Inside the pages of this magazine you will find a celebration of women in all of their roles. Even in 2015, women are largely underrepresented and held to different standards including, but certainly not limited to: a lack of women over 40 in starring roles in film, one-dimensional female characters, and the increased scrutiny on the personal lives of any woman in the public eye. The magazine covers multiple aspects of entertainment, with articles focusing on television, film, games, music, writing and creating. If you’re interested in the work of women behind the scenes you can read the continuation of our Directors in Focus series, looking at the work and career of Mia Hansen-Løve, and the start of a new series of Authors in Focus, looking at the celebrated authors Malorie Blackman and Alice Munro, as well as an exploration of producer and creator Shonda Rhimes. This issue also features our favourite female collaborations in music, and outstanding women in bands. Our Industry in Focus section takes a more critical look at the entertainment industry, and includes articles examining the lack of female superheroes on screen, and an examination of how the inclusion of the female elf Tauriel in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit was a failure for female representation. The Inspiring Women section features a broad range of women, from Angelina Jolie to Oprah Winfrey, and from Roberta Williams to Beyoncé. I’d like to say a special thank you to The Edge committee and all of the writers who have contributed to this special issue, both in the physical pages of the magazine, and in the online articles. I was overwhelmed by the passion and interest of everyone who has been involved, and it was incredibly difficult deciding what articles would go into this magazine, thanks to the excitement and great ideas of all of the writers involved. I know that this has been a very special passion project for me and the rest of The Edge team, and I hope it is the start of a yearly celebration of groups underrepresented in the entertainment industry. I hope you enjoy everything on the pages that follow, and our celebration of women in their multiple roles in the entertainment world. Rebecca James Editor
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Editor Rebecca James editor@theedgesusu.co.uk Deputy Editor Caitlin Hobbs deputy-editor@theedgesusu.co.uk records Editor Hannah Mylrea records@theedgesusu.co.uk Features Editor Siân Blewitt features@theedgesusu.co.uk film Editor Virginie Robe film@theedgesusu.co.uk C u lt u r e e d i t o r Natalie Fordham culture@theedgesusu.co.uk live Editor Annabelle Asker live@theedgesusu.co.uk news Editor Lewis Taplin news@theedgesusu.co.uk head of design Joe Buckingham design@theedgesusu.co.uk Head of external relations Jenny Simpson relations@theedgesusu.co.uk Head of publicity Henna Patel publicity@theedgesusu.co.uk Head of events Alex Meehan events@theedgesusu.co.uk online manager Emily Mitchell manager@theedgesusu.co.uk editor in chief Megan Downing vpdci@susu.org
Contents editorial
01 Welcome to the Women in Entertainment Issue
features
03 Director in Focus: Mia Hansen-Løve 04 Authors in Focus: Malorie Blackman 04 Authors in Focus: Alice Munro 05 Female Action Heroes 06 Shonda Rhimes: The Trailblazer 07 Funny Girls 08 Great Women in Great Bands 09 Best Female Collaborations in Pop Music 13 Unapologetic Uniqueness: A Lesson from RuPaul
industry in focus
11 Female Superheroes: What is the Problem with Hollywood? 14 The Hobbit’s Problem with Women 15 Girls are the New Black 17 Women Can Play Male Roles Too 18 What Do Video Games Teach Us About Women?
inspiring women 19 Lady Gaga 20 Ellen Page 20 Roberta Williams 21 Kerry Washington 21 Angelina Jolie 22 Oprah Winfrey 22 Beyoncé Knowles
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DIRECTOR IN FOCUS:
MIA HANSEN-LØVE James Slaymaker has all the facts about the French film director.
M
ia Hansen-Løve is simultaneously a minimalist and a maximalist: she creates huge, highly detailed worlds only to lavish attention onto minute details and interactions; her films tend to span years, even decades, but are structured around huge absences. Hansen-Løve largely constructs entire narratives out of the stuff that most filmmakers consider ‘filler’, thereby creating a slippery, impressionistic sensation of the passing of time that’s based on an odd combination of drift and momentum - her characters are entangled in a constant piling up of seemingly insignificant moments, failing to register the gradual changes that are occurring around them until they’ve accumulated into huge transformations.
Although propelled by the sweeping cultural transitions that occur within particular subcultures over a long period, Hansen-Løve is mainly interested in the elements that remain static or constant. Her protagonists are usually characterized by a single, all-consuming passion (for a career, an object, another person), but rather than portray this passion as grand and noble, she paints it as essentially unhealthy; this devotion, on some level, functions as a way to self-justify their own aloofness and evade their other, more substantial problems. To add to this list of contradictions that make up Hansen-Løve’s cinema, she sets subdued performances and intuitive camerawork (favouring calligraphic tracking shots and long takes that continuously reframe action) against painterly compositions stuffed with reflective and diffused light, often making exteriors resemble impromptu Manet paintings.
MIA’S FAVOURITES:
1. Cinematographer Pascal Auffray 2. Multinational casts 3. Film maudits - she’s spoken enthusiastically about her love of the widely maligned masterpieces Showgirls, Eyes Wide Shut and Heaven’s Gate.
DID YOU KNOW?
Hansen-Løve briefly worked as a critic for the influential film magazine Cahiers du cinéma. She got her start in the industry as an actress during her teens, with small roles in Late August, Early September and Sentimental Destinies. Hansen-Løve is married to filmmaker Olivier Assayas, director of Summer Hours, Demonlover and Carlos, among others.
THE FILM YOU SHOULD WATCH:
Eden, Hansen-Løve’s chronicle of the rise and fall of French house music.
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FEATURES
AUTHORS IN FOCUS:
MALORIE BLACKMAN M Nariece Sanderson alorie Blackman is currently Children’s Laureate and one of Britain’s best authors. Winning awards since 1995, it’s clear that she’s still got it.
Blackman’s heart wrenching Noughts and Crosses series was a game changer, taking the reader on a thought-provoking journey of romance and racial politics. Before the hype of Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games and Veronica Roth’s Divergent, Noughts and Crosses provided dystopian teenage fiction with a difference. What makes Blackman’s writing so great? It’s realistic and often relatable. Her characters are funny and serious. One of the best things about Blackman’s work is her mission to increase cultural diversity in literature. Luckily,
Blackman is still viewed as one of Britain’s trendy teen authors, recently composing a romance anthology labelled Love Hurts. She is also receives a cheeky reference in Tinie Tempah’s single, ‘Written in the Stars’. Blackman remains an inspiration for aspiring writers, unafraid to fight for what she believes in whether it’s gender equality, combating the “demonisation of young people” or battling racism. Malorie Blackman has a way with words, and a unique style that should continue to grip Britain’s young bookworms.
