Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Alternative Media



 
            The media industry holds enormous power over individuals and society.  According to Kilbourne’s “Beauty and the Beast of Advertising,” the media, especially advertising, sell values and concepts of success, worth, love, sexuality, popularity, and normalcy.  However, these values and concepts aren’t a pure reflection of the world we live in.  Rather, the media offers a “reimagined, reinvented version of the real.”[1]  This is due to the fact that the majority of individuals in power and authority are heterosexual males.  Therefore, mainstream media frequently uses the perspective of the “male gaze”, which portrays definitions of beauty and importance determined by the male spectator.[2]  By using the perspective of heterosexual males, women are typically sexualized and women and minorities are frequently marginalized.  This can be seen by the use of scantily clad models and by the use of women and minorities as “backdrop” in film.[3]  Although this perspective is the most pervasive, it does not accurately depict reality.  In actuality, women and minorities have the potential to change society and the world we live in.  This can be seen in the documentary film, Pray the Devil Back to Hell.  In this film, the gender role of women became more prominent.  Similarly, the message posed by and for women was that of strength in the face of adversity.  It is important and necessary to have alternative media such as this film because it shows the strength of women and minorities typically unseen in mainstream media.  This alternative perspective also allows people to view their capabilities in a positive light and nurture a sense of empowerment.
            The alternative media film, Pray the Devil Back to Hell documents how the civil war in Liberia came to an end.  The group largely responsible for bringing about the end of the war is the women of Liberia.  Sick and tired of the constant terror, hunger, rape, and murder, Leymah Gbowee gathered the women of the Christian churches together to protest the war and violence.  Not only were the Christian women interested in putting an end to war but so were the Muslim women.  With the help of Asatu Kenneth and many others, Leymah was able to organize a mass action campaign composing of hundreds of Christian and Muslim women to protest the war.  After months of protesting at strategic locations, the women’s protest group gained increased awareness, however, that wasn’t enough.  Violence escalade with rebels and government enforcers alike attacking the people and committing horrendous atrocities.  The women protest group then decided to present a position statement to the government of Liberia, demanding them to see reason and go to the peace talks with the warring factions.  Hundreds of people rallied at parliament and refused to leave until they’ve heard from President Taylor.  No longer able to ignore the protestors, President Taylor agreed to meet with the women.  Seeing that popular support was on the women’s side, President Taylor agreed to their demands and went to the peace talks with the warring factions.  After weeks of peace talks, they were reaching the end of the road with no real progress towards a peace agreement.  Angered, the women decided to take action.  The women stood outside the doors and windows, not allowing anyone to come out until a peace agreement was signed.  The mood of the peace talks then became more sober and serious.  Two weeks later the terms of the peace agreement were announced and signed.  Afterwards, a transitional government was held in place until the people can democratically elect a new President.  Understanding that peace is a process, the women of Liberia continue to build peace by promoting nonviolence and accepting combatants back into the community.
            Throughout the film, we see a clear distinction between the gender roles of men and women in Liberia.  Nearly all of the positions of authority were held by men.  Men were also the perpetrators of war and violence in Liberia.  The role of women in Liberia was typically that of childbearing and child caring.  However, with the women’s initiative to bring about the end of the war, the gender role of women has changed significantly.  Women were seen as strong, capable, nonviolent, and moral.  Therefore, men and women alike voted for Ellen Sirleaf as President of Liberia, making her the first democratically elected female head of state in Africa.  More women were also assigned positions of authority in Liberia.  Peace building and community rebuilding efforts were also led by women.  With such strength and morality displayed by women, it is likely that more women will continue to play a prominent role in Liberia.       
            With the success of women bringing about the end of the war and building peace in Liberia, the message posed by and for women is that of strength in the face of adversity.  Despite previously not holding any position of power or authority, “one way or another, you have power as a women.”[4]  The women of Liberia demonstrated this message by rallying together to protest the war and influencing the men to take stronger action against the war.  One of the ways the women influenced the men is by denying men sex and saying “if you have any power to put a stop to the war, you go and do it.”[5]  And for those men that say they weren’t involved with the war or the events leading up to the war, the women would say “then pick up from here.”[6]  Although seemingly insignificant, the women used all the power and influence they possessed.  As a result the women had accomplished what the men had failed to do, which is to end the war.  The main message the women have conveyed is that with the courage to speak up and not back down, women and minorities can triumph against those with great power and make an extraordinary difference in society such as ending a war.
            With such a powerful message and display of strength, courage, and perseverance, it is important and necessary that there are alternative media such as this film.  This display of strength and courage helps nurture a sense of empowerment and a belief in one’s capability to make a difference in the world despite incredible odds.  Alternative media such as Pray the Devil Back to Hell gives people something else to turn to rather than the mainstream media’s perspective of women and minorities, which fosters insecurities and promotes destructive habits.  It is important that there are alternative media to challenge the mainstream media’s perspective because otherwise reality will soon absolutely reflect the mainstream’s version of reality.  This can be seen by Abigail Disney and Gini Reticker having a hard time finding footage of the incredible events by the women of Liberia.  Why was it difficult?  “Because these women did not look or sound or seem like they mattered.  For reasons of gender, class, education, and convention… Therefore, they were being dismissed."[7]  Even journalist and photographers who were there said, "Yes, I saw the women.  They just were so pathetic looking, there was no point in shooting them."[8]  Therefore, it is necessary to have alternative media that emphasizes the importance of women and minorities.  This allows people to dispel the false perspective that women and minorities have no power and can’t make a difference.  With media’s “capacity to create new awareness, and to transform culture right before our very eyes,”[9] it is important that alternative media is available. For alternative media have the potential to change our culture and help foster a positive sense of empowerment in men, women, and minorities alike.



Works Cited

Disney, Abigail, and Leymah Gbowee.  Interview with Lynn Sherr.  Bill Moyers The JOURNAL. PBS, 2009. 
<http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/06192009/watch.html>

Hooks, Bell.  “Making Movie Magic.”  Reel to Real: Race, Sex, and Class at the Movies.  New York: Routledge, 1996.  1-9.

Kilbourne, Jean.  Beauty and the Beast of Advertising.” Media&Values.  California: Center for Media and Values, 1989.

Mulvey, Laura.  “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema.”  Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings.  Eds. Leo Braudy and Marshal Cohen.  New York: Oxford UP, 1999.  833-844.

Pray the Devil Back to Hell.  Dir. Gini Reticker.  Prod. Abigail Disney.  Balcony Releasing, 2008.  Film. 
<http://video.pbs.org/video/2155873888/>






[1] Hooks, Bell.  “Making Movie Magic.” 
[2] Mulvey, Laura.  “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema.” 
[3] Hooks, Bell.  “Making Movie Magic.” 
[4] Pray the Devil Back to Hell.  Dir. Gini Reticker.  Prod. Abigail Disney.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Disney, Abigail, and Leymah Gbowee.  Interview with Lynn Sherr.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Hooks, Bell.  “Making Movie Magic.” 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.