One of the biggest criticisms of the feminist movement is that while all women are encouraged to come together to support one another and the fight for women's rights, the experiences of those who aren't White, straight, cisgender women are often ignored. If it doesn't benefit or impact White women, it's said that you won't find them trying to march. Some might view it as an unnecessary attempt to be divisive, or trying to figure out whose plight is worse, but the truth is, women can't unify (or all people, in general) if folks don't start listening and accepting the reality that we have different struggles and levels of oppression. Just because we're all the same sex doesn't mean some of us don't experience a lot of uncomfortable things on a daily basis because of our race or sexual orientation.
This was evident during a lunch at the Sundance Film Festival meant to celebrate women in film. While a number of influencers were given a "seat at the table," there were only a few women of color present, including Alfre Woodard, Jessica Williams, Sanaa Lathan, author Sarah M. Bloom and director Dee Rees. The conversations were captured by <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-female-filmmakers-lunch-race-debate-20170128-story.html" target="_blank"><em>Los Angeles Times</em></a> writer <a href="https://twitter.com/AmyKinLA?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">Amy Kaufman</a>.
<img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Salma-Hayek-Jessica-Williams-PF.jpg" alt="Salma Hayek Jessica Williams PF" width="1068" height="600" class="aligncenter wp-image-784581 size-full" />
During a discussion about Donald Trump and the current climate for women, Salma Hayek stated that she felt like women were "about to go to war." She also said that while she did agree that she wants more women to be hired and given opportunities in Hollywood, she wants us to be careful no to "fall into victimization."
"I don’t want to be hired because I’m a girl," she said. "I want them to see I’m fabulous. Don’t give me a job because I’m a girl. It’s condescending."
Legendary actress Shirley MacLaine stepped in, stating that a Trump presidency is a test of our "inner democracy" and that the women present at the lunch should be sure to explore their "core identity."
While the conversation began with recommendations to battle what's happening around us by focusing on what's within us, Jessica Williams posed a thought-provoking question that ended up changing the tone of the discussion:
<blockquote>“I have a question for you,” Williams, 27, said to MacLaine. “My question is: What if you are a person of color, or a transgendered person who — just from how you look — you already are in a conflict?”
“Right, but change your point of view,” MacLaine offered. “Change your point of view of being victimized. I’m saying: Find the democracy inside.”
“I’m sorry,” Hayek said, jumping in. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Williams answered.
“Who are you when you’re not black and you’re not a woman? Who are you and what have you got to give?”
Williams took a deep breath. “A lot. But some days, I’m just black, and I’m just a woman,” she said. “Like, it’s not my choice. I know who I am. I know I’m Jessica, and I’m the hottest b---h on the planet I know.”
“No, no, no,” Hayek said. “Take the time to investigate. That’s the trap! ...There is so much more.”
“Right,” agreed MacClaine. “The more is inside.”</blockquote>
Williams clearly wanted the women to address the reality that it's hard to focus on the "democracy inside" and blocking out detractors by focusing on what's within when being not just a woman but a Black woman can draw ire from the outside. Many don't have that privilege. While some present who weren't women of color could get where Williams was coming from, unfortunately, Hayek felt that Williams was falling into that whole idea of victimization. Her decision to focus on the struggles of being a Black woman and not on who she really is under that was what Hayek deemed a choice -- and not a necessary one. Williams disagreed, citing the reality that she doesn't have the privilege to walk around unaware of such facts:
<blockquote>“I think what you’re saying is valid, but I also think that what you’re saying doesn’t apply to all women. I think that’s impossible.”
“What part of it is impossible?” Hayek responded. “You’re giving attention to how the other one feels.”
“Because I have to,” Williams said.
”If you have to do that, then do that,” Hayek said. “Then that’s your journey. But I want to inspire other people to know it’s a choice.”
Mudbound director Dee Rees ended up chiming in, doing so in defense of Williams's point:
At this lunch, she said, she didn’t feel like she was posing a threat to anyone. But in line at the bank? Things were different. “I don’t see myself a victim,” she said. “[Jessica] doesn’t see herself as a victim. But it’s how you're read.”