ALICE MUNRO
James Slaymaker ne of the most problematic aspects of modern literary culture is the popular mentality that innovation has to be tied to maximalism. Take, for example, the widespread bafflement that accompanied the awarding of the Nobel Prize to Alice Munro. To date, Munro has only published short stories, and her fiction - at first glance - is written in a minimalist vein, detailing regular people dealing with everyday situations within realistic environments. The general consensus in many circles being that Munro is a fine craftsman, but a fairly conservative one - certainly not progressive enough to warrant winning the biggest prize in fiction.
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Blackman is one of the many authors supporting the concept of cultural diversity. In 2014, Blackman joined forces with the ‘Let Books Be Books’ campaign in order to stop children’s books being sold for one gender or another. The campaign has also attracted the support of fellow authors Anne Fine and Phillip Pullman.
This reaction was misguided and tied to the misconception that in order for fiction to be groundbreaking it needs to be
characterised by excess: more characters, more tones, more genres, more references, more punctuation, more narrative gamesmanship, more vernaculars. Munro’s unique brand of minimalism is itself radical; she distils plots of extreme breadth and resonance to the bare essentials with striking precision. Her stories are based almost entirely on suggestion, typically dancing on the sidelines of huge events while only making the slightest allusions to them, and constructing incredibly intricate characterisations out of seemingly throwaway gestures and asides.
Her rhythms are low-key yet fluid and organic, sliding from detail to detail in such a way as to build narrative so gradually it’s hard to register until the story’s over, and even in retrospect it’s tough to pinpoint the exact mechanisms that created the effect. Munro’s work appears effortless, yet in reality is full of literary wonder. THE EDGE
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FEATURES
HIT-GIRL
were still somewhat recognisable. It may well be Sarah Michelle Gellar’s turn as the action icon that’s more well known today, Harrison Abbott When Matthew Vaughn was trying to but no matter the actress, Buffy’s punchy secure financing for his ultra-violent charm proved to be a giant leap forward graphic novel adaptation Kick-Ass, one for feminism. of the recurring obstacles was studio insistence that the target demographic wouldn’t want to watch an eleven year old girl save the day. So Vaughn raised Ashleigh Millman the funding himself. However once it Being the supporting actress in sciencecame to finding distribution, those very fiction action film Edge of Tomorrow, same studios all said the same thing; “Can starring Tom Cruise, it would be safe to you add more of that girl? The target assume that Emily Blunt would fall into demographic will love her”. Central to any of the typical, sexist character tropes the best of Kick-Ass’s dizzying action that these films consistently include. sequences and instantly likeable (thanks However, this is most definitely not the to a wonderfully charismatic performance case. As mechanized badass Rita Vrataski, from Chloë Grace Moretz and a razor also known as ‘The Angel of Verdun’ and sharp screenplay) Hit-Girl became a cult ‘The Full Metal Bitch’ we see an expertly icon seemingly overnight, just like the portrayed role, presenting a real woman studios (eventually) predicted. that simultaneously commands respect and exudes power and authority. Blunt is the perfect example of what female action heroes should be - she presents a character that is fully rounded - she Anneka Honeyball Slick, deadly and as fiery as her bright isn’t just a love interest. Filmmakers auburn hair, Black Widow is a superhero everywhere should take note of Doug who stands just as firmly on-screen as Liman’s intelligent character creation and her fellow Avengers. Following Scarlett interaction, as his innovative approach is Johansson’s portrayal of the Russian notably a leap in the right direction for S.H.I.E.L.D agent - also known as women. Natasha Romanoff - in Iron Man 2, Avengers Assemble and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the character’s popularity and subsequent prominence George Seabrook as a female action-hero in movie culture While a lot of the women in this feature has increased to no end. Unlike her male are steely-eyed badasses, with bows, comrades, she doesn’t need a super suit guns, and power loaders, Anna Peterson or gamma radiation to fuel her power; (Maika Monroe) is just nifty with a mix she can kick ass - and look flawless in the CD. But as The Guest descends into its gleeful final act, we see that she’s not process - all by herself. limited. She’s smart and inquisitive, and displays remarkable courage and strength when faced with the death of people she cares about. Anna continues and fights Ben Robins Despite being mostly known for her back to protect what she has left. Anna vampire slaying escapades in the isn’t a superwoman. Anna is a normal genre-mashing cult TV show Buffy woman, and is all the more awesome for the Vampire Slayer, Joss Whedon’s fan- it. She also gets to deliver the best closing favourite teenage badass was born on line of 2014: “What the fuck?” indeed, film. Originally embodied by Kristy Miss Peterson.
RITA VRATASKI
FEMALE ACTION HEROES
BLACK WIDOW
BUFFY SUMMERS
Swanson, Buffy was a little more naive in her first incarnation in 1992, but her classic retorts and stake-slinging ways
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ANNA PETERSON
FEATURES
SHONDA RHIMES: THE TRAILBLAZER
Sasha Santhakumar t’s hard enough landing a job as a show-runner on a left for Rhimes to accomplish. Instead, Shonda Rhimes major TV network in Hollywood, but being a black harnessed her abilities and entrepreneurial instincts by female show-runner is almost unheard of. Though forming ShondaLand, a production company designed to don’t mention that to Rhimes, who crossed out the words house and cultivate new talents and continue her legacy. ‘female’ and ‘black’ from a draft statement for an event, Just last year, one of her protégés, Peter Nowalk, sold the which called her the “most powerful black female show- above-mentioned legal thriller How to Get Away with runner in Hollywood.” And rightly so: Shonda Rhimes is Murder to ABC network. The talented cast is led by twoarguably the most powerful show-runner in Hollywood. time Academy Award nominee Viola Davis.
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Her shows, medical drama Grey’s Anatomy and political thriller Scandal, were both instant hits and critically lauded. While many believe Rhimes is reserved when it comes to voicing her opinions, she uses her shows effectively to outline issues that reflect current times. Racism, sexism, gay rights, women’s rights, equality, intersectionality; you name it, Shonda writes about it. Rhimes has redefined what is possible for actors of colour, normalising television screens to reflect real life. When casting characters, Rhimes asks her casting director to cast characters the way she “sees the world.” The exception to this rule was the casting of Olivia Pope, lead character in Scandal, who is inspired by real life political fixer Judy Smith. But Rhimes has recently hit out at the use of the word “diversity” to describe her shows’ casts: instead, she prefers the term ‘normalising’ to reflect the various stories of ethnic minorities and not make them seem rare or unusual.
