Looking for the Feminine Genius in Pop Culture, Part IV: "Post-Credits Scenes"

         Certainly, this little series has hardly scratched the surface of what we mean when we speak of the feminine genius.  And perhaps many parts could have been much better expressed.  This often the case in these posts. The process of working together with Amanda, Regina, and Alison on this makes me think of the students who encouraged me to begin this blog back in the days of the old Heart Speaking to Heart Symposium and I think next of the words of Saint Teresa of Avila: "What disorder in the way I write!  Really, it's as though the work were done by one who doesn't know what (he's) talking about. The fault is yours, (friends), because you are the ones who (encouraged) me to write this.  Read it as best you can, for I am writing it as best I can.  And if you find that it is all wrong, burn it."  I encourage you to take up the writings of the likes of Edith Stein, and for some reason this process has made me really want to read Flannery O'Connor!  Also, many contemporary women have some great things out there worth consulting - Leah Darrow, Crystalina Evert, Colleen Carroll Campbell, Lisa Cotter, Abby Johnson and Jennifer Fulwiller are just a few who come to mind.  Nonetheless, I do hope you've enjoyed this little series (go back to the beginning here).  This final post in the series will be a little more of a free-flowing assortment of thoughts and observations from my communications with Amanda, Regina, and Alison, as well as some additional thoughts of my own.

       A number of other examples and recommendations came up in the process of putting this together.  Alison mentioned her appreciation of some of the Disney animated films. "Disney movies are sometimes used as easy fodder for examples of female characters only written to be saved by the male lead, but I would disagree with that. Not wanting to go into all of them, Cinderella and Rapunzel especially are two examples that I think encapsulate elements of the Feminine Genius or authentic femininity pretty well. In Cinderella, Cinderella is essentially enslaved by her stepsisters and stepmother, but she won’t let their taunting and degrading behavior towards her get to her spirit. She is determined to always “Have courage and be kind”, which I think is pretty exemplary of the female genius. I feel like women are pretty resilient and can put up with a lot while keeping a smile on their face and a gentle spirit in their heart, and Cinderella does that. Additionally, Rapunzel (at least the recent animated Disney adaptation) tells the story of a young woman rescuing herself, chasing after what she wants and stopping at nothing to get there despite having doubts and insecurities along the way. In the end she’s willing to sacrifice her livelihood and happiness for someone she loves, To sum up: endurance in the face of adversity and the goodness of heart to be kind to those who are not kind to you, in addition to going after what you want and being willing to give it all up for someone you love I think are examples of true femininity, as they show both resilience and compassion."

While on the topic of animation, Amanda mentioned another example of complementarity and diversity, as it is a story about a family... a family of superheroes. "I like the portrayal of Violet and Elastigirl in the Incredibles. They are ordinary women with superpowers and they don’t change who they are but transcend themselves when the situation calls for it (which we are all called to). There is an interesting tension between Elastigirl and Screenslaver in Incredibles 2 - they are both united at the beginning in talking about how men don’t always understand them and how women have to support each other but then they diverge when Screenslaver wants to destroy the superheroes. And at the same time, Mr. Incredible tries to engage in what his wife had done in taking care of the kids, without losing any of his masculinity and adding to that process something of his own, which shows a nice balance between men and women complementing each other but not replacing each other, and each bringing something good to the table."

Phenomenal real-life example of the Feminine Genius

However, Amanda also responded to a question regarding any attempts to portray strong female characters that might be especially worthy of comment, in light of how they fall short. "In the most recent Ghostbusters, I appreciate having an all-female cast and a satirical tone in the movie. I appreciated Kate McKinnon’s character for her wittiness and humor. However, one aspect of the movie that I did not appreciate is the “reversal of roles” - instead of having an all-male team with an attractive female secretary, they had an all-female team with an attractive male secretary (Chris Hemsworth) who was also an airhead. While taken in the spirit of a comedy, it also suggests that “equality” in men and women means women also ogle at attractive men and make jokes at their expense, which, to me, seems like degrading both men and women rather than raising them up to the place they deserve."

I was grateful for her pointing out another misguided trend, namely apparently attempting to show equality by showing that women can also do the awful things that (some) men do when they are not living out authentic masculinity. Ocean's 8 seemed to contain a humorous little jab it at this notion, as the women prepared for their heist by saying they are doing it for all the little girls who dream of being criminals one day. Unfortunately, as I previously commented upon, Debbie Ocean did seem to emulate only the worst in his brother and rather than his potential virtues. I found it interesting that, within a year of this movie, Netflix rebooted the classic female master-thief Carmen Sandiego by re-envisioning her as a sort of quasi-hero who 'only steals from other thieves' and wants to take down an evil organization. Interesting that they chose to go the route of letting her use her questionable talents for an apparent good.

Are these the guys she wants to be "equal" with? Hmmm....