“I also feel like the word ‘victim’ — I feel like it has bothered me,” Williams replied. “When I talk about feminism, sometimes I feel like being a black woman is cast aside. I always feel like I’m warring with my womanhood and wanting the world to be better, and with my blackness — which is the opposite of whiteness.”</blockquote>
As Kaufman documents, there was a moment after this when Cat Cora, the celebrity chef who provided food for the lunch, wandered out of the back to try and relate to Williams's experience -- but instead, made her own issues the central focus of discussion, cutting off Williams's point. It took director Jill Soloway (as well as director Kimberly Pierce) to speak up and encourage the women to do a better job of listening to Williams. As she put it, "With intersectional feminism, it’s our responsibility as white women to recognize that when there are people of color or people who are queer — we need to prioritize your voices and let you speak the loudest and learn from your experience, because we haven’t been listening. So please, Jessica, finish your thoughts." But by that point, Williams was a bit discouraged and Hayek? Well, she kept doing her damndest to invalidate her experiences. A moment even arose where Hayek spoke to the star in a condescending way, calling her "baby":
<blockquote>Williams, visibly uncomfortable, said she also wanted to encourage all of the women in the room to pay special attention to women of color and LGBT women. “I think we need to not speak over black women,” she said, “not assign them labels.”
“What does this mean, ‘speak over?’” Hayek asked.
“To project your ideas on me,” Williams said. “I think there is a fear that if we present an idea that, ‘Hey, maybe [black women] have it a little bit harder in this country’ — because we do; black women and trans women do — if we’re having it a little bit harder, it doesn’t invalidate your experience. I really am begging you to not take it personally.”
Williams continued, referencing Planned Parenthood to support her argument. While many women may rely on the clinic, she said, four out of five women who use their services are women of color.
“So when you say women of color,” Hayek began. Then she noticed that Williams was not making eye contact with her. “Jessica, do you mind if I look at your eyes?”
Williams barely looked up. Still, the back-and-forth continued, with Hayek questioning whether or not she was considered a woman of color in Williams’ estimation. Nearly everyone in the room responded that Hayek was.
“Wouldn’t it solve it if women just all had each other’s backs in general?” Cora asked suddenly.
“Sure,” Peirce said. “The thing is this, yes, all women can work together, but we have to acknowledge that black women have a different experience. She’s here struggling and we keep shutting her down.”
“I don’t think anybody here shut her down,” Cora said, fighting back.
“Can I interrupt, because I feel misunderstood,” Hayek agreed. “It’s not shutting you up. I feel misunderstood on one point: We should be also curious about our brain. By being the best that you can be. That’s what I was trying to say to you. Let’s not just spend all the time in the anger, but in the investigation.”
“Baby, I’m Mexican and Arab,” she went on, addressing Williams. “I’m from another generation, baby, when this was not even a possibility. My generation, they said, ‘Go back to Mexico. You’ll never be anything other than a maid in this country.’ By the heads of studios! There was no movement. Latino women were not even anywhere near where you guys are. I was the first one. I’m 50 years old. So I understand.”
“You don't understand,” Williams said, shaking her head quietly.</blockquote>
I think the conversation had here was exactly the point Williams was trying to make -- folks don't listen, they prefer to talk over. Addressing the fact that the experiences of Black women or women of the LGBTQ community are not that of White women doesn't mean pointing it out is intended to be a slight to White women or non-Black women of color. True, we've <em>all</em> been through something, but when the experiences of women who aren't White are encouraged to be mixed in the pot with everyone else's, as though, like Cora tried to say, just being Team Woman could fix all that ails us, it definitely gives off the impression that certain forms of discrimination women of color and LGTBQ women face don't matter. It's especially sad when it's another woman of color pretty much telling you to get over it already.
While Williams hasn't spoken on the uncomfortable conversation she had at Sundance (the full transcript of this conversation speaks for itself), Hayek has since responded to the negative reception her comments received after they were published in the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-female-filmmakers-lunch-race-debate-20170128-story.html" target="_blank"><em>Los Angeles Times</em></a>:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BP6RHmUA-YW/?taken-by=salmahayek&hl=en
<em>Images via Splash and WENN </em>
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