Shonda Rhimes continues to inspire and nurture new generations of talent, making it clear that there is a space for everyone. In an inspirational address to the 2014 graduating class of Dartmouth University, Rhimes said that she spent a long time dreaming of becoming just like Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison. Rhimes realised that she could either continue dreaming, or finally do something and apply to enrol into the USC Film School (where she went on develop her craft). So in the Rhimes’ own words, “ditch the dream and be a doer, not a dreamer”.
Even with the many leaps modern television has taken (with the help of Rhimes), there are an exceptional few who seem incapable of distinguishing Rhimes’ ethnicity from her work. An article penned by a journalist reviewing How to Get Away with Murder referred to Rhimes as an “angry black woman.” Rhimes was quick to point out on Twitter that she was only an executive producer on the show and that the actual creator of the show, Peter Nowalk, is a white male. Instead of asking for a retraction, Rhimes thinks it’s important to have these reminders that casual racism and misogyny still exist, that there is still work to be done on television to reflect real life. With two shows under her belt, as well as a back catalogue of screenwriting feature films and directing television episodes, it may have seemed that there was little THE EDGE
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FUNNY
GIRLS
Sasha Santhakumar well and truly debunks the myth that women aren’t funny.
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he landscape of television, film, and print media has changed immensely, featuring a host of women who have redefined what comedy embodies and represents. The sentiment that ‘women aren’t funny’ is archaic and laughable in itself, as the women below demonstrate.
MINDY KALING
Kaling’s comedic beginnings started at Dartmouth College, but began hitting a stride when she played Ben Affleck in Matt & Ben, a play written by her friend Brenda Withers and herself. The play was featured in TIME Magazine and shown at the New York International Fringe Festival. Since then Kaling has gone on to star in and write for hit comedy shows such as The Office and The Mindy Project. SEE ALSO: The Office, The Mindy Project, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (autobiographical memoir) FUNNY LINE: “Maybe I won’t get married, you know? Maybe I’ll do one of those Eat, Pray, Love things. Ugh, no. I don’t want to pray. Forget it. I’ll just die alone.”
JESSICA WILLIAMS Jessica Williams is currently the youngest correspondent
on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart where she brings a unique blend of comedy with important current events and issues such as sexism, racism and equality. The upand-comer was tipped to be Jon Stewart’s successor on The Daily Show and was recently featured on the cover of WIRED Magazine. SEE ALSO: The Daily Show, Girls FUNNY LINE: “The stand your ground defence is like bleach; it works miracles for whites, but it will ruin your colours.”
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KRISTEN WIIG
Kristen Wiig was already making waves on Saturday Night Live when her acclaimed film Bridesmaids was released. The movie penned by her friend Annie Mumolo and herself was a hit, proving that there were still threedimensional, funny roles available for women. Wiig is an excellent character actress, as she displays in SNL. Recently, the actress has forayed into more dramatic films such as The Skeleton Twins with her fellow SNL alumnus Bill Hader. SEE ALSO: Saturday Night Live, Bridesmaids, Girl Most Likely, The Skeleton Twins FUNNY LINE: “Help me, I’m poor.”
TINA
FEY
Fey’s career speaks for itself. The comedian started her career out like many comedians on SNL where she honed her craft as head writer and co-anchor of the show’s coveted ‘Weekend Update’ segment. Shortly thereafter, Fey wrote and starred in Mean Girls, the funniest (and most quotable) teen film of the 00s. Since then, Fey has written and starred in her own show, 30 Rock, and more recently Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt for Netflix. Fey is also often credited with starting the ‘comedian memoir’ trend with her entertaining debut Bossypants. SEE ALSO: Saturday Night Live, Bossypants (autobiographical memoir), Baby Mama, Date Night, This is Where I Leave You, Mean Girls FUNNY LINE: “You could put a blond wig on a hotwater heater and some dude would try to f*** it.”
AMY POEHLER
Poehler’s career almost seems to parallel Fey’s, as both had career beginnings at the same time. Poehler also served as co-anchor on SNL’s ‘Weekend Update’ segment and brought her own brand of wacky humour to the many characters she portrayed. Poehler recently ventured into writing too, releasing Yes Please in 2014, an autobiographical memoir that not only contained funny anecdotes, but also sage advice for any interested in the entertainment industry. Poehler recently completed the final season of her show Parks & Recreation, on which she played the lead role. SEE ALSO: Saturday Night Live, Baby Mama, Parks and Recreation, Yes Please (autobiographical memoir), Wet Hot American Summer, Mean Girls FUNNY LINE: “Hoes before bros. Uteruses before duderuses. Ovaries before brovaries.”
FEATURES
GREAT WOMEN IN
GREAT BANDS Henna Patel and Lewis Taplin look at some of the most kick-ass female band members.
FLORENCE
FLORENCE + THE MACHINE
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ften being mistaken for a solo act, band Florence + the Machine is driven by Florence Welch’s powerhouse vocals and her signature look and presence on stage. Florence has brought a key aesthetic - almost Kate Bush-esque - back to the contemporary music scene, giving the band a unique image (heightened by their powerful and echoing sound) and creating an encapsulating orb for the listener to get lost in. With Lungs’ floral hippy tone and Ceremonials’ dark and epic sound, Florence’s versatility as a vocalist creates a chameleon-like aura, with ‘What Kind Of Man’, the band’s new single, promising yet another dimension to the English musician.
JOHANNA & KLARA
S
FIRST AID KIT
wedish folk duo First Aid Kit, comprised of sisters Johanna and Klara, have released three albums during their musical career but have finally achieved the true recognition they deserve with most recent record Stay Gold. With their layered folk sound and delicate vocals, the two sisters bring their harmonies to the forefront of their music, exquisitely complimenting each other with their vocal differences coming together to foster a confident sound. Influenced by their father’s pop-rock band as well as Klara’s love for country music beginning when she was only 12, the two performers have developed over the years and finally made a mark with their gentle sound in a music industry populated with heavy beats last year.
H A N N A H LONDON
P
GRAMMAR
art of English trio London Grammar, Hannah Reid’s hauntingly celestial vocals brought the band to fame with debut album If You Wait. Beginning their career gigging in small, local venues, London Grammar experienced an organic growth where they became a staple
British sound of 2013. They gained attention through single ‘Hey Now’ accompanied by their ambiguous image due to an initial lack of promotional photos. Throughout London Grammar’s success, Hannah has never used her femaleness as a means of categorising the band, but they instead have become a collective, androgynous act with her creative force driving their success with selfless endeavour.
