#guiltyfeminist

So it’s time for my annual ‘please don’t go and see this film’ post again. This time: Breathe. Now I,  hopefully understandably, I have less against this ‘inspired by true events’ historical drama, than I had against You Before Me. However, yet again the world of mainstream cinema has made a film about an able-bodied (straight, white, posh, rich) man who suffers from an ‘unfortunate turn of events’, ending up in a wheelchair. Yet again, the film focuses on the female partner’s stoic adoration in the face of their man's adversity. And yet again, this film was directed, produced, and stars an entirely able-bodied cast, including producer Mark Johnson who also made Rain Man… I also bet anything that Andrew Garfield will be up for an Oscar in 2018 cause this film is, you know, THE MOST EMOTIONAL FILM YOU WILL SEE THIS YEAR.

This film might be fine. It most probably is fine, full of decent performances and nice camera work. Like I said, I hate the sound of it less than some of the other offerings that touched on disability in the last few years (yes, I’m looking at you, Everything Everything, oh, and Kingsman, STOP ablewashing). But then again... Garfield spoke on Kermode and Mayo’s film review this week about ‘inhabiting’ a paralysed man and how ‘hard’ it was for 7 weeks; it’s ANOTHER film which raises the ‘dilemma’ of the able bodied partner (should I stay or should I go now); and, at this point, the word ‘inspirational’ might as well just become its own entity and walk down the red carpet in a sparkly dress. It is another film which snatches at the more picturesque, ‘inspirational’ sides of disability and parades them clinically up and down in order for abled bodied people to say 1) wowwww, brave, and 2) thank fuck it isn’t me.

There are other stories around disability which need to be told. There are other stories about disability BEING TOLD, and yet are being ignored in the mainstream in favour of another weepy which explores the experience of basically no disabled person ever. So, instead of the longer rant I had planned, I wanted to share a few ‘disabled things’ I do endorse at the moment. If you want a film, give Emilio Insolera some money and watch Sign Gene, a film about deaf superheroes, made by and starring ACTUAL deaf people  (indeed, help Sign Gene get at UK release): https://www.signgene.com/en. For something less...arty...watch the amazing My Feral Heart or Zig Zag Love. Theatre - get your ass to Stratford and see Joy, a play starring actors with learning difficulties - http://www.stratfordeast.com/whats-on/all-shows/joy . Then donate to them so they can get this play shown more widely across the UK. Listen to the fabulous Guilty Feminist podcast (which you should all be doing anyway), which often includes disabled content, but especially the Being an Inspiration episode.  And, closer to home, my old pal Mary has an excellent youtube channel, and here is her recent video on representation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlTJvtFCTXE&t=247s .

We Are All Guilty Feminists, Too!

I’ve always believed in the great power of the written word. Its why from the moment I opened my first Sweet Valley Twins book I’ve dreamed of becoming a writer. The written word, when shared, can have the power to change perspectives and from there, change lives.

I read a wonderful book recently called The Guilty Feminist by Deborah Frances-White, and I’ve been wracking my head all week…