       Meanwhile, Regina mentioned in passing her appreciation of the feminine portrayals in Hidden Figures and Black Panther (more on that one later).  But, most of her thoughts focused on her focal point of choice: Mad Max: Fury Road.  Here is an elaboration of her thoughts on that: "All of the women throughout the film demonstrate a sensitivity that allows them to respond to others. We see this when Capable comforts the ailing Nux, even though he was just trying to capture them moments before. We can also see it in the way Furiosa and Max communicate: she very quickly understands his intentions and motivations despite his sparse dialog. This same sensitivity is what allows the group of women-warriors from which Furiosa was taken as a child to recognize her in her return. The wives (and Furiosa to a lesser degree) demonstrate a receptivity in their ability to follow the orders of those in whom their trust is placed. They know who will get them out of their battles alive, and they follow the orders necessary to do so. This receptivity is tested when Splendid is on the line, but at the assurances of Max and Furiosa (who also needs Max’s assurances at first) they realize that pressing on, no matter how horrible, truly is what’s best. Furiosa demonstrates her generosity in rewarding Max with supplies and a free ticket out of their operations. Although she wants him to stay, she recognizes that he is not obliged to, and gives him supplies that could keep her and the women alive for much longer had she kept them. The most stark example of generosity though is Splendid giving her life for Furiosa. (Uh, spoiler alert). She shields Furiosa with her body and the body of her unborn child, with the hope that Immortan Joe won’t risk the life of a healthy heir. Even with this confidence, though, the situation is far from safe or stable, and in the tumult of the chase she does eventually fall, sacrificing herself for the other women, while fiercely clinging to a will to live. And at the very end of the film, the women don’t hoard the bounty they acquire back at the citadel, but they also share it with the downtrodden masses there. These are not perfect women, but they are truly women. They show that the universal feminine values do not make for a uniformity in women, but each woman is uniquely feminine and while being complementary to their male counterparts (as seen in some of the dynamics between Max and Furiosa), they are also complementary to each other."

Meanwhile, Alison shared a few more examples: "Hermione Granger comes to mind because she’s incredibly intelligent and will do what she has to do to make things right, but she has a soft side too. She is stubborn and imperfect but she is celebrated nonetheless, and though she puts on a front of only caring about her academics and not about anything anyone else thinks of her, we get let into her vulnerable side on occasion and see that she does get affected by it. Even though Harry Potter is her best friend, she isn’t riding his coattails--she stays true to herself and establishes herself as an intelligent student and brave fighter." And also, "the main character of the Netflix film To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Lara Jean Covey, is incredibly realistic. She is genuine, kind, loves spending time with her family, gets embarrassed, makes some mistakes because she’s a teenage girl and isn’t perfect, feels ashamed of her mistakes but finds healing, is vulnerable, and is ultimately able to speak her mind and say what she wants. (It is perhaps of note that this film was both written and directed by a woman.) I found this character to be really refreshing. I appreciated that she was allowed to make mistakes but then also was allowed to receive healing from those mistakes, and that her family meant so much to her. They were present throughout the whole story, which was nice to see as often times the family of a main character is mysteriously absent for the entirety of the story arc."

Meanwhile, as well as providing us with many examples in pop culture, Alison also had some very interesting thoughts to share, to which I could not quite do justice in my summarizing, regarding what might missing or distorted in many contemporary feminine portrayals. It seemed to her that "the problem stems from writers and directors trying too hard to write a “strong female lead”. It results in characters that are really two-dimensional, the kinds of women that don’t exist in real life: she’s tough, her car breaks down on the side of the road and a guy pulls over to help but she sarcastically tells him off because she’s down-to-earth and has been fixing cars her whole life turns out, so she jokingly says something like, “What, are you going to rescue me or something?”, and all throughout the film/book/etc. will make quick laughing remarks about misogyny...... you get the idea. While there was an attempt clearly made, it lacks depth. I think in an effort to make female characters strong they go to either one of two extremes: (1) making her so adorably awkward and clumsy that it sets her apart from the “other girls”, she’s “different”, she plays video games and drives a truck, or (2) they ignore the compassionate, vulnerable, empathetic side; they leave out the parts where they’re scared, or confused, or trying to make sense of a messy situation and doing the best with what they have, or the parts where they genuinely mess up and have to own up to it. They give all this up in favor of the female characters who jump into situations recklessly and somehow never mess up, because even though women are strong now they still have to perfect. They can’t make mistakes, they can’t cry because that’s “unattractive and weak”, and they certainly can’t ever want children or a proper family because that’s limiting and old-fashioned. Surely any woman who can change a tire must not want kids because she’s a liberated female--she can change a tire, after all."

Nancy Wheeler (Stranger Things) might be a good example.
Pretty tough girl, but still stumbles her way through, sometimes getting it wrong.

