Talking Movies

As March bids us farewell, I just have to speak of some movies with very compelling narratives starring women as the lead characters.

1. Joy – For weeks last year after it’s official release in America, this film sat on my laptop, but I'm glad I decided to watch it around the period where we celebrated the international women's day last year because this film spoke to me in different ways. It's the tale of a woman's rise in the world of entrepreneurship. The risks she took, the sacrifices she was willing to make, the discouragement from people and life as well as the disappointment from trusting those she loved. Seeing her sit idle, watching the discussions around her, made the character feel so real/down to earth because it was unlike the image of business savvy women that the world paints as the criteria to succeed in business. It showed the process of learning on the job while being determined to see your creation come to life. Released in 2015 and deemed as comedy Drama (genre), I found little to laugh about because of the nature of the subject matter. Despite being inspired by the actual story of Joy Mangano’s rise to success, there were deviations from the real story such as the fact that she didn't give up her education and she met her husband at the University (Pace University) where she studied Business. Her degree, however, didn't translate into immediate success for her as she still had to work low-end jobs as depicted in the film till she invented the mop. If you are a woman looking to go into entrepreneurship, you’ll enjoy this movie.

2. Room - Usually I judge a film by the first 5 minutes, and as I began this film, I was bored and wondered what the movie had to show that it extended to a full 113minutes (i.e. 1hr 53mins) but for some weird reason, I kept on watching. By 20minutes into the film, I had judged the characters as a prostitute with a child depending on a pimp for survival. An hour into the movie, I was in tears. I was so wrong about this film. This 2015 drama genre was suspenseful and harrowing as it touched on the subject matter of abduction - live in captivity and life afterwards. The trauma was so real that I could hardly believe it was a screen adaptation of a novel bearing the same name as the film, written by Emma Donoghue. It told the tale of a mother's love, how a child could save a mother from herself emotionally by giving her the will to live, it showcased the innocence of a child in the most traumatic situation. When I decide to watch it, I had no idea what the ratings or critics reviews of the movie were. It was kind of interesting to find out that though it didn't do so well in box office upon its release, the number of Award nominations for the film boosted its gross earnings. Made on a $13million budget, it went from a little above $5million after its release in October 2015 showing in 198 theatres to over $14 million in North America and $35million worldwide by April 2016. It ended up winning multiple awards and earning the reputation among critics as one of the best films released in 2015.

3.Hidden Figures - I have some friends who are committed to watching latest movies on a weekly basis, and when they saw this biopic released in December 2016, that was all they could talk about for weeks. When I finally got my hands on this movie, I could understand why. Hidden Figures tell the tale of three African American women who worked at NASA at a time where racial equality was a big deal for the black race. They fought for opportunities using their intelligence/skill and caused a change in their circumstances through unconventional means. Though the movie is a departure from the book (which was a non-fiction piece with the same name), the sensationalised parts brought with it a heightened effect of the triumph of these women. For instance, Katherine Goble/Johnson in real life didn't take 40mins break off work to use the ladies room daily. Neither did Mary Jackson go to a night white only class to earn her engineering degree, she simply asked the city of Hampton, Virginia for an exemption and was granted even though the school ran two parallel systems. Mary Jackson did finish her course, earning her engineering degree and got promoted. Also, Katherine didn't get a one-time opportunity to be part of the editorial meetings because that one meeting was most important, she had to persevere before she got into that circle of planners. These differences do not take away from the film in the least. It is still a powerful movie which I'd advise anyone to watch.

4. Queen of Katwe - A real testament to the strength of a mother's love and the power of holding on to virtue. I know my focus should have been on the journey of the 11year old Ugandan chess champ, Phiona, but I couldn't take my eyes off her mother, Harriet, whose character was played by Lupita Nyong'o. Life dealt her a hard blow, she went from being loved and protected to being widowed and struggling to survive, but she didn't let that dampen her spirit. She did all she could to ensure her children were educated and given the best possible chance in life if they chose the path laid out for them. Yes, she had a black sheep of a daughter, but all just goes to show that our champ's life could have easily swung the other way had she not determined to make something meaningful of her life despite her family background. I could feel the rising discontent Phiona must have felt when she experienced better living conditions. It ate at her for a while, but she turned that pain into a zeal to excel. This film stood out because although it had the typical Disney happy ending, it showed a side of life not usually identified with by Disney and that is a star#'s rise from abject poverty in Africa.

