Lose the Fear.

Ruth/Rachel: This is not for grading about a SIFF film

"A life lived in fear is a life half lived"- Anonymous

and that doesn't just go for the guys.

This side entry does not deal much with the media, but I wanted to post about it as an ally to African-Americans and lower class people, as well as some big connections I see between myths about these oppressed groups and violence against women. This is me speaking out on something that I do not feel is right.

Today on a social networking website I received a mass warning from a friend to watch out for a man who had been attacking women in the Seattle area. The only information included in the warning about the man was that he was Black and that women should 'be careful'. Some responses to this warning included one woman saying that she had a 'creepy' black homeless man near her work and that she would be cautious around them today. Though I appreciate a warning of an attacker on the loose, I find some serious problems with the way this information was communicated. Seeing this simple warning unfold today really made me see a lot of connections between the myths surrounding gender violence and stereotypes about race, class, and gender.

Though Seattle has a small African-American population 8.4%, it is the highest of west coast cities other than Los Angeles. Among this population exists friends, family, colleagues, respected professors, leaders, community members, and advocates working against gender violence. So why is being Black used as the sole descriptor of this attacker? As a woman, should I go to class tomorrow and be suspicious of my Black male professor who is an ally for gender equality? Should I assume I need to protect myself from my classmates who are African-American men? No. The reality is that there are unfortunately many, many, many white men who attack women. Life is not a D.W. Griffith movie! Black men are not ravaging animalistic rapists on the search for their next (white) female victim! Realistically solely telling the information that the attacker is a black male with no age or other identifying characteristics leaves us a huge amount of people that one is supposed to suspect as a possible attacker and is not helpful much at all except for re-instilling myths about attacks on (white) women being carried out by black men.

Another piece that is brought up is myths about class. Often people in the lowest class or those who are sometimes seen as out of the class system, the homeless are regarded as dirty, mentally unstable and criminal. The myth that homeless strangers and vagrants are most likely on the search to commit alley way rapes and assaults on women is not very representative of most assaults. In reality, 7/10 female sexual assault victims know their attackers (Dobrovolny). The reality that most attackers are not homeless strangers brings up the rape myths that are put in place to scare women.

Rape is one of the worst crimes but is often taught to us in myths that are not true. Women are taught to be afraid of going away from the home in order to avoid rape and sexual assault. Truthfully 3/4 of all violent attacks occur within 5 miles of the home (Dobrovolny). So staying in the home and being Suzie Homemaker is not the ticket to safety from violence. Women are also told that if they do leave home they definitely need to 'be careful'. What does that even mean? Make eye contact/don't make eye contact? Be obvious/don't be obvious? Carry a weapon/don't carry a weapon? Most attackers are not strangers and these puzzling solutions may even make the situation worse.

Some strategies for preventing sexual assault that are more effective then these common ones are to:

• Clearly express boundaries
• Watch out for controlling behaviors, signs of violence and disrespect
• Educate yourself on rape myths
• Trust your inner voice
• Know who you are hanging out with
• Don't pass out in private

It is important that women do not restrict themselves from public mobility because they fear assault. They are limiting themselves and placing their fear in the wrong place. It is important to dispel the myths about race, class, and gender especially when it comes to situations of violence. If we break down the myths, we can redirect our energy into educating people on truly effective strategies to preventing violence and can bridge gaps to communities that are too often given the role of scapegoat in violent crimes (among other things.)

Assault Statistics from:

"Road Worrier" by Michell Dobrovlny

Sexual Assault Prevention Strategies from:

Rachel David's "Gender, Violence, and Social Change" course

BE A MAN!

The first outside screening required for this course was to watch a favorite childhood film. I chose to view Mulan because when I was young Mulan was someone I viewed as a role model. Unlike many other female characters in Disney films she was not motivated by a romantic relationship and did not use her attractiveness as her only means of power. She was active, intelligent, creative, strong, brave and was more often the rescuer than the rescued. She was the kind of woman I wanted to be, but she was impersonating a man.

In the beginning of the film, the feminine standards held by the film's characters is seen and heard as Mulan is beautified and prepares to be interviewed with a matchmaker. "Honor to Us All", the song playing during this scene summarizes explicitly what is expected of Mulan:

"Men want girls with good taste, calm, obedient, who work fast-paced. With good breeding and a tiny waist, you'll bring honor to us all." (Zippel, 1998)

As Mulan is unable to bring honor to her family by achieving the feminine ideal, she decides to cut her hair, steal her father's armor and horse and impersonate a male soldier to fight for China against the Huns in the place of her disabled father.

In training camp Mulan learns how to "be a man", as the soldier's theme repeats the phrase dozens of times. The soldiers are then taught by the General Shang to be strong, forceful, swift and mysterious and that these qualities are representative of their masculinity.

As the soldier's come into their masculinity, the masculinity of the character Chi Fu is a joke among them. Chi Fu is not a soldier, is adorned in furs and more lavish clothing, moves with a sway, and is laughed at when he says he has a girlfriend. Chi Fu's character could be seen as be portraying a gay man who is seen by his peers as not masculine. In the end of the film Chi Fu continues to be looked down upon by his peers, is used as a scapegoat for not accepting Mulan's impersonation and is demoted by the Emperor.

Mulan ends up saving the lives of her fellow soldiers & General and outwitting a mass army of Huns, but after being wounded in battle her sex is discovered. She is not killed, but dismissed. Later, she ends up getting her three soldier friends to cross-dress as to distract Hun soldiers as concubines. Even this film shows female sexuality as a weapon. She ends fighting the leader of the Huns, Shan-Yu, and defeats him with her quick-thinking.

Mulan ends with her receiving praise and gratitude from her fellow soldiers, the Emperor, the crowd, and her family. Shang comes to Mulan's home to stay for dinner, but aside from that the ending is left fairly open. It is possible to imagine Mulan pursuing more adventures, maybe with Shang, maybe not. I enjoy this film on a pure entertainment level but also that their is a strong active female as the protagonist, but it is unfortunate that she is the only strong active female, and that she had to be a man to be strong and active.

Though the ending of the film was fairly open, the merchandising outside of the film seems to show a clearer ending. Though Mulan is portrayed through the majority of the film with short hair, no makeup, and in armor or gender neutral clothing, the overwhelming majority of her merchandise is a glamorized, princess-ized image. I could not find a single doll that features her in armor and only one had a hair-cutting "fashion feature". It seems that through merchandising the manufacturers may very well be trying to place Mulan back into her correct gender role. Teaching girls that though Mulan was a soldier, in the end she will go back to fulfilling the path of femininity that was set for her in the beginning. She's had her fun, but it is time for her to put her dress back on.