ESTE, DANIELLE & ALANA
S
HAIM
isters from California, HAIM rose to fame with their 2012 track ‘Don’t Save Me’, a song that epitomises the band’s unique combination of light-rock and ethereal sounds. Influenced by their parents’ love of classic rock, the Haim sisters were born into a popular traditional genre, using it as a base for their creative sound which they later infused with contemporary pop and R&B. Their strong sisterhood makes for a rare onstage presence, where anecdotes about jamming in their lounge at a young age highlight how they have grown up together with music, all contributing to their authentic and genuine image - not forgetting Este’s bass face.
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BEST FEMALE COLLABORATIO IN POP MUSIC 09
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L A DY
G AG A
&
B E YO N C E G W E N
S T E FA N I
&
EVE
TELEPHONE & RICH GIRL
LET ME BLOW YA MIND
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wo of the biggest global stars and both often crowned with the title ‘Queen of Pop’, Gaga and Beyonce came together for ‘Telephone’ which featured in Lady Gaga’s The Fame Monster. The track was written by both of the female artists and became one of Gaga’s best-selling singles, achieving over seven million digital downloads. The Grammy-nominated track hears both women’s desire to abandon the phone (a symbol for the industry’s desire to keep the woman working) in favour of the dance floor: the song is powerful in its message of female liberation. The track was accompanied by one of the best music videos ever made and a particular standout within 21st century pop. Following as a sequel of Gaga’s video for ‘Paparazzi’, the video (which is over nine minutes long and has achieved over 220 million hits on YouTube) sees Gaga and Beyonce poison various people throughout, before they drive off to an unknown place, which can presumed to be a utopian one characterised by the two artists’ sisterhood.
CHRISTINA P I N K , L I L’
AGUILERA, K I M & M YA J E S S I E J, A R I A N A G R A N D E & NICKI MINAJ
LADY MARMALADE
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wen Stefani and Eve could be argued to be two of the most important women when it comes to female collaborations, bridging the pop, R&B and hip hop boundaries, and as a result creating some timeless and shameless classics - the first of which is Eve’s ‘Let Me Blow Ya Mind’, which won the Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration as well as the MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video. Second of the collaborations is Stefani’s ‘Rich Girl’ which received a Grammy nomination and marks one of Stefani’s most popular songs. Both tracks showcase Stefani’s unique vocals complemented by sharply executed rap by Eve, securing the songs as important pieces of noughties music. With both of the tracks’ music videos demonstrating the cause of a riot (‘Rich Girl’ being set on a pirate ship and ‘Let Me Blow Ya Mind’ seeing Eve and Stefani disrupt a formal party), Eve and Stefani wrestle with expectations and reveal the endless dimension to women’s ability in the music industry.
song originally recorded back in the 70s by Labelle, it was covered by a huge force of female artists and featured on the soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! Reaching the top of the charts in both the US and UK as well as a variety of other countries, ‘Lady Marmalade’ was a female collaboration that took the world by storm through Aguilera’s signature vocal versatility as well as Pink’s raw vocals which added to the track’s layering. The track was nominated for a Grammy and won several MTV Video Music Awards, with the video channeling Luhrmann’s aesthetic: rich, sexual and vibrant. The song is also the longest reigning number one in the US for an all-female collaboration, where it remained at the top for over nine weeks, making it a standout song for women on the back of the Spice Girls’ ‘girl power’ movement.
ONS C
BANG BANG
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he most recent of all these tracks, ‘Bang Bang’ was only released last year but took over the airwaves with its infectious rhythm along with the impeccable vocal ranges of Jessie J and Ariana Grande. Along with topping charts and being nominated for a Grammy, the track was performed at a variety of award shows and circulated the music scene. With Jessie J, Grande and Minaj’s solo albums set parallel to the release and promotion of ‘Bang Bang’, the track became an important anthem for the scope of power women are beholding in 21st century popular culture. Despite a slightly disappointing video, the song is likely to stand out in music history as a key moment of female pop stars joining forces to create something great.
Lewis Taplin looks at what happens when the queens of the music industry come together. THE EDGE
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INDUSTRY IN FOCUS
Edge editor Rebecca James explores the lack of female leads in superhero films.
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he announcement of Sony’s recent Spiderman deal with Marvel came with several side effects, one of which is pretty substantial in terms of female representation in superhero films. Audiences now have to wait until 2nd November 2018 for a Marvel film which focuses on a female character, namely Captain Marvel. DC Comics’ franchise is only a little better, with Wonder Woman being scheduled for 23rd June 2017. Since the release of X-Men in 2000, 20 films have been made with a single male protagonist, eight films have featured female superheroes as part of a mixed gender team, and two have concentrated on a female protagonist, namely Halle Berry’s Catwoman and Jennifer Garner’s spin-off, Elektra. Marvel’s massive cinematic universe has yet to focus on a single female superhero, despite the presence of Scarlett Johansen’s impressively engaging Black Widow.
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OF ALL OF THE SUPERHERO MOVIES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE POST 9/11 SUPERHERO BOOM, NINETEEN FAIL TO PASS THE BECHDEL TEST.” The problems with female representation in superhero films move beyond just the lack of female driven films. There are substantial problems with the presence of women in superhero films in general. The Bechdel test, while not the be all and end all of female representation in film, is a useful marker for thinking about female representation, particularly in relation to the presence of women in superhero movies. The Bechdel test requires three seemingly simple things: 1) that there must be two named female characters, 2) that they must talk to one another, and crucially 3) that they have to talk to one another about something other than a man. Of all of the superhero movies that have been made in the post-9/11 superhero boom, 19 fail to pass the Bechdel test, whilst 12 do pass the test. Passing Bechdel doesn’t automatically mean that a superhero film has better female representation, however. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is one of the superhero films made in recent years which has really made its mark. It features three kick-ass women who take the lead and are well written, and serves to demonstrate that just because a film doesn’t pass Bechdel, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t represent women well. However, even in this film that features Black Widow, Maria Hill and Sharon Carter in roles which are substantial and interesting, there are problems, specifically in the character poster for Black 11
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Widow (pictured here). The male posters for the film are full of aggressive stances, showing them involved in some sort of action. Black Widow’s poster however, presents something completely different. Placing it next to the character poster for Avengers Assemble demonstrates the overt sexualisation of the character, for the male gaze. Her chest is thrust forward, over-exaggerating her waist, and while she is holding weapons, the stance is curiously passive. This presentation of her character does not come close to representing the power that the character brings, and her importance to the film. She is not a piece of ‘eye candy’ in the film, and it is frustrating to see the promotional images for the film demonstrate that. No production company has a good track record. Sony has yet to make a single superhero movie with a female lead, Warner Brothers and DC have made two out of their eight films feature female superheroes. Fox’s X-Men franchise is the most diverse with female superheroes featured, but rarely are they presented without some kind of romantic relationship. Marvel Studios has only featured Black Widow, Maria Hill, Lady Sif and Gamora in their eleven films - and a film rarely features more than one female hero. What makes Marvel’s track record so frustrating is twofold. With Joss Whedon as the lead writer on the Marvel Avengers team-ups he has a lot of influence, and it seems that he is not using it. The man who brought us Buffy the Vampire Slayer, River, Zoe and Inara in Serenity has certainly helped shape Black Widow into a nuanced and interesting female character in her on-screen performance. This doesn’t come close to balancing the scales in terms of female/male representation, however.
