After about 4 months off from
writing my blog over the summer I know there are much more pressing things
happening in current affairs right now including the extremely gendered refugee
crisis and violence in the Gaza region. Whilst
I will address these affairs at lengths over the coming weeks I thought I would
revive my blog with something a little lighter to begin with: a review of the
Suffragette film which has recently premiered in UK cinemas.
With the theme and star-studded cast
it was almost inevitable that Suffragette was going to be good but it out did
any of my preconceptions. I was worried that the makers would over-dramatise
the plot in order to make it more exciting (what could be more exciting than
women acting in harmony for political change) but I was pleasantly surprised by
the subtle and often bleak nuances of the story. The parallel plots of the boss
of the workhouse who is a rapist adds the grit needed to fully understand how
silenced women were at this time. The characters could have had more depth but
the overall empowering message about familial sacrifice and determination
shines through.
Film, along with other media
outlets, has always been representative of popular cultural narratives at any
given time. Therefore it is fantastic to see themes of working motherhood and
sexual liberation being explored on screen as well as several centre stage
women actors shining. Suffragette reminds us how this has become possible. It
is an empowering and inspiring memoir of the incredible women who began what is
now a multifaceted often chaotic and difficult movement. It reminds us that
whilst the integration of other equality projects has been invaluable to the
feminist movement we must sometimes remember our roots: rights for women. Whilst
we may have the privilege to consider intersectionality it is a stark remind of
why ‘old-school’ feminists such as Beatrix Campbell and Germaine Greer remain
sceptical of these causes being integrated into the feminist movement. The history
of women’s suffrage milestones rolled out before the credits is a sobering
reminder that even countries like Switzerland did not allow women to vote until
1971 whilst Saudi Arabian women remain unable to partake in elections. The most
important thing to take away is that this really happened, only a century ago.
A women threw herself under the kings horse and it took that sacrifice for
women to finally be given the vote. How far we have come yet how far we have to
go.
