Common Elements of Oppression

Common Elements of Oppression

When I was in my home country, I often believed that being a woman was hard. While I am in America, I realized that being a woman is doubly or triply oppressive than being a man.

Frankly, America is much more complicated than I thought. Before I came to America, the U.S. was a country that everyone was exactly equal, especially between women and men. However, while I am in America, my belief is shifting.

As I remember, I had watched many movies that reflected some kinds of strange realities but I thought it was just in the movies not in real life. Now I am rethinking some movies that told us the unfairness of American society: Thelma & Louise and The Accused.

In Thelma & Louise (Directed by Ridley Scott 1992), Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) are just ordinary women. They want to take a break and have some fun. When they are planning to take a short trip, they would never guess what will happen at the end. Thelma’s husband is an insensitive man and always tries to take control over Thelma. Louise’s boyfriend ignores her, so they decide to take a vacation together not telling Thelma’s husband or Louise’s boyfriend. Maybe they expect their mates would regret their behavior towards them. As the movie runs, their innocent and reasonable intention goes completely the opposite way. Louise kills a man who tried to rape Thelma. They rob a market and as a result, they begin to be chased by the police and finally they are confronted by an ultimatum: death.

I like this movie a lot because this movie shows women’s hardships and the society’s reaction and feedback properly through the main character’s journey, but I know some people dislike this movie. Even feminists dislike this movie because it is not a true feminist movie. They argument is that this movie pretends to be a feminist movie but actually the movie uses the symbols of masculinity such as guns and cars. Also, this movie shows two beautiful women’s body image a lot because the director might want to amuse the audience, so some of the critics do not want to define this movie as a feminist movie.

Even though some people think of this movie as not a feminist movie, I think I can find “Common Elements of Oppression” in this movie: blame on victims and stereotyping. Thelma and Louise are victims of the system of the society, but the society blames them not the system.
These kinds of phenomena are found in The Accused (Directed by Jonathan Kaplan, 1988) as well. When Sarah (Jodie Foster) was raped, society put the blame her rather than the three rapists. The reason why the society blames her is because she was drunk and acted like she was seducing them. Thus, the society believes she deserved to be rape. It is ridiculous, but this kind of stereotyping is represented in many movies and we can find that easily in our realities, too.

When someone gets hurt and the surrounding society puts the blame on them instead of consoling or helping them, is horrible and more of a tragedy. The victims must feel isolation and it will double the punishment for them. Certainly it is unfair.

For me, it is interesting because the director of Thelma & Louise is Ridley Scott who directed Blade Runner as well. In Blade Runner, I noticed the director’s treatment of women and I did not like it because the director made women a subject of objectification. He did not treat women as the same as men.

But in Thelma & Louise, he seemed much more understandable of women and I liked it. Especially, when Thelma wants to go to the police Louise says she does not want to go, because Louise thinks the police would not believe what they have to say because they are “women.” I like the director’s way of expression.

When I was in Australia, I had a chance to attend the NIDA (National Institution of Dramatic Arts). NIDA is famous for Mel Gibson who graduated from that school. I did not like one of the professors because he looked very arrogant. One day he said in class that “Thelma & Louise is a movie about two women and lots of assholes,” and suddenly I liked him very much. But just after that moment I felt somewhat of a sad feeling because I realized that I wanted male’s sympathy towards women. If something is justifiable and right, we do not need another person’s sympathy or agreement. Right is right, and justice is justice therefore, it must be unchangeable.
I have to admit that sometimes when I see certain types of women I do not see them through my own eyes but through the stereotyping eye of society. For example, when I read an article about a woman who abandoned her child, I became angry at her and believed that she deserved punishment instantly without considering her situation. Sometimes I would see a homeless woman in the street, and I thought she might not like to work. But I might be wrong. She might try to work but she might not be able to find any job.

Now I realize myself that I often stereotype people and maybe it hurts innocent people who need understanding and help. I am not a Buddhist, but in Buddhism it is considered a sin if one does something unconsciously but ultimately harms or hurts anyone. In a way, I often hurt people whom I do not even know by stereotyping or putting the blame on victims and if so, I have sinned. I think I have to examine myself and should more be careful all the time.