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THIS PRESENTATION OF HER CHARACTER DOES NOT COME CLOSE TO REPRESENTING THE POWER THAT THE CHARACTER BRINGS, AND HER IMPORTANCE TO THE FILM. SHE IS NOT A PIECE OF EYE CANDY IN THE FILM, AND IT IS FRUSTRATING TO SEE THE PROMOTIONAL IMAGES FOR THE FILM DEMONSTRATE THAT.”
The second thing which is frustrating in relation to Marvel is the diversity of interesting characters they have in their comic book roster. The argument that these characters are not well known just doesn’t stand up. Before Robert Downey Jr’s turn as Iron Man in 2008, only the hardcore comic book fans could tell you about Iron Man - now the character is a household name. With the substantial power that the studio now wields, the fact that they won’t back more than one female driven film is appalling.
INDUSTRY IN FOCUS
FEMALE SUPERHEROES:
WHAT IS THE
PROBLEM WITH
HOLLYWOOD? THE EDGE
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UNAPOLOGETIC UNIQUENESS: A LESSON FROM RUPAUL
Sian Blewitt and Jess Emery look at the life lessons of television’s favourite drag queen.
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love my girls”, trills RuPaul on the new season of Drag Race. Her hit show, which debuted in 2009, is America’s Next Top Model dragged up. Drag Race has become a favourite with people of all genders and ages in recent years, but drag queening hasn’t always been. Starting her career in the 1980s, Ru has openly spoken about the difficulties of being a drag queen in a maledominated society. She admits that, at times, she struggled with depression and drug dependency when her career was forced underground by rises in homophobia. In a conversation about her show with The Guardian in 2009, Ru reminded us that, “we’re dealing with people who have been shunned by society and have made a life regardless of what anyone else thinks of them.” Since her breakthrough with ‘Supermodel (You Better Work)’ in 1993, Ru’s career has made leaps and bounds for the drag queening industry. In the early 1990s she was signed to a modelling contract with MAC Cosmetics, making her the first drag queen supermodel. She was featured on various billboards with the text “I am the MAC girl” and she landed her first talk show on VH1 in 1996, but it’s her message of sisterhood that has repeatedly inspired audiences. The term ‘drag queen’ doesn’t refer exclusively to those who are men, and the majority of queens reject gender binaries, instead celebrating diversity of identity. When regarding her own identification, Ru writes in her biography: “You can call me he. You can call me she. You can call me Regis and Kathie Lee”. The hit show boasts queens identifying as men, women, and everything in between. Drag Race has seen many of her participants struggling with their gender identity and the superstar has encouraged them, in front of nations, to accept themselves. Ru sees gender as a platform for artistic interpretation, and has mainstreamed gender fluidity, providing not just her participants but also the general public with a safer platform for experimentation and freedom of expression. She comments that drag is “a great social commentary”; that
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society takes gender binaries and rigid identity structures “too seriously”, warning “this [identity culture] is all façade”. Ru’s infectiously accepting attitude is quite literally embodied in the tailoring of each of her Season 5 suits. Stitched on the inside pocket are the words: “YOU’RE BORN NAKED” and on the collar: “AND THE REST IS DRAG”. Ru and her queens exemplify the ever-growing idea that your body and identity are canvases, and you can do what you choose to with the blank slates you are given. In a society that constantly imposes unrealistic beauty expectations on women, Ru’s attitude is refreshing. The Be Real campaign reported one in four of us are depressed about our bodies this year, a statistic which highlights the need for body acceptance in the media. Ru and her drag sisters certainly provide such a platform. Considering this, maybe we should all take a leaf from Ru’s book and remember to “love yourself, because if you can’t love yourself, how you gonna’ love somebody else? “Can I get an amen in here?”
INDUSTRY IN FOCUS
W
hen excitement surrounding the development of Peter Jackson’s film adaptations of The Hobbit started to pick up around late 2010, and news regarding the mammoth cast was coming out every other day, no single casting announcement got as many people talking as Evangeline Lilly’s. An alumnus of Lost, she was confirmed to be playing the elf Tauriel. Tolkien fans were appalled and thrilled in equal measure. True, she was not a character from the original book, but with a trilogy of films to fill and not a single woman even appearing within Tolkien’s novel, let alone speaking, everyone was well aware of the need for more female representation. Little is objectionable about Tauriel herself – quite the opposite. She is the Captain of the Guard, an accomplished physical fighter with a sense of humour and a strong moral compass. She is flawed and young and reckless but, driven by her own conviction of what is right and what is wrong, defies her king and father figure in the processes of helping those in need. The issues that people find with her are not even that she ended up having a romantic plot, per se. To suggest that a female character being in a relationship somehow lessens their worth is, when you think about it, pretty insulting. But there is a difference between having a love interest, and being reduced to one. It could and should have been perfectly possible for Tauriel to exist as both a fully-developed character in her own right, and still be of romantic interest to another. She certainly keeps her agency after she falls in love, and uses it as a motivation to disobey her king and join the battle. Logically, we know this. But sadly that is not quite how it translates on screen.
reduced to a trophy; in a number of scenes she loses her agency, doesn’t get to make her own decisions, and is instead an object won by the most worthy man vying for her affections. Talk about objectifying. Objectifying, and completely unnecessary. Tauriel’s romantic plotlines were shoehorned into a trilogy of films that, despite their debatably unnecessary length, could not accommodate the number of changes already made.