As a final topic, I want to consider further Alison's notion that some modern writers and directors seem to be trying too hard to portray women as "strong female leads." This seems similar to a thought Amanda expressed: "'Prominent' female characters do not have to be the ones in the spotlight. Just because a movie does not feature a female lead does not mean that female characters are not valued. One of the strengths of the feminine genius is the ability to serve with or without being noticed but especially, having a large impact even if I’m not the main person in the mission." ***May the reader not suspect that saving this topic for last is in anyway meant to imply that the supporting roles are "where the women belong" or any such non-sense (for the record, I'm quite intrigued by the prospect of a new generation of Avengers, led by Carol Danvers). However, I do think a lot of great supporting roles should not be overlooked, just because they are not leads.

In elaborating her point, Amanda saw fit to look to the women of Black Panther (who impressed Regina, as well). She saw a clear example of her point in "Shuri (and Nakia)... in Black Panther, he has a number of strong female characters who support him, but they don’t need to be the ones in the foreground (such as) the point in the movie where the suit is offered to Nakia and she refuses - strength comes from knowing who she is and the role she plays. She does not need to grasp for something that is not her part to play, she has her own mission and she embraces it." Additionally, she also looked to some of the same characters for examples of how "female characters tend to favor protecting the weak while male characters perhaps prefer actions that will serve the “broader picture” - e.g. tension in Black Panther between T’Challa and Nakia over the preservation of Wakanda vs helping the weak countries around them." And finally, in noting "Female characters portray moral strength - they may frequently be placed in a situation where they do not have a lot of power to change what is happening, but their strength lies in doing the right thing even if it’s tough or even if it entails self-sacrifice. e.g. Nakia and Shuri take on Killmonger together even though they may be overpowered and they don’t know where T’Challa is. Okoye challenges her husband and says she will not hesitate to kill him if he endangers the people."

       When we consider supporting characters, we do find some other strong female supporting characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, besides the women of Black Panther alone.  If Pepper Potts were more consistently written she would be a great example.  In her better moments, she is, as she certainly draws the best out of Tony and holds everything together in many ways.  Similarly, Agent Peggy Carter pulls Steve out of his comfort zone and brings a lot of her own strength and confidence to the table, as she is constantly demonstrated (especially when you consider the two seasons of her own show: Agent Carter).

       But, the first example most will think of is the first official female "Avenger" (or so we thought, in light of what is implied at the end of Captain Marvel): Natasha Romanoff A.K.A. Black Widow.  We see examples of beautiful complementarity between her and Clint in both Avengers movies, between her and Steve in Captain America: Winter Solder, as they seem to draw different strengths out of each other.  We see a similar dynamic, but in a decidedly different way, between her and Bruce in Avengers: Age of Ultron.  This second pairing contained, not only an element of romance and the prospect of family, but also an interesting little reflection on the importance of motherhood.  If you look to that which those who seek to dehumanize, turning women and men alike into mere weapons, consider to be their greatest threat, you have certainly a stumbled upon a mark of the glory of humanity, and in this case, her uniquely feminine humanity.  But, even before these clearer examples, we see how she is capable, not only of drawing the strength out of people, but of drawing whatever is there to be drawn out.  We see her doing it to Tony all through Iron Man 2, to the men who she is interrogating, although they believe they are interrogating her, and finally to Loki in Avengers.  She uses her beauty, but not so much in a way that she is hiding behind, but rather she uses it as a tool that enables her to hide her strength behind the vanity of men.  In these ways, it can be said that she abuses her gifts, perhaps in ways that some would consider unfeminine.  But, we see her consistently seeking redemption and striving for more, as she calls those around her to more as well.  Consider when she proposes to Steve that maybe the solution "isn't about guns."  She then fights her way to Erik Selvig to reclaim him and appeal to him to help them (again drawing out the strength and goodness buried beneath Loki's mind-control, not unlike she did for Clint).  We also learn from her interactions with Clint that the girl striving to "wipe out all the red in her ledger," prefers to be "a spy, not a soldier," although she is more than capable of holding her own in a fight.  While she still has some interesting layers, in the more recent movies she has appeared in, it does seem as if her role has been reduced.  Although in Captain America: Civil War, she does serve an interesting role, as one who has been a sister to both Steve and Tony and seems rather torn between them in the best way, because she sees the best in both of them and their intentions.

Many lies pass as intelligence in our world today. 
And the Liar generally doesn't like it when his lies are exposed.

       Meanwhile, Gamora almost seems like a cross between Natasha and Pepper.  Like Natasha, she is trying to leave behind and seek redemption from a past of misusing her gifts.  But, like Pepper, she is also the romantic counterpart who manages to draw the best of out of a man who would be a mess without her.  Interestingly, both of these women are not only the conscience, but also the stabilizing voice of reason to their respective men, who are overly controlled by their emotions.  How's that for shattering the caricature, which Carol Danvers had to overcome, of the woman as being controlled by her emotions!       

