Representation matters

As a woman and on behalf of all women, I am enraged. Yes we have several reasons to feel shortchanged, what's the immediate cause, you ask? Settle in, we have ground to cover. 

I recently read a book on what we know so far about how the human bodies have evolved and how women's lives have contributed to specific organs being the way they are, as well as the evolutionary differences between the sexes. (The book is titled Eve by Cat Bohannon, very well written. Highly recommend.) There are a few takeways from the book, I will mention three. One is that sexual orientation is natural, one is born with it, and shades of queerness have existed through the history of millennia in human existence. 

The other is that much of how we evolved, what inherently constitutes humanness, specifically distinguished from our closest genetic cousins, is largely attributable to women. The earliest tools were a product of necessity of the female of our species. Language, that is the most distinguishable feature of our species, relies on women's brains to perpetuate. That much of what we study mainstream about how humankind came to be is attributable primarily to men's lives, angers me. The documented history of humankind is the documented history of the male, in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. 

The third takeaway is that the human species has all the cards stacked against it for perpetuation. We have one of the most glitchiest reproductive system among all species, one that is dangerous and potentially fatal to the mother, our offsprings have no chance of surviving on their own for several years since birth. That we'd grow to be a species of eight billion people is inconceivable in scientific terms. The reason we exist is because we are social cooperative animals, we collectively care for the young, and we take on the responsibility of raising young ones until adolescence. It is no exaggeration that an unfair burden of ensuring the survival of the species falls on the female, in terms of the effect of their own bodies, in terms of the years of caregiving that she is necessitated to do. 

It maddens me to no end that we are still fighting for our right to exist, to be safe from murder and rape, to have access to food, transportation and shelter, to have equal opportunities, power and pay. How many roads must a woman walk down before she gets to be!

Another book I am reading now is called Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez, a book on the data bias in a world designed for men. What we learn as human history is the male history, and women's history has either been forgotten or acitvely overwritten. Women's contributions to science, art, music and cinema is heavily underrepresented, she argues. As she very eloquently puts it, the male voice goes without saying, and the female voice is not said. What is stated as a human truth is likely the white male perspective, and in the Indian context that of the upper caste male.

Look at a hospital. Obstetrics and gynecology is the only specialty dedicated to women's health, in spite of evidence that common diseases present differently in women's bodies, and drug interactions are significantly different. Not as life threatening, still as serious, is the fact that women's literature is perceived as niche. As is women's music. Women characters in movies, movies with central female characters, speaking roles, are all much less than 50%, hardly representative of life. 

That we have a Bechdel test, one that lays down bare minimum criteria for representation of women, and that more that 40% of the movies fail even that, speaks volumes.

Why is this an issue? Because representation matters. What you see, you become. I had role models who were highly educated, I went on to be highly educated. I had role models of successful professional women, those I can learn from. I do not have role models of women who put themselves first, those that prioritized rest, those that put on the proverbial oxygen mask first. Those continue to be areas I struggle with to find the right balance.

Women's lives are significantly different from those of men, and the default being the male perspective, leads to women questioning their lived experiences, feeling isolated and the feeling of 'its probably just me, it's because there is something wrong with me'. 

The evils of social media are many, but one area where it has made a significant impact is the democratization of expression. The structural barriers to having one's voice heard, and one's truth being expressed, have been taken down. It allows for several niches to exist, and for people to find kinship and connection in line with there experiences and reality. To this, all marginalized groups owe it to social media. 

This idea of 'representation matters' is also why we need support groups and resources, specifically intended for women. Safe spaces for women to bring their whole selves, to share with the world their experiences, to serve as role models, and to provide inspiration and assistance to those who need it. Businesses that are women centric, that cater to women's needs as unique and different from those of men, are valuable to the society. They have always existed in the fashion space, it is heartening to see businesses in other areas - health, career, fitness, mental health. 

I am thrilled that I have amazing women friends that are making bold forays into some of these areas, driven by a passion to make a difference, to correct an injustice. Here's wishing power to them, may your tribe increase!

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For the uninitiated on the Bechdel test, here are the criteria for a movie to qualify: 

A. Should have at least two named female characters

B. They should talk to each other

C. They should talk about anything other than men

About 43% of all Hollywood movies made in the last 40 years, fail this test, and while it's getting better, it's not like all movies made in the last few years pass this test. 

In the Indian context, 45% of Bollywood movies fail the test, including some movies with strong female lead characters.