd is active in humanitarian and political causes. She was appointed Global Ambassador for YouthAIDS, an education and prevention program of the international NGO Population Services International (PSI), promoting AIDS prevention and treatment, and speaks and demonstrates at pro-choice events. Judd was honored November 10 as the recipient of the fourth annual USA TODAY Hollywood Hero. Award for her work with PSI." Judd appears to be very interested in helping others, something that I find so amazing when I see it in women that are basking in the glow of being a celebrity. For celebrities, it would be so easy to get wrapped up in your own life and worry only about the material and tangible things you can have, so it's always so inspiring when I read about celebrities like Judd who truly go out of their way to make the lives of other people better. Judd is really striving to make a difference in the world and her efforts are paying off.

If I didn't like Judd enough after reading all of this, I also read that Judd appeared in a one-minute video advertisement for the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, in which Judd condemned Sarah Palin for supporting aerial wolf hunting. When I read this, I thought... "Wow! This woman is my hero!" Not only does Judd support women and donate her time to helping others, but she is also an animal lover too. Reading this made me so happy because, as an animal lover myself, it's so great to read about a person of Judd's celebrity status speaking out for those who cannot speak.

When I think back to films I've seen Judd in, it really surprises me to think how little I knew about her. Though I thought she was a great actress, I didn't realize until now just how inspiring she is. Judd is the kind of actress that young actresses everywhere should look up to. Not only does she do her job well, but she uses her fame to support the causes that mean the most to her. And, more importantly, she's not afraid to admit to what she believes in. Judd is a feminist. Judd is pro-choice. Judd is an animal lover. Judd is awesome.

For more information on Ashley Judd's awesomeness, visit the following links:

Marie Claire Article

I Heart Ashley

Wikipedia: Ashley Judd

USA Today's Hollywood Hero

Judd Against Wolf Killing

Ms. Magazine