Article: Trolls Flood “Ghostbusters” IMDb Ratings, But Female Film Critics Fight Back
Response
Thesis: The ratings in Ghostbusters are just a sign of the misogynist problem in the modern American Society
The ratings on the film, ‘Ghostbusters’, an all female cast film, are not based on the true feelings of these men on the quality of the movie, but rather by the misogynistic inclinations of the average men in America. Giving a rating of one out of ten even before the official release of the movie is not only disrespectful, but also highly irresponsible, as it is a testament that the male critics do not dislike the movie, but rather, they hate the idea behind the production. Gender-based discrimination or perspective creation hurts the efforts of the government and other state bodies to promote gender egalitarianism, by putting forward a strong case on the ability of women and the role they play in the economy. The fact that a group of people can rush to a rating site and give a movie a rating of 1 out of 10 in 2016 is a very worrying phenomenon, and it underpins the reality of the American society, especially the Beta male, who thinks of women as lesser beings who are subjects of men. Of course, there are many men out there who have a lot of respect for women, and we have seen men people join female activists in the push to have equality in the workplace and other realms of life. But, there is still a large number of people who hold narcissistic views on their female counterparts, from the bar to the office set up and even in the Hollywood. This gender profiling and shaming is gaining tract with the increased number of visitors to such websites like the Return of Kings where hundreds of men join efforts to troll women in demeaning terms, amid posts that are designed to tramp down women and ladies in general.
In "Hidden Figures," NASA's African American Mathematicians Will Land On the Big Screen
Normally, scientific films are filled with male characters, and such documentaries like Through the Wormhole are made for the alpha male, showing the achievements of men in the society, and in science. Even in the documentation of history, the role played by women scientists is usually overlooked, and that is even true with the fame of NASA projects. Even worse, African American women have struggled to find their space in the limelight, making them victims of a society that profiles people in connection with their gender, and further down the food chain, gives priority to white women, at least when it gets to a choice on who will appear on the front pages of the media and films (Mirk). The book Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly captures the roles played by women of color in the development of science, and more specifically, in the project that sent the man to the moon. While pop culture has succeeded in telling the stories of the social dynamics of the American society, and the place of women, the lack of women presence in the science-based movies is appalling. Hidden Figures will tell the story of the African American woman, and how she struggled with layers of discrimination during the Mad Man era, first, at the level of racial discrimination, and two, in the field of science that was dominated by men. While the white women who worked in science projects received a reprieve from their colleagues, black women were relegated to the role of supporting cast, at least by the media, and their anonymity in the interplay of science and theater is frustrating. Black women presence would be expected to feature in movies and films that are based on soft career areas like law, and the series, Suits, comes to mind. The fact that they keep struggling to make their mark tells the story of discrimination and intersectionary politics.
Whitewashing happens in several ways; a white person playing the role of a black character, a black person playing the role of a white character and lastly, when a white person plays the role of a non-white character and undergoes transformation to do so (Kiang). In the film, A Mighty Heart, which is based on the real story of Marianne Pearl, Angelina Jolie plays the role of Marianne, a character of Afro-Cuban descent (Moreno). The level of whitewashing has increased in Hollywood films and movies, with a reported decline in the percentage of minorities playing leading roles in films and documentaries, from 16.7% to 12.9% in 2013 and 2014 respectively. The Huffing Post reported the increased level of whitewashing, a factor that has raised concerns about the legitimacy of Hollywood regarding representation based on gender and race. Considering that minority formed close to 40% of the US population, having them play 12.7% of the leading roles in Hollywood is not only disheartening but also a clear portrayal of a level of discrimination that is deeply rooted in the American film industry (Winterbottom) The same trend is clear in the accolades awarded by the Hollywood, with only 16.7% of the films whose main characters are the minority winning the Oscar, a decline from the previous year, in 2013, where minority led films won 25% of the Oscar awards. The situation might get better, given the likelihood of a movie to win an Oscar if the characters are from the minority groups. The report reveals that films with more than 40% minority representation stood a better chance to win an Oscar compared to films with less diversity. Perhaps, the increased inclusion of the minority in the films is informed by the need to penetrate the minority markets. However, the gesture is good enough for a class of people that has struggled to gain prominence in a highly skewed sector, that gives the advantage to white actors even before the show begins.
Works Cited
Kiang, Jessica. The 20 worst examples of Hollywood whitewashing. IndieWire, 23 Feb. 2016. Web. 13 July 2016.
Mirk, Sarah. In “hidden figures,” NASA’s African American Mathematicians Will Land on the Big Screen. N.p.: Bitch Media, 23 May 2016. Web. 13 July 2016.
Moreno, Carolina. “25 Times White Actors Played People of Color and No One Really Gave A S**t.” Huffington Post. The Huffington Post, 27 Feb. 2016. Web. 13 July 2016.
A Mighty Heart. Dir. Michael Winterbottom. 21 Sept. 2007. Film. 13 July 2016.