All ordinary women, who were moved to do the impossible according to the dictates of the standard of life familiar to them. These films go to show that nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it, you'll find that hard work and determination do pay off and being a woman should not be seen as a limitation. Make use of what you have, strive to be the best version of yourself, and you'll be a reference point to the world someday.

Happy International Day of Happiness!

March 20th was declared the International Day of Happiness by United Nations General Assembly on June 28, 2012, to recognise the pursuit of happiness by humanity. Great religious leaders and philosophers have all postulated the ways in which one can achieve equilibrium in contentment and the drive to be happy.

So how do we celebrate happiness today?

1. Give free hugs all day.

2. Volunteer to provide services like washing dishes for a restaurant or waiting on people who take their order.

3. Pay for someone else's meal.

4. Organise or attend an interactive seminar that is geared towards improving your well-being and that of others like improving how you meditate, sing, smile, etc.

5. Spread joy to others by spreading messages of laughter

6. Make a personal pledge to help make society happier for all.

In the end, it's not a day of self-centredness but an opportunity to give back. I know today is almost over but now you know, you can prepare better for next year's celebration. For now, let Pharrell William's 'Happy' be your anthem as you dance around/play and be happy today.

Celebrating Women

Last week the world celebrated International Women’s Day but how much of women’s rights and accomplishments were truly celebrated? On facebook, a lot of my contacts were putting up pictures of their mothers to celebrate them for their impact in their lives. Err… wrong! That you can do on Mothers’ Day. March 8th was specifically set apart by United Nations in 1975 to celebrate the achievements of women globally and find solutions to the challenges facing women. Challenges such as gender-based discrimination in the workplace, violence against women, poor access to education for the girl child and all round issues of inequality.

Gender inequality is so important because it affects everyone; not just the home but society at large. United Nation’s Development Project (UNDP) did a report and estimated a total of $95 billion US Dollars is lost every year since 2010 by sub-Saharan Africa due to issues of gender inequality. The fight to reduce gender inequality can lead to a productive growth in society as well as a more economically viable society for us all. This is especially good news for Nigeria who is currently struggling to get out of recession and build a united nation for its people. We have to be deliberate about women's participation in politics and also in economic arenas; rather than creating an office for women’s affairs where all they talk about is how to throw parties to gain recognition and who does whose make-up for the occasion.

Just last week, in the famous Big Brother Nigerian Reality show, a housemate was evicted for initiating sexual intimacy with a female housemate who was drunk and fast asleep. His eviction raised an outcry. Some said it was just part of the game or fun in the house, others saw it as a predatory behaviour that could have lead to rape on national TV. The issue of how important it is to have a woman’s consent during sex became the topic of discussion for that period and that was a good thing for the women movement. Do you know in the case of HIV infection women are twice more likely to get infected than men due to physiological and social reasons? The truth is the average African has no idea what women’s rights are or what is considered acceptable conduct towards women.

photo credit: chevanon photography

If you doubt me, ask yourself, how many workplaces have exemptions for female employees? When businesses are formed, how many owners take into consideration that female workers may have to rest a lot more when they are pregnant or pick up their kids from school? How many incorporate a creche in their facility to help protect the woman’s interest while she is slaying on the job till work hours are over. Let's leave work and talk about the home. Our very own dear President Muhammadu Buhari made a comment that was top of all the news reports because it raised the issue of African men’s perception of women, “she belongs to my kitchen… and the other room”. I know he was trying to be funny but it was a really bad joke if you ask me. In Nigeria, women are still seen as simply homemakers and nothing more, expected to be silent when men speak and stand in the shadows when they rise. When they try to speak up they are met with verbal/physical abuse.

One of the reasons people were sceptical about voting for KOWA’s presidential candidate in the 2015 presidential elections was because she was a woman. “What does she know?” they cooed, “she should start from the bottom and work her way up”. Yet they saw nothing wrong with electing a man who couldn’t produce an accurate proof of his educational background. Another heartbreaking scenario in the fight against gender inequality is when other women take down fellow women. An example was the reaction of women to Toke Makinwa’s book, On Becoming. So many attacks on social media from ladies who felt she should not have said a word about the issues she faced in her marriage in public. If we continue down this path, we may not be redeemable in the next 169 years as speculated by World Economic Forum as the time where gender inequality issues would cease to exist.