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Looking for the Feminine Genius in Pop Culture, Part III: Captain Marvel

       We began this discussion with the importance of not compromising equality, complementarity, and motherhood.  Last week, we took it a step further to consider diversity and individuality, as well as the unique capacity femininity has to draw out the strength within others.  Besides the ever present example of Our Lady (Revelation 12), we have also considered St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, and the philosophy of John Paul II, who coined the term "feminine genius."  Within pop culture, we have considered examples from Bird Box, Leave No Trace, A Quiet Place, No Escape, Mad Max: Fury Road, Star Wars, Wonder Woman, Split, Glass, and Creed II.  At long last, we come to the movie that prompted this whole series.

Significant spoilers ahead for Captain Marvel.  If you've been reading the last two weeks,
You knew this was coming, so you've had time to see it by now...

Finally, onto Captain Marvel. I think we see the quality with which we ended last week's discussion, of drawing the strength out of others, in Maria. She is the one able to help Carol rediscover her identity and so to finally become the hero she was made to be, rather than the weapon the Kree sought to make of her. She does not do this by cracking a code or solving a mystery, but by appealing to relationship, to their deep friendship. It will no doubt make many women and girls happy that the portrayal of Carol becoming the hero in this movie, is very much about her becoming the woman, by rediscovering the truth of who she is as a woman. The Kree robbed her of her home and the relationships that helped forge her true identity, in order to seek to make her into a weapon they could use for their own purposes. The interaction between Coulson and Fury at the end shows how even S.H.I.E.L.D. could be tempted to view her, and other heroes, as weapons, rather than persons. But, Carol's quest to rediscover herself is about reclaiming her identity, her dignity and the relationships that matter to her. Nonetheless, the enemy is relentless, continually viewing her as a weapon. The final interaction with Ronan (called "The Accuser" - see Rev. 12:10) before fleeing the scene is very telling: "We will be back for the weapon." "The core?" "The woman." The enemy has pursued the woman since the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15), but the promise of final victory has always been hers in Christ (Revelation 12).

The relentless attack upon the woman is definitely boldly featured in this movie, but in a way that draws emphasis to the fact that part of the attack is precisely in the lie that she is weak and helpless. I would agree with this. However, I would urge women to not allow this lie to direct them to an alternative lie: "I don't need anyone." Strength is more than independence and it is certainly not found in the illusion of self-sufficiency. Part of the feminine genius is found in its unique capacity to reveal to us that the real strength in human nature is found in our capacity for relationship. The human person is made for communion, which causes us to help, support, encourage, challenge and strengthen one another and even to call one another higher by holding each other accountable. At times, Marvel has shown this well. One example that comes to mind is the beloved "Who says she's alone?" moment in Avengers: Infinity War when a handful of the female heroes band together on the battlefield (this certainly evoked a great deal of cheers in the theater I was in on opening night). This comes across fairly well in Captain Marvel, as well. We see it particularly in the friendship between Carol and Maria, but also in the friendship that develops between Carol and Fury. On the note of that budding friendship, however, it does seem that they enjoy showing Fury to be the oblivious, clueless man. But, in the end, this all comes to a point of slight nuance, as it becomes clear that Carol, too, has been deceived and together they uncover and fight for the truth, but only with the help of another race of peoples, who not only help her find the truth, but also offer her a glimpse of family. Carol's fight to overcome the lies that have held her back includes also the frequently referenced insulting caricature of the woman as one who can't control her emotions. Not only are her emotions not something that cause her to lose control, they are an aspect of her humanity, which enables her to draw upon her own inner strength by being in touch with our natural capacity for relationship, that is the true strength of humanity.

Amanda rightly pointed out, "female characters tend to favor protecting the weak... (and) portray moral strength... their strength lies in doing the right thing even if it’s tough or even if it entails self-sacrifice." We see this in a turning point in Carol's newfound partnership with Fury, when she turns around, in defiance of Kree orders, to go rescue Fury and bring him along on a quest to find the truth. But, we hear it even more directly in Maria's description of Carol, "the woman... risking her life... because it was the right thing to do." Amanda raised another concern, regarding the trend of extremely violent female-led movies, and her thoughts are strikingly resonant of elements of Carol's mission. "The logic (behind these extremely violent female characters) seems to be that the main characters in these stories tended to be male in the previous works and now making them female but having them play the same role gives it some novelty while emphasizing that a woman can match a man in terms of physical prowess and the ability to 'get things done.' While women can also be violent, I think physical violence is characteristically un-feminine." Now, while Carol is certainly ready and willing to be violent when necessary, her mission becomes clear, as she discovers who she really is and becomes that person again: "Not to fight wars, but to end them." Similarly, the task of finding a new home for the Skrulls becomes essential to her mission, which bears a slight resemblance to the maternal missions of Mallory (Bird Box) and Furiosa (Mad Max: Fury Road). As she sets out on this mission, it begins to look as if her encounter with the family of Skrulls and her reconnection with her own "real family" and her corresponding identity as "Auntie Carol" have enabled her to begin to take on some maternal characteristics.

