The older I get and the more grounded in - or perhaps slapped by - real life I become, the less I care what's going on in Hollywood. My husband had The Golden Globes on Sunday night and I caught approximately four minutes of the show while I wandered through the living room.
The four minutes happened to include the acceptance speech given by Jessica Chastain, in a low-cut blue dress, who won for best actress in a drama. During her speech, Chastain applauded director Kathryn Bigelow, to whom she compared her character, calling them "two powerful, fearless women that allow their expert work to stand before them" while referring to Bigelow allowing Chastain's character to "disobey the conventions of Hollywood."
I love seeing strong female characters in films and I do think Kathryn Bigelow has done good things for women in that industry, and perhaps in general. Something has to drive progress and popular culture certainly plays a role. But these award shows don't celebrate real women, or those who work to advance our interests. It's fine for a character in a movie to go against the norm in Hollywood, but when the actress who portrays her accepts an award wearing a low-cut dress, thus bowing to Hollywood convention, I put a little less stock in her ability to influence the perception of women or their roles in society.
With two small children, I don't get out to see a movie as often as I'd like. But don't get me wrong - I think movies are a great escape. A couple hours in a dark theatre with a Coke and some popcorn does a mother good. I just don't understand why the professions associated with making movies are the ones we spend so much time celebrating at this time of year.
Why not celebrate the woman who traded her full-time career to start a non-profit to help women with postpartum mood disorders?
Shouldn't we stand and applaud the woman involved in a project to reach out to people who have a gay dad, as she does, so they have better support than the children's board book she was given as a resource when her dad came out when she was 15?
Give me a red carpet and a microphone and I'd rather talk to the woman who bares her soul every day through her work to build an online group for moms that attempts to normalize motherhood by providing a loving, judgment-free space where hundreds of mothers from around the world can (and do) come to support each other.
I don't mean to throw Jessica Chastain under the proverbial bus. I do applaud her success and her fulfillment of a dream, especially one born of long years and hard work. But does starring as a "powerful, fearless woman" in a movie really make a difference in the world?
I am blessed to know women who set sail to their dreams and simply hope they make it ashore so they can help those they find there.
There's no red carpet or star-studded audience for these women. No golden statue and no blue dress. There are only small thank yous - the kind not broadcast on television - and the determination to help again tomorrow.
Follow Robin Farr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/FarewellStrangr
Besides that, the news and the world in general revolves heavily around the entertainment industry. It is not just women doing real work who are being ignored. How often do we really hear about the breaking new science news? Do we have a televised show of the Nobel Prize awards show? So although I do not disagree with the overall message of the article that entertainment industry is overly sensationalized and there are many other things that deserve more recognition... I don't think a low cut dress is the 'real' issue here.
I only actually noticed her dress because she was talking about Hollywood conventions, and that dress - because of its style and not just because it was revealing - seemed so very conventional Hollywood. Not to say that makes her a horrible person or one worthy of criticism, but I thought it was a bit ironic.
Great post, Robin!
Maybe one day Jessica Chastain will portray Erin Margolin and memorialize the story of The Gay Dad Project. Maybe one day postpartum depression will be given the discussion it needs and a well-written script will tell the story of Yael Saar or Katherine Stone. Like you said “something has to drive progress and popular culture certainly plays a role.” I don’t think that anyone would argue with the importance of storytelling in the human culture and so yes, starring as a “powerful, fearless women” in a film can make a difference in our world.
I certainly don't mean to criticize those who have chosen a Hollywood career. And my question about whether their work makes a difference was not, in fact, rhetorical. I do wonder what influence they have. Does it push us where we want to be? Does it raise significant awareness about certain issues? I think so. Probably. But I'm not sure how much.
I just wish there were a middle ground when it comes to giving out golden statues.