So how do we promote women’s rights?

In September 2015, leaders from 193 countries came together and decided to set global goals to help put an end to climate change, poverty and gender inequality. Some of those goals included ensuring women with leadership abilities are given a fair chance in governance (politics and economics) and public life; eliminating different forms of domestic violence and discrimination against females and promoting the concept of shared responsibility within families. For instance, no more should a woman cross her leg and wait for the man to bring in all the 'bacon' when he clearly has been dealt a bad blow of unemployment for a long period of time. Woman, get off your butt and get a job. You both can't be sitting at home because you think it is the man’s responsibility to bring in the 'big green'. Cast your fears aside, use your education, skill, passion and whatever it is you have and go out there to hustle and fend for your family. It doesn't matter who the 'breadwinner' is as long as there is bread for all to eat.

There are four major ways anyone an act to empower women’s rights. You can choose to challenge bias and inequality wherever it raises its ugly head; speak out against violence to women, support women’s advancement in any field and or celebrate women’s achievements. How exactly can you do these? Well, if you want to challenge inequality, you can start by pointing out whenever women are excluded or whenever you sense a bias and proffer alternative solutions to the problem. Don’t just point a problem and think you’ve done enough, offer a solution. You can also challenge stereotyping, let people know it's not okay to generalise women or put them in a preconceived box. Some people advocate for boycotting male only speaking panel but just like Chris rock did when he hosted the Academy awards in 2015 during the heat of #BlackLivesMatter saga, I recommend you show up and address the issue if need be, just remember to have a solution to the problem before you speak.

photo credit: Pixabay

As for speaking out against violence, the first step is to report it or get involved. Don’t just turn a blind eye. I know it’s easier said than done but if you truly believe in women’s rights, you won't keep quiet when a fellow woman is being abused. You can organise group training or one-on-one sessions to teach youths about how to avoid negative relationships by helping them learn how to identify positive relationships. You can campaign for violence prevention or work with an NGO dedicated to that cause either by volunteering your services or financially empowering them to continue the good work they have begun. Last but not least is the need to abstain from all forms of violence. Live the life that you are preaching about.

You can also help the cause of empowering women by supporting women-owned businesses. These days, the government has made it possible for financial institutions to have loans and special grants for women. As a woman, key into that opportunity to get funds to build your business. If you already have a business, hire female employees (on merit, of course, not because they are women), create opportunities for them within your business. If you are the only woman on a committee and you know other women who are just as qualified to be in that committee or you know women who have ideas that would benefit the committee, speak up about them and help bring them in. Don’t be afraid to recommend a fellow sister for a job she is capable of handling.

You can decide, I want to mentor someone and pick a young lady with potential. Show her all the ropes and help her find where she belongs in life. If mentoring one person is too demanding, you can organize one-off group trainings to teach women a specific skill that could be a game changer economically for her and her family like beadmaking, soap making, bread making, how to make zobo, how to sell online, how to write proposals and apply for loans to execute a business idea she has, etc. If you are in a working environment with no consideration for women, bring that up during staff meetings. Ask questions, pose scenarios, offer useful advice that can be acted on if your observation is to be deliberated on by management.

The easiest way to key into this movement and fast-track the elimination of gender inequality is to celebrate women. Recently, an online news agency, Ynaija, celebrated Nigeria’s 100 influential women. I wasn’t on it but it does give women like me something to aspire towards. When you raise visibility for other women who are making a difference, you are making yourself a spokesperson in the media for the cause. You can choose to be behind the scenes and fight for fairer terms for recognising women’s contribution like Today’s Woman Magazine or Genevive Magazine who take stories of ordinary women’s struggles/achievements and put them on a platform for all to see. When you tell the journey of a woman, her challenges and how she overcame or when you hail the success of women leaders in different spheres of life, you are empowering women.

So the next time international women’s day comes around, you know what to celebrate and how you can actually celebrate it.