Alison pointed out some uniquely feminine qualities, which Carol seems to exemplify boldly, namely that female characters tend to "show both resilience and compassion." She also had a very striking answer to the question: If you could change one thing about how prominent female characters are written, that would improve the images young girls would have when they open a book or go to a movie theater, what would you change?  Why? "I would establish that it’s ok to show weakness, because that doesn’t negate a woman’s strength. You can be both powerful and vulnerable, incredibly intelligent yet still make mistakes, joyful and yet sad at times, competent but confused, independent but still wanting a family, etc. It’s important to recognize how you’re feeling and own up to what mistakes you’ve made, but the bottom line should be that people are complex and a woman’s nurturing, intuitive side doesn’t lose its efficacy because that woman is also a strong leader, and vice versa." In some ways, I think Captain Marvel captures fairly well what Alison is calling for here. In other ways, it still has a ways to go.

The story of Carol Danvers certainly carries an emphasis on family and on the friendship that develops between all of the characters. Still, it certainly places heavy emphasis, perhaps more so, on equality, on the individual strength of the woman, than on this complementarity. However, her strength is clearly forged out of relationship. Hopefully, this element of complementarity can come across even better when she starts interacting with the other Avengers (that's the kind of thing those movies are best at, anyway). But, with it's emphasis seemingly on her individual strength and resilience, it does seem that it does run the risk of repeating the trend to portray feminine strength in such a way as to feed into the modern misconception that "women don't need men." Thankfully, it doesn't do this to an extreme degree. The fact that there is a beautiful complementarity between man and woman, which results in our need for one another,*** does not make either sex weak. It simply makes us human. I think one great aspect of the climax of this film is that, as Carol is discovering the lies that have been fed to her, and realizing that she was always strong after all (her strength is not dependent on what the Kree did to her), she does not rise to her feet with the words, "I am woman, hear me roar." Instead, she rises with the ironic twist on the tempter's own words: "I am only human." With all of her womanly strength, she stands up, not just for all woman, but to remind us all of the true strength of humanity. The "genius all her own," of which Saint John Paul II spoke is not something that makes her better or worse than males. It is the particular way in which femininity reveals to the world what it means to be human, to be made in the image and likeness of God.

I think we can learn some things from the way that Captain Marvel emphasizes the strength and dignity of women, hopefully helping some to overcome certain lies to the contrary, while also placing a strong emphasis on relationships. May we not allow the tragedies of sexism throughout the years to cause us to perpetuate the divide against one another and simply shift the direction of our offenses toward one another, so that men are now the ones demoralized - as some modern manifestations of "third-wave feminism" seem to do. Let us instead seek to uphold the dignity of one another and to better understand the unique contribution each has to offer, which helps us all to be the heroes we were made to be. We need one another. Strength is more than independence, and is certainly not found in the lie of self-sufficiency. We were not made to live lonely, isolated existences, taking care of everything on our own. We were made for communion with God and with one another. And I thank God for all the women in my life, throughout Salvation History and a few in fiction, who have helped me better understand this fact.

***Hopefully the fact that this is written by one who has embraced a call to celibacy indicates that, when I speak of "our need for one another" I do not in any way wish to perpetuate the very harmful notion that we are necessarily in need of a "significant other" or certainly that we should ever begin to place our value or worth in the presence, absence, or approval of that other.  That is such a harmful misunderstanding that wreaks so much havoc on people's lives.  Rather, I mean that we should embrace the relationships of various kinds (family, friends, coworkers, etc.) the Lord has placed in our lives and seek to better understand how we can learn from, support, and encourage each other.

Part IV>>>

<<<Part II: Diversity, Individuality, and Drawing Out Strength

<<<Previous Thoughts on Avengers (at end of post)

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Looking for the Feminine Genius in Pop Culture, Part II: Diversity, Individuality, and Drawing Out Strength

       Last week, we began the discussion (with Amanda, Regina, Alison and yours truly) on Looking for the Feminine Genius in Pop Culture by considering the importance of upholding both equality and complementarity, as well as understanding that we are considering the universality of human nature (as in, applies also to men as fathers, not just to women) when we consider the importance of motherhood in appreciating femininity.  We drew upon Edith Stein and St. John Paul II and were led to consider examples from Bird Box, Leave No Trace, A Quiet Place and No Escape.

Potential spoilers (some large, others smaller) below for Mad Max: Fury Road, Wonder Woman, 
Star Wars (The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, Rogue One), Split, Glass, and Creed II.