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TO SUGGEST THAT A FEMALE CHARACTER BEING IN A RELATIONSHIP SOMEHOW LESSENS THEIR WORTH IS, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, PRETTY INSULTING. BUT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING A LOVE INTEREST, AND BEING REDUCED TO ONE.” Peter Jackson’s Hobbit films did women a disservice. They created an interesting, passionate female character with morals and motivation and yet placed her in a plotline which managed to paint over these things and remind audiences that female characters’ actions are invariably centred around men. For a character added to bring diversity to a cause, she is disappointingly poor representation. Media needs more women, but women who are more than the simple fact they are women - who are more than pretty faces and love interests. Tauriel deserved better.
Worse still is the forced love triangle between her, Kili and Legolas. Included against Evangeline Lilly’s wishes and Peter Jackson’s original statements it adds nothing to the story, other than to make Legolas come across as a bit of a brat. What’s more, in it Tauriel is almost
The Hobbit wrecked its one chance at an interesting female character, writes Camilla Cassidy
THE HOBBIT’S
PROBLEM
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INDUSTRY IN FOCUS
GIRLS ARE THE NEW BLACK F
or the past however many years, television – like every other form of entertainment – has been dominated by men, with the leading characters of the most popular shows being invariably male. The reasons for this are the same as they always are: the industry is led by a majority of male executives and producers who are, for the most, part unwilling to deviate from a tried and tested formula. If shows like House and 24 are popular, then it follows that shows similar to those will be popular as well. The traditional image of the powerful male lead is deeply entrenched in the entertainment industry, and though that does not exclude strong female characters from television, they are always consigned to supporting roles or love interests. If you look at the most popular and critically acclaimed shows of the past decade, the trend is irrefutably one of a male character leading and embodying said shows.
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Matthew Clarson documents the rise of the female lead in television. Breaking Bad was the story of Walter White, Mad Men has Don Draper, 24 has Jack Bauer and House the eponymous Dr. House. Even in the shows that feature more of an ensemble cast, it is always the male characters who drive the story. In The West Wing, C.J. was really the only main character who was female, and in Lost, despite the number and quality of its female characters, the two most important characters are Jack and Locke, both men. There have been exceptions to this dominance of the male lead, most notably in Friends and Sex and the City. Rachel, Monica, and Phoebe were all leading female characters, and they were given just as much focus and importance as their male counterparts throughout Friends’ ten year run. Sex and the City is obviously a female driven show. Both of these shows, as well as operating outside the traditional gender roles in entertainment, were hugely successful for the entirety of their time on air. It is important to consider, however, that both of these shows were comedies, with drama in television being much less open to having female characters as leads. Also, despite its main cast being all female, Sex and the City is hardly a feminist, egalitarian portrayal of women. Change is coming. In 2012, for example, Homeland
INDUSTRY IN FOCUS became the first show with an actual leading female character to win the Emmy for Outstanding Drama this century. The show’s lead, Carrie Mathison (played by Claire Danes), has been praised as one of the “strongest female characters” currently on television (Hank Stuever, The Washington Post) and is what lifts Homeland above other crime/espionage shows.
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GAME OF THRONES MAY HAVE AN ENSEMBLE CAST, BUT IT IS A CAST THAT IS BURSTING WITH STRONG, WELL-WRITTEN FEMALE CHARACTERS WHO ALL DRIVE ITS SPRAWLING PLOT RATHER THAN BEING FORCED TO REACT TO THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS” In Game of Thrones, arguably the most popular show currently on air, the female lead is dominant. Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and Cersei Lannister (Lena Heady) are two of the show’s most important main characters, and of the six characters who have featured in most episodes, four of them are female (Daenerys and Cersei, as well as Arya and Sansa Stark). Game of Thrones may have an ensemble cast, but it is a cast that is bursting with strong, well-written female characters who all drive its sprawling plot rather than being forced to react to their male counterparts (like in Lost, or The Walking Dead). The most influential show as far as female characters go, however, is Orange is the New Black. Not only is its main character female, almost the entire cast is. The whole show
revolves around female characters and female stories. While there are comedic aspects to the show, it’s clear that it is more drama than comedy, as the recent decision to include it in the Drama category for the Emmys from now on demonstrates. There’s no real male influence in the show: it’s created, produced and written mainly by women, it has no misogynistic tint to its plot – the story is rarely, if ever, about women needing to be with men, nor does it hide its female characters behind a few men who get most of the action. What is most ground-breaking about OITNB, though, is its success. A few years ago it would have been preposterous to suggest that such a female-centric show could draw such a huge audience, both male and female, and yet that is just what OITNB has done. OITNB is a new show for a new time. The wave of serious, daring, and creative television of the past decade has shown how powerful a medium television can be. Now with the rise of Netflix, attitudes towards what television are being challenged once more. As one of Netflix’s two flagship shows, OITNB is at the heart of this. Executives and producers across the globe will see how successful this female-driven show has been (and it has been enormously successful), and they’ll jump on the bandwagon. The self-perpetuating nature of television has shifted and now, rather than keep the female lead buried, it will help her come forward and take centre stage. Orange is the New Black returns to Netflix on the 12th June.
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INDUSTRY IN FOCUS
WOMEN C A N P L AY
M A L E ROLES TOO A look at the history of cross-gender casting from Culture Editor Natalie Fordham
F
or years women and men have broken down boundaries between what is a male, and what is a female role. One place that the sexes are often restricted to gendered roles is the acting world. A notable exception is, of course, the stage: Shakespeare’s plays were known for cross-gender acting. With the new millennium the film industry granted us with notable roles were women played men and their true sex was never revealed. However recently, with a need to push equality, we have seen the rise of the ‘token female.’ The question now is: what is breaking new ground and what’s simply trying to tick a box?
It’s 1935: in Sylvia Scarlett Katharine Hepburn portrays a female who masquerades as a boy to escape the police with her father - not to be recognised until a plucky young artist can’t stop thinking about her. The film is known for being unsuccessful - Katharine was labelled as “box-office poison” which would take her years to move away from. While a woman disguising herself as a man isn’t exactly ground-breaking and can be traced to the likes of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, the fact that the failure of this film was directly pinned on the female lead perhaps hints that the cross-gender acting was expected to remain within the realms of the theatre and away from the silver screen. Flash forward to 1982, with Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria. In the movie a struggling female soprano (Andrews) finds work playing a male/female impersonator, but it complicates her personal life. We’re back to the comedy genre - but now we have the wonderful addition of the musical. Thankfully this crossgender acting experiment took a successful turn with seven
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Academy Award nominations and a win for Best Original Song Score. While Andrews didn’t win for Best Actress she certainly proved a huge success and certainly began to break down the divide between gender roles in film. This brings us nicely to the new millennium, when comedian Kathy Burke took on the role of Perry in cult classic Kevin and Perry Go Large (2000). Ostensibly about trying to become dance music DJs, the real story is about two 15-year-old boys trying to lose their virginity. At no point is Perry revealed as a female so we can assume that throughout the movie Burke is portraying a male. A marked step in equality of roles but in reality this is due to an already established partnership. Kathy Burke and Harry Enfield had worked together numerous times and the film was loosely based on a previous sketch from Enfield’s 1990 television programme. The step away from romantic comedy and a lack of reveal of Burke’s gender make this a win for cross-gender acting.
