Iron Jawed Angels- Week 3

Iron Jawed Angels is probably one of my favorite movies. I saw it for the first time last summer during N.E.W. Leadership, and I have watched it at least 3 times since. The first time I saw it I was absolutely floored by how Alice Paul was treated. I knew that the suffrage movement wasn't easy, but I had no idea that they were treated as enemies against the state.

I think this film is inspirational, not only to women, but to all people who are facing a seemingly impossible obstacle. If those women could do what they did in the time period and social situation in which they lived, I believe that just about anything is possible.

I also found it very interesting how they chose to portray the sexuality. The screenwriter and director really made the movie about what it was like as a woman of the time, and they showed it from every side.

One of my favorite parts of the film is actually when the women are in prison. I get goosebumps every time when Emily Leighton is escorted in. And I cry every time I hear all the women sing together. When Emily finally gave up trying to fit her husband's perfect mold, and truly embraced who she really was, was obviously when the tensions were erased completely. By doing something that would get her arrested, she let the other women know that she was not better than them, and that she cared.

It is sad that America had to see such a dark day before they saw the light. But American women (and men) can be thankful to Alice Paul for improving the equality in this country and for also providing us with such an inspiring story.

Chapter 4 from The F Word was very interesting. The first thing that stuck out was the high response of women who said they cared about reproductive rights. I am currently in Politics in America where my professor is teaching that America is not divided over abortion, nor do people really care about it. I knew he was wrong, but this provides evidence. Also, the statistics on rape and sexual assault absolutely blew my mind. How can America, which is supposed to be the greatest nation in the world, the most progressive, where everyone is living the American dream, allow statistics like this to occur. Why is this not on the news every night? Why isn't everyone screaming that 1.5 million women a year is too many?

I have always known that I was a feminist, but reading these books and listening to the debates in class, just affirms it.

Until next time,
Madison