       As well as not compromising equality, complementarity, or the importance of motherhood, it is also not our goal to perpetuate stereotypes that limit our individuality.  Appreciation of the feminine genius does indeed include appreciating its many diverse forms, as it is incarnate in real human beings, each of whom is unique, unrepeatable, and irreplaceable (sorry, Beyonce).  Regina chose to focus her thoughts upon an example of a recent Hollywood film that seems to exemplify this well, namely Mad Max: Fury Road.  "The women of this film have dramatically different personalities. Their strengths lie in different areas, and they have varying levels of hope, compassion, and determination. Yet all of them are distinctly feminine though, perhaps, feminine to varying degrees." She goes on to discuss how each of the "wives" show their strength, their devotion to one another, their care for their unborn children (on the part of those who are pregnant), and their respect for one another, insisting upon their dignity, particularly in the willingness to sacrifice for one another. And all of this, even "though hardened by their captivity and sexual slavery." Of course, the example most in the spotlight is Furiosa herself who is a "brusque, physically strong, fighter," yet although, "in some ways, what is most apparent in her character are those traits we typically label as masculine," nonetheless she "demonstrates compassion, a maternal instinct for the women in her care, and a relentless pursuit of life that fuels her journey."

In an attempt to be balanced in my own comments, I feel I must acknowledge that it is my opinion that some of the criticisms some offer that this movie perpetuates some of the popular modern caricatures, which don't so much seek to eradicate sexism, but simply to reverse its direction against the "patriarchy" aren't entirely off-base. However, I do agree with Regina that it both captures striking glimpses of the goodness of femininity and also has a bit more nuance than some extreme criticisms acknowledge. It portrays both the strength of the women and a beauty that is clearly meant to contrast the extreme ugliness of the inhumane evil they are escaping (which happens to be a male-dominated society). I also think part of the nuance it holds can be found in how these women draw the best not only out of one another, but also out of the men who assist them: Max and Nux. Both of these men, for whom Furiosa vouches by insisting "they are reliable," undergo a kind of redemptive arc, which is aided by the women they encounter. Even if they understand their role as, at least partially, protecting the women, it is very clear how greatly they need the women in order to fulfill their own mission. The women help them to become all that they are capable of being and willingly allow the men to assist and even help protect them, although they know themselves not to be helpless damsels. In this way, this film captured well elements of the beauty of complementarity, as well as that aspect of the feminine genius, which uniquely draws the strength and goodness out of men and other women alike. Max is clearly changed by his journey with this woman who refuses to believe that "hope is a mistake," but instead sets out to seek redemption, by devoting all of her maternal strength to the liberation of these younger women, who are seeking hope.

       This same concept of complementarity and drawing out strength comes across in some of the recent Star Wars movies.  We see it particularly in the friendship between Rey and Finn (The Force Awakens).  While she is clearly a strong, independent woman ("Stop taking my hand!"), she also allows him to help her and continually calls hims to something greater (more on that here).  The moment she learns that it was his idea to rescue her, she embraces him.  She doesn't take his actions as a sign that he thinks she is weak and helpless, but simply as a sign that she is loved.  This quality is taken to a new level, as her relationship with Ben Solo is explored and she begins to seek his conversion (The Last Jedi).  Granted, this is part of how she plays the role Luke played in the first trilogy, as he reclaimed his father.  But, Luke's actions were rooted in his identity as Anakin's son, whereas Rey's way of proceeding seems to display a uniquely feminine strength, including the way she reawakens the strength in Luke himself.  This is also interesting because I think, in other ways, that movie is a good example of those bad manifestations mentioned above, that seem to simply reverse the direction of sexism, as every single male in the movie is portrayed as either a villain, an imbecile or a useless disappointment, while the females in leadership come across as condescending and belittling, displaying more arrogance, foolishness, and bad leadership than genuine feminine strength (see here for proof that I don't hate that movie, even though I strongly dislike a number of things about it). Finally, Jyn Erso (Rogue One) also seems to play the role of drawing out strength, in inspiring the righteous rebellion of the rest of the "Rogue One" rebels (more on Jyn here).

This notion was also well depicted in 2017's Wonder Woman. Though she was far from helpless and would end up leading the men in many ways, Diana willingly accepted the help of Steve Trevor and his compatriots. She believed in his goodness and helped to draw this out of him and the others. Amanda also was inspired by "the moment in Wonder Woman when she decides to reveal herself and fight in the trenches to help the soldiers, against the warning of Steve," as a moment displaying woman's moral strength. I would add that it also shows how she is drawing the strength out of them. When they follow her into battle, the look in her eyes does not say 'you came to rescue me,' but rather, 'you were willing to fight alongside me.' A couple of other examples hit the big screen more recently.  As discussed in January, Casey Cooke, of Split and Glass, exemplifies this beautifully.  The way that she is able, across both movies, to find and draw the good out of a man so deeply broken is incredible. We see this when her principal tells her Kevin has been arrested and detained, and she replies that she has been thinking a lot about him.  She clearly doesn't mean simply “reliving the horror,” while it certainly was that. She means to go back and finish what she began, because once she discovered the hurting man, trapped by the violent and deranged personas that keep taking the light, she began to desire, not only her own liberation, but his.  Also, Bianca in Creed II is a magnificent example of this uniquely feminine quality of, not only “supporting her man,” but drawing the best out of him. The scene in which she leads him into the final fight singing a song about her willingness to “go to war” with him speaks volumes. It offers a striking contrast to the previous failed fight, in which he entered to a song all about his own status as an “icon livin'”. Men need women, just as women need men, and this truth transcends marriage and romance.

