Should positive discrimination be used to address gender inequality in film and media?

It is still clear that the film industry is set firmly in its traditional gender biases- despite the recent push of female directors, screenwriters, producers and leading actresses its abundant that women are taking a stand, so is it enough?

Should positive discrimination be used to address gender inequality in film and media?

It is still clear that the film industry is set firmly in its traditional gender biases- despite the recent push of female directors, screenwriters, producers and leading actresses its abundant that women are taking a stand, so is it enough? It's common knowledge that the film industry highly underrepresents women, both on and off the silver screen. In 2014, only 13.6% of British films were directed by women, despite women consuming just as much media as their male counterparts. Women on average are earning £15,000 less than the male average basic salary in the industry. The pay gap is one big issue but the most pressing one is the lack of opportunities for women. Fox and Paramount, two of Hollywood's biggest studios, are have no plans for releasing a female directed film from now to 2018, and in 2015, Academy awards ratioed at 5 to 1 of men voted for non-acting roles. Often women are too afraid to speak out these issues, for fear of being seen negatively or as just following 'trends', mainly because women who do raise the issue are often dismissed as 'raging feminists' and 'appealing to over sensitive society with political correctness'.

However, change is occurring. The 2016 Oscars, although were extremely white washed and predominately still male, was the best year for women so far. Women won, or shared a win in a variety of categories from Documentary Short, Production Design, Best Picture and Costume. This year also saw Sara Bennett became the first female Visual Effects Supervisor to win an Oscar for Ex Machina, in an all male field. Gender inequality is slowly easing up but not fast enough. Although there are many ways these imbalance can be fixed, the way I personally believe we can solve this is issue is through positive discrimination.

Positive discrimination has been used mainly in the workplace to offer more diversity in environments that are more biased such as STEM workplaces and dance Conservatoires. In using positive discrimination it helps create more tolerate communities with a wider range of cultural, ideas and backgrounds. Media, and all creative subjects, rely on a influx of new ideas to keep themselves alive and to constantly present new works. Furthermore, media is a huge reflection on our culture; both portraying and influences ideas, which is why it's so vital to have diversity. Its major effects will not be on women currently, but young audiences who wish to pursue a career in media. Seeing an balanced representation of women and men, and an increase in female role models helps to encourage young girls into the industry, meaning we will no longer have a need for positive discrimination after a few generations, because the equality will be more balanced. Positive discrimination also gives everyone an equal playing field, the idea isn't to completely cut out all male workers, but instead to help push females into the spotlight more.

The biggest change in media is not happening in major blockbusters but instead, in amature film makers. Women studying film and media are at the highest percentage Britain has seen, already steadying at an equal 50%. Women also make up 50% of the directing roles within the independent sphere- with the UK BIFA award for directing going to Alex Garner last year. Alex Garner's film also walked away with Best Screenplay and Best Independent film.

Another way women can test out new roles and positions in film is though gender blind casting. Recently, deliberate re-casting of genderbent films has been given a lot of negative response on social media. Ghostbusters, written, produced and performed by a predominately female cast has hit records of being the most disliked Youtube trailer released since May. Reviews dance around the gender issue, claiming that it 'just another reboot' or the 'original's legacy is under threat' when in fact is just the idea of a female cast taking on a very male dominated, nerdy film is just somehow wrong. However, I still believe it can work, as it has been done successfully in theatre. Phyllida Lloyd's all female shakespeare company took on the claims of being 'too weak' to pull off masterpieces such as Henry IV and Julius Caesar, and turned them into beloved productions. One of their biggest successes in their production was taking on masculine roles without having to sacrifice all of their femininity, which a lot of powerful characters in blockbusters often fall into the trap of doing.Theatres will perhaps usually be a step ahead of film in terms of gender equality- not having to conform to the ideas of mass production but instead focusing on creativity. Although they follow the same problem of awards being majorly won by males (The 2016 Tony awards and Olivier Awards had only a handful between them), they at least have a far more varied sense of casting and directing. Positive discrimination can be used to encourage a more diverse cast and production team, and allow women to adventure into more 'masculine' roles.

However, Positive discrimination does have its downfalls; it devalues opportunities women get because their gender may be seen as the most dominant factor for hiring rather than natural talent. The best person should be there, regardless of their gender. This will only perpetuate resentment in the industry and create a deeper split between men and women.Women could be perceived as being used merely as tokens to achieve the new social requirement of diversity instead of actually being taken seriously. It can also create an environment of reverse sexism- men not being able to get as many opportunities because they will be prioritised towards women. The biggest issue positive discrimination battles with is gaining the equality it wants, by ignoring the idea of gender blind casting by instead focusing on women, it devalues the very idea it uses. Finally, it may just be seen as condescending towards women, they are being given opportunities because they are female rather than because of all their hard work.

Personally I believe that positive discrimination is one way of solving this issues, but I would focusing it on giving opportunities when young female performers and creatives are still training. As in all forms of arts, opportunities you were given while still in education is one of the defining factors for opening up creative industry pathways once leaving education. This, paired with the general increase of gender representation in the amature film making side, will encourage block busters to take a similar route. However, this is just my opinion: what do you think?

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1 Comments

  • Tom Inniss

    On 10 July 2016, 00:44 Tom Inniss Voice Team commented:

    An interesting topic and thanks for writing!
    I tend to try and stay out of gender based discussions, out of fear of being instantly jumped on for 'being a man', but this blog has been a really fascinating read so I thought I'd jump in.
    I don't think positive discrimination should ever be the answer, as it just serves to cover up the underlying issue. I agree there definitely needs to be more inclusion, but PD is not the way forwards. We need to be encouraging the less represented to enter the industry, creating more opportunities for them to excel in said industry, and for their talents to actually be recognised. I think, very slowly, the attitude is starting to change, too slowly definitely, but issues are being addressed. Legally mandating that roles be filled by women could potentially jeopardise the legitimate recognition being (finally) attained, as you eloquently wrote.

    I do disagree with the Ghostbusters thing though: "Reviews dance around the gender issue, claiming that it 'just another reboot' or the 'original's legacy is under threat' when in fact is just the idea of a female cast taking on a very male dominated, nerdy film is just somehow wrong." - I haven't seen the film but the trailer looked awful. Truly, terribly awful. It wasn't the female cast, it was the writing, the flat performance, the garish CGI, and subsequently, that earbleedingly, cataclysmically horrendous Fallout Boy song. The film just shouldn't have been made. Male or female cast, it was never going to work, because GB was a product very much of its time, and trying to convey that to modern audiences, and with modern technology, was always going to mesh poorly. That being said, there are those out there who are just sexist - and those need a good slapping.

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