We need to be vigilant about how unconscious tokenism affects the perception of black women in popular media and beyond.
Author: Aviva Dove-Viebahn
Aviva Dove-Viebahn is an associate professor of film and media studies at Arizona State University and a contributing editor for Ms.' Scholar Writing Program.
Where the Dancing Dreams of Children With Disabilities Come True
The most powerful words in director Catherine Tambini’s new documentary, Dance with Me, are deceptively simple, spoken by a 15-year-old girl. “My life is not the same as my [best friend’s],” Veronica explains, “but it’s perfectly normal for me.” Ambitious and articulate, Veronica also happens to be living with cerebral palsy, a condition that affects her balance, muscle control […]
Meet the Sex-Trafficking Survivor Who’s Battling Prostitution
Toward the end of award-winning director Kim Longinotto’s new documentary, Dreamcatcher, the film’s subject, Brenda Myers-Powell, stands onstage in front of a room full of mostly women. Confident, passionate and determined, Brenda speaks to the gathered conference attendees and encourages them to keep an open mind. She’s brought a guest, Homer, a former pimp and sex trafficker, […]
A Q&A With Transparent Creator Jill Soloway
The following is a reprint from the Spring 2015 issue of Ms. Click here to get your copy! Jill Soloway’s series Transparent is changing the face of contemporary television in more ways than one. Previously known for her writing on HBO’s Six Feet Under and for writing and directing the film Afternoon Delight, Soloway introduces an unmatched variety […]
Pockets of Resistance
This March, for Women’s History Month, the Ms. Blog is profiling Wonder Women who have made history—and those who are making history right now. Join us each day as we bring you the stories of iconic and soon-to-be-famous feminist change-makers. This article originally appeared in the Fall 2014 issue of Ms. Click here to get a copy! As children we […]
It’s A Bird! It’s A Plane! It’s A Feminist Superhero!
You may not know it yet, but there’s a new hero in town—specifically, in Gloria City, the Gotham-esque setting of the innovative online comic book My So-Called Secret Identity which just published its first issue last week. Rife with violence and bursting to the seams with a cadre of grandstanding superheroes, Gloria City is also […]
The Future of Feminism is Now!
After 30 days, the time has come for the final “Future of Feminism” post. As I think is fairly obvious from the variety of topics this month, there’s no way to quickly sum up the future of feminism. Feminism is a many-splendored thing, embracing, supporting and advocating for people in America and across the globe.
Future of Feminism: Say No to Human Trafficking
Two things separate trafficking from sex work. One, trafficking isn’t always about sex; the majority of cases are about labor. Two, all people trafficked for the purposes of sex or labor are either coerced or recruited with false promises.
But there are so many gendered dimensions to labor trafficking — its victims are often subject to sexual harassment and sexual assault. Moreover, many trafficked women have escaped some form of gendered violence or discrimination in their country of origin, so they can end up trapped between a rock and hard place when faced with the threat of deportation–which can deter them from going to authorities for help.
Future of Feminism: Girls and Women, Don’t Be Camera-Shy!
When a Los Angeles Times article published just before the Oscars last month revealed the makeup of the Oscar voting pool–94 percent Caucasian and 77 percent male!–many of us wondered what we could do to change such an entrenched institution. In fact, across the board, the representation of women and people of color in film, television, news and media formats is nowhere near where it should be.
But there’s hope. Several organizations have made it their mission to help increase the ranks of women in the entertainment/media industries.