One of the clearest ways that anyone can draw the best out of another is to inspire conversion.  More specifically, this is to tap into the deepest desire of the human heart, which is often suppressed, the desire for communion with God.  One great example in Salvation History comes to mind. Alison shared the example of a great saint who has inspired her: St. Catherine of Alexandria. "St. Catherine of Alexandria was a noblewoman in Egypt in 305. While she did vow herself to celibacy, ... the biggest part (of her story) is really that when Emperor Maxentius called her to debate her faith against the best orators and philosophers around, she converted them with her words. She spoke so eloquently in defense of the faith that pagans were becoming Christian despite the fact that it could only lead to their death at that time. Long story short, at a very base level I admire her rhetorical abilities, as I am a writer myself. More than that, though, I admire the fact that in the face of death and persecution she remained calm and refused to be broken (literally). She was strong and assured of what she believed in, she spoke confidently and intelligently, and kept a level head in the face of persecution. She showed that it was possible to be both a noblewoman and not only well-spoken, but good at debating in defense of her beliefs."

Part III>>>

<<<Part I: Equality, Complementarity, and Motherhood

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Looking for the Feminine Genius in Pop Culture, Part I: Equality, Complementarity, and Motherhood

     This month, the long wait of many fans finally came to an end with the arrival of the first female led superhero movie from the largest and most successful movie studio of our time (or any time).  During the wait, their competitor hit it out of the park with 2017's Wonder Woman, just to add to the pressure already building by the long wait.  While Marvel has brought some very interesting strong female heroes to the big screen, particularly in Black Widow, Gamora, Nakia, Okoye, Shuri, and Valkyrie, none of these characters had yet been entrusted with the burden of carrying her own film.  This honor would have to wait for the arrival of Captain Marvel.  This series will reach its climax with some comments on that portrayal.  But, just to add to theme of suspense and long waiting, we will first take the opportunity to more broadly consider some of the recent depictions of femininity in pop culture.  As a special treat, much of this consideration will not come from yours truly, but from some more qualified experts.  As I considered the many women in life who have inspired, challenged and enlightened me over the years, the choice of who to invite to be our expert consultants for this post soon became clear.  Since this whole blog grew out of the Heart Speaking to Heart Symposiums held at St. John's Catholic Newman Center at the University of Illinois, I am pleased to welcome to the conversation the three female presenters of that first symposium held back in 2015: Amanda Ang, Regina Rahimi, and Alison Mink.  Their quite extensive and excellent insights, combined with my lack of brevity, led to the decision to split this discussion up over four, weekly posts.

Potential spoilers (some rather large, others smaller) ahead for Leave No Trace,
Bird Box, A Quiet Place, and No Escape.

       Whether it is this past summer's Sandra Bullock led Ocean's Eleven spin-off (Ocean's Eight), the choice to make the Thirteenth Doctor (Doctor Who) a female, the 2016 female-led reboot of Ghostbusters (recently a source of controversy again, in light of its apparent imminent undoing coming up in 2020), the smashing success of 2017's Wonder Woman, or the new Star Wars trilogy centered around an unusually strong rising Jedi-sort-of-in-training who happens to be a female, it is safe to say that Marvel Studios is late to the party in choosing to center a movie around a female hero.  These and many other recent feminine portrayals can possess some uniquely well captured elements of what Saint John Paul II (Mulieris Dignitatem, Letter to Women) has referred to as the "feminine genius," which many have compared to the philosophy of Edith Stein (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross), as well as other elements that would seem to fall short.

       Amanda cited Edith as a source of inspiration for her. "This quote from St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross makes it easy to understand the particular gifts we have been given as women and inspired me to embrace my particular mission as a woman: “The soul of woman must therefore be expansive and open to all human beings; it must be quiet so that no small weak flame will be extinguished by stormy winds; warm so as not to benumb fragile buds; clear so that no vermin will settle in dark corners and recesses; self-contained, so that no invasions from without can imperil the inner life; empty of self, in order that extraneous life may have room in it; finally, mistress of itself and also of its body so that the entire person is readily at the disposal of every call.” The main point seems to be that women need to have strength of character so as to protect those she cares about... to be open and discerning enough that the 'small weak flame' of faith in the people she encounters (or in her herself) are not blown out, but encouraged to grow."