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IT’S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT ANY MALE ACTOR, OR ANY LESS GIFTED FEMALE ACTOR FOR THAT MATTER, COULD HAVE LENT SUCH RICH TEXTURE TO THE ROLE.” It takes seven more years before we see another woman portray a man solely on the silver screen and it takes award-winning actress Cate Blanchett and a biopic about Bob Dylan, entitled I’m Not There. Six characters embody different aspects of the musician’s life and work, and Blanchett won the Golden Globe for her role. Critic Anthony DeCurtis said, “it’s hard to imagine that any male actor, or any less gifted female actor for that matter, could have lent such rich texture to the role.” For once gender didn’t need to stipulate such a high profile role - but talent. Although the gender change of the Bug-Eyed Bandit has not currently been discussed with creators of Warner Bros’ The Flash we’re all hoping that Emily Kinney’s performances on Glee and The Walking Dead have landed her an amazing role. We’ll certainly be waiting and watching. While Hollywood occasionally still goes back to the ‘woman disguised as a man’ role (see Glenn Close in 2011’s Albert Nobbs), we’ve certainly seen a more progressive viewpoint towards cross-gender acting.
INDUSTRY IN FOCUS
WHAT DO VIDEO GAMES TEACH US ABOUT WOMEN?
Fraser Bowen asks why women in video games are as women, they are only portrayed as alternatives to the so often just objects to be saved... or worse, abused. male. On top of that, these games are given, on average,
J
ust what are you exposed to when you switch on your games console? You may have heard about the link between violent video games and kids getting into trouble, but you might not be aware of the effect it has on your perception of gender. Video games are a powerful medium. More so than film, because they are interactive, which means that the vast majority of computer games available today cause players of all genders to perceive women as helpless, sexualised victims. Take Princess Peach, the fairy tale princess with a pink dress and long flowing hair, locked away to be rescued by our hero, Super Mario. Just like Peach, women have always been given secondary status, in which they are helpless victims. In extreme cases (and depressingly there are many), women are brutally attacked and murdered in sexualised ways in order to sensationalise a plot. How else will you get your money back from that prostitute in GTA V?
only 40% of the marketing budget of games with maleonly protagonists.
Ever noticed Lara Croft’s boobs jiggle unnaturally as she walks? Women are consistently portrayed as sexualised so they can titillate the presumed straight male viewer. The game developers are clearly forgetting that 52% of gamers in the UK are female. Players of all genders are exposed to toxic images of unnaturally sexualised women, and they internalise the idea that these roles are appropriate for women. You might think you’re different. But if you add up all the hours you spend gaming, you’ll realise just how much of your time is spent unintentionally absorbing myths about women’s secondary role.
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It’s common knowledge that there is a stigma attached to being a gamer, but for women, prejudice comes from another source as well: the gaming community itself. Women are regularly harassed online by their male peers simply because they are girls, and ‘girls don’t play games’. Misogyny is deeply rooted in the gaming community, to the point where feminist speakers in the gaming industry such as Zoe Quinn and Anita Sarkeesian receive rape threats, and are forced out of their homes.
Why not include more female protagonists? You may have heard the line: “Well, games with exclusively male protagonists sell better”. The reality is that there are simply not enough games with female protagonists to make this judgement. Only 4% of games, on average, have exclusively female protagonists, and while more have options to play
Until women feature substantially as playable characters, and not simply as victims of kidnapping or violence, and poor Lara Croft is given a sports bra, it is hard to imagine a world where gamers are not internalising harmful ideas about women. But until then, we can only spread the word. The next time you switch on your console, have a think about what video games are teaching us about women.
EVER NOTICED LARA CROFT’S BOOBS JIGGLE UNNATURALLY AS SHE WALKS? WOMEN ARE CONSISTENTLY PORTRAYED AS SEXUALISED SO THEY CAN TITILLATE THE PRESUMED STRAIGHT MALE VIEWER.”
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INSPIRING WOMEN
INSPIRING
WOMEN
T
hroughout the entertainment world there are women who are breaking boundaries with both their craft and the work that they do outside of their day jobs. No longer satisfied with speaking the words of other people, or being glorified clothes hangers on the red carpet, these women are artists, writers, entrepreneurs and activists. Female actors, singers, writers and presenters are using their position and power to highlight prevalent issues that face the world today. Women are rapidly becoming a vocal force in the traditionally male dominated spheres of video games, directing and writing. However, it is still an upward struggle in many of these fields, demonstrated most clearly by the recent Gamer Gate scandal, and the lack of female directors nominated for the 2014 Academy Awards. The women examined below are trailblazers in so many ways, and each of them is truly inspiring to the people who have written these short snapshots of why they are inspiring women.
LADY GAGA Lewis Taplin
T
aking the world by storm back in 2008 with her single ‘Just Dance’, talk of Lady Gaga circulated globally, particularly with reference to her avant-garde fashion but also due to her electronic sound and experimental performances. Grammys and sellout tours aside, Lady Gaga is most inspirational because she endeavours to pursue exactly what she desires regardless of attempted industry-led control. With her 2013 album ARTPOP dubbed “ARTFLOP”, Gaga was hit with a wave of criticism for her third studio album but continued to stick to the album’s message, refusing to tame herself to a pop genre that wasn’t ready for her evolving chameleon-like nature. Continuing to believe in her art, Gaga is a woman that stands against the need for the music industry to categorise women and music, fluidly making her way across genres and losing herself in 19
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a ballad in one performance while allowing a vomit-artist to perform on her in a vibrant, wild display in another. With Gaga’s most recent album being a collaborative jazz one with Tony Bennett as well as her performing a tribute to The Sound of Music earlier this year at the Academy Awards, Gaga refuses to be led by anyone apart from herself. Whether she wants to scream and lose herself within heavy electronic beats or she wants to perform a cappella at the O2 Arena, Lady Gaga is both capable and willing to do so. Even if it means she loses popularity along the way; Gaga isn’t here to please.
