I'm Giving A Mini-Lecture On Comic Books

By Andrea Thompson

I have an announcement that is both exciting and nerve-racking. I'll be giving a mini-lecture about the increased presence of women in comics for the Comicbook Symposium at Cardinal Stritch on May 5!

It should surprise no on that in addition to being a huge movie fan, I'm also a comic book fan. I especially love the way comic books have expanded far beyond superheroes over the years. Not that there's anything wrong with superpowered adventures, but for the most part they used to be the only type of stories told in this particular format.

Needless to say, this is no longer the case. Not only are heroes getting more diverse, the stories they tell are too, with graphic novels often subverting the classic conventions of the genre (with Watchmen being the most well-known example) and becoming the go-to format for memoirs as well as other more complex genres and subjects.

And more variety means those who were traditionally sidelined or not represented at all are increasingly taking center stage. So for my talk, I'll be discussing how women have become more prevalent, both as characters and as creators.

The event will take place at Cardinal Stritch University at 6