       Now, before going any further, let's clarify that when we consider the notion of woman have "a genius all her own" (JPII, again), we are not giving into stereotypes that draw strict, categorical lines of division and shatter the individuality of men and women alike.  We are simply also not allowing some of the modern trends, which misunderstand the very important good of equality and confuse it with sameness, to cause us to lose sight of the unique dignity of both women and men alike, arising from the beautiful complementarity in God's design.  Amanda stated the point well: "It is also a distortion to replace a male character with a female character and have them fulfill essentially the same role. It degrades the female because it suggests that we are essentially men and erases what is unique and essential about women."  Any attempt to make sense of what defines femininity and masculinity must constantly strive to hold up equality and complementarity together, even when they seem to be in tension.  For this reason, we would not wish to encourage narrow-minded notions that would presume that portrayals of feminine strength, goodness and beauty, whether in fiction or in reality,  are only appealing or inspiring to women or that masculine portrayals are only appealing and inspiring for men.  As men, we need the example of countless female and male saints alike to help us to become the men we were made to be, as well as the influence of relationships with the women in our life.  Likewise, fictional portrayals of female heroes/heroines (whichever word you like) can have a similar inspiring effect.

Just a few of the women who inspire me to be the man God made me to be. 
If you don't know about them, I encourage you to learn!

       Often, cultural or individual resistance to the Catholic understanding of feminine genius seems to lose sight of the fact that it is founded, not only upon this notion of equality and complementarity, but also upon what is simply true of the nature of the human person.  For example, the strong emphasis on motherhood doesn't sit well with some women who seem to fear that it is simply a perpetuation of the notion that women are simply made to be mothers who stay at home and take care of the kids.  This is not the case.  Those who are resistant to the notion that motherhood is key to understanding and appreciating women's unique "genius" should consider that we say the same thing to men, regarding fatherhood.  The human person is by nature a relational being who only becomes all that he or she is made to be once we step outside of ourselves and devote ourselves to others, which reaches its culmination in the experience of 'giving life,' nurturing, protecting and caring for that life.  Every woman is made to be a mother, in one way or another, lived out in different ways, within a diversity of vocations.  Similarly, every man is made to be a father, in one way or another, lived out in different ways, within a diversity of vocations.  Women and men alike will find that their contributions to the secular world will only be strengthened by seeking first to live their identity as mothers and fathers.  These relationships are what forge us into who we are, whether as men or as women.  Women often seem to understand this more intuitively, which is a gift to be cherished, not shunned.  Alison rather humorously commented on this popular shunning of motherhood, as she noted that it seems modern popular portrayals often seem to presume "they certainly can’t ever want children or a proper family because that’s limiting and old-fashioned. Surely any woman who can change a tire must not want kids because she’s a liberated female--she can change a tire, after all."

       There have been some interesting popular portrayals of the relational identities of women recently.  Recently, in the same week, I watched both 2018's Leave No Trace and the Netlflix smash hit phenomenon which closed out the year, Bird Box, both for the first time.  While these movies are very different, I found it striking how they both captured women/girls of different ages, growing into different important relational identities which are a part of their feminine identity.  Leave No Trace portrayed its lead girl as a daughter, showing both the tensions and the gifts of how her relationship with her father forms an essential part of who she is, as she grows into a young woman.  Meanwhile, Bird Box shows Mallory's motherhood being forged out of the desperate situation through which she must guide her family.  It's not always a pretty picture, to say the least, but there is a striking image in how (spoiler alert) their final arrival at the place of safe refuge enables her to finally choose to be who she is, fully embracing her identity as a mother.  Another interesting contrast to Mallory can be found in Evelyn Abbott in A Quiet Place, the beautiful 2018 portrayal of family, disguised as a post-apocalyptic horror.  While Mallory is rather begrudgingly growing into her motherhood, the constant maternal strength of Evelyn, with its beautiful complementarity with her husband, provide a stable place of refuge for their family within their home at every stage of the story.  Amanda brought up another example, the 2015 film No Escape, in which "Owen Wilson plays the father who moves his family to Southeast Asia for his work, but they get caught in the civil unrest of the country and have to flee for their lives. In the beginning of the movie, the mother of the family (Annie) is very unhappy with the move and laments the different circumstances they are in and the discomfort of the change. However, through facing the danger of death together, at one point in the movie, in spite of all the turmoil around them, she turns to her husband and says, “I’m glad we are all here together.” And in the end, even though her husband had left her in a safe place, when his life was in danger, she came out from where she was and ultimately saved his life. She did not have superpowers, she was a very ordinary woman, who, when the time came, stood up to defend the ones she loved."

          

     

Part II >>>

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