INSPIRING WOMEN
ELLEN PAGE Ben Robins
F
rom starring in a whole host of much-loved movies, to leading the charge against environmental decay and more recently, stepping forward as a significant icon for LGBT youths, you’ll be hard-pushed to find a more forward-thinking member of the Hollywood elite than Ellen Page. Despite acting since the age of ten, balancing roles in huge-scale blockbusters and Oscar-nominated indie dramas, the self-described “tiny Canadian” has spent her time not only studying permaculture and sustainability, but also campaigning for both human rights and feminist causes.
In February 2014, Page became a leading voice in speaking out against the Hollywood film industry and the “crushing standards” it sets for young people everywhere. In her emotional speech at the Time to Thrive conference, she proudly and bravely came out to the world as a lesbian, in an attempt to make a difference within the LGBT community. As one of few openly gay actresses in Hollywood, Page sets a moving example for future generations, that there is no longer any reason to hide. In the words of the great woman herself: “we deserve to experience love fully, equally, without shame and without compromise.” Now if that’s not inspirational, I don’t know what is.
ROBERTA WILLIAMS Alex Meehan
F
ounded by Roberta and Ken Williams in 1980, Sierra Online developed software for PC throughout the 80s and 90s, becoming industry leaders by implementing revolutionary technology in their games. The company is now renowned for having essentially defined the adventure game genre, owing in no small part to Roberta’s talents for writing. Williams helped develop the company’s very first game Mystery House (1980), by writing the game’s basic, yet entertaining story, before she went on to help develop many, many other games for Sierra. Though vastly different in tone, all of these games share the same crucial element; a captivating story and immersive world. Williams is all about the writing. Certainly, she recognised the importance of things like graphics, sound, and gameplay, but her love for storytelling shines through every game she has helped make. At the time, Williams was probably the most important female figure in gaming.
In such a male-dominated environment, she provided an essential female voice; writing stories starring women who went on adventures, for women who wanted to go on adventures. Having finally been given recognition for her achievements at last year’s Video Game Awards (along with her husband), Roberta Williams remains proof that women can do amazing things for this industry, if only given the chance.
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INSPIRING WOMEN
KERRY WASHINGTON W
Rebecca James
hen the words “so Abby’s kind of a bitch,” are uttered on television by the white male who is portraying the President of the United States, one would normally expect a laugh, or the moment to be swept under the table. However Kerry Washington’s Olivia Pope delivers a blistering attack on the usage of the word ‘bitch’ in relation to women: “The words used to describe women! If she was a man you’d say she was ‘formidable’ or ‘bold’ or ‘right.’”
This is one example of how Washington’s portrayal of Olivia Pope makes her an inspiring woman - she doesn’t just provide a positive female role model in the character, but she also actively breaks down the double standards which women have to deal with when taking on assertive roles, ones which have traditionally been male-dominated. Olivia is demanding, forceful and fascinating: a woman who will do whatever needs to be done to fix her clients’ problems.
Off-screen, Washington is just as impressive as her on screen character. She is a vocal advocate of gay rights and has won the GLAAD Vanguard Award, as well as campaigning and acting as an ambassador for domestic abuse charities. She is an actress who is actively politically involved, and uses her voice to make a difference. She is an inspirational and aspirational woman of colour who shows the power that a woman’s voice can have.
ANGELINA JOLIE Georgia Simpson
A
ngelina Jolie is one of the most famous and powerful women in the film industry, both in front of the camera and behind it. She has had soaring acting success in franchises, such as the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider series that established her role as a leading Hollywood actress. She has also had recent critical success with her directorial debut of In The Land of Blood and Honey and war epic Unbroken for which she was hotly tipped for a Best Director Oscar nod - but sadly she went unrecognised (as did most women at the this year’s Academy Awards). But this phenomenal success is not why I admire her and see her as a role model. I admire her for how she was able to change her life and become America’s equivalent to Princess Diana. She was once the rebel who wore Billy-Bob Thornton’s blood around her neck, but is now a UN ambassador, advocate for women’s rights, 21
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environmental humanitarian as well as mother of six children, three of which are adopted. In the last year alone she has fronted a campaign with foreign secretary William Hague against sexual violence in military conflict zones and co-chaired a four-day global summit attended by 123 nations surrounding the issue. She uses her powers as an actress and celebrity to shed light on issues and help raise awareness in the media. She is a worthy role model in both her admirable acting skills and talents and in her ongoing and passionate humanitarian work.
INSPIRING WOMEN
OPRAH WINFREY Nadine Thompson-Best
O
prah Winfrey is an inspiration to me because she embodies the ambitious, self-driven woman that I aspire to become. Her career in the entertainment industry has spanned over two decades including her television show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, which ran for a remarkable 25 years. Not only was it one of the longest running shows in America, but it also captured an international audience. Her longstanding success with the show is a credit to her natural ability to engage with people through television, leading her to be labelled as one of the most influential women onscreen. Oprah Winfrey acts as a chameleon in the entertainment industry. Not only is she an actress who has starred in a range of films (some which have raised issues about gender and race such as The Colour Purple and her most recent film, Selma) she is also a producer and owns
the production company Harpo Studios. The media empire that she has built for herself is a phenomenal achievement, not only as a woman, but as a black woman. She has broken down the barriers of a male-dominated industry and paved the way for other women to follow in her footsteps. Winfrey uses her status as a platform to highlight global issues such as poverty and child abuse. Through her charity organisation, The Oprah Winfrey Foundation, she has donated millions of dollars to provide help for people in countries across the globe.
BEYONCÉ KNOWLES
Hannah Mylrea
Q
ueen Bey first appeared on the musical radar in 1996 with the girl group, Destiny’s Child, and since then she’s emerged as one of the best selling artists of all time. With over 170 million records sold as both a solo artist and a member of Destiny’s Child, she was recognised as the top certified artist of the 2000s by the RIAA. Alongside her music she’s managed to appear in numerous films (including the Oscarwinning Dream Girls), become a fashion icon (she’s launching an active wear brand this August with Topshop) and has been an ambassador for the 2012 World Humanitarian Day.
Beyoncé has managed to use her status in the public eye for multiple philanthropic causes, such as founding the Survivor Foundation (which helped provide transitional housing for victims of Hurricane Katrina), and working with the Chime for Change campaign that spreads female empowerment. She’s not just a pop star; Beyoncé has realized that she can use the power she has to help promote charities and raise money for those who need it, something that many artists don’t feel the need to do. Regardless of your personal opinion of her or her music, it’s hard to deny Beyoncé’s status as an absolute icon. She promotes female empowerment and puts her super stardom to good use, as well as creating radical, well-written music. Whether you like her or not, Beyoncé is an absolute inspiration to me.
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