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.
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."
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| 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. |
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."
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