#Represent Newsletter (05.13.20)

How do we make sexism visible?

In the film I Am Not An Easy Man, directed by Eléonore Pourriat, sexism is made visible by flipping gender roles & stereotypes. The protagonist wakes up in a world where women have more power, as employers, lovers, and leaders. As viewers, we’re faced with the blatant absurdity and injustice of the occasionally funny, but mostly awful and uncomfortable situations that he encounters — situations that are common and normalized for women across the world right now. In order to demonstrate what has to change, the film "flips the script" to introduce men to the ridiculous realities that women often deal with.

The media that we consume plays an outsized role in shaping cultural gender stereotypes, so it stands to reason that those who create media also have an enormous responsibility to do so thoughtfully, carefully, and intelligently. Film, music, books, journalism, art - these are all tools for representing who we are, as individuals and as a society.

Next Monday, May 18, we'll have a chance to dig deeper into the role of media in shaping and changing gender stereotypes. Along with our excellent friends at Next Gen Men, we're hosting a screening of I Am Not An Easy Man, followed by an all-star panel for a discussion featuring:

• Eleonore Pourriat (Director, I Am Not An Easy Man)

• Funa Maduka (Producer, I Am Not An Easy Man)

• Michelle King (Director of Inclusion, Netflix)

When it comes to the societal evolution of deeply-problematic yet firmly-entrenched gender stereotypes, sexist beliefs, and sexist behaviors, media is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal to make these problems visible ensure that we successfully change how we #Represent ourselves, now and in the future. Let's start by supporting activist media creators with our attention, engaging in meaningful conversation, and committing to real actions that allow us all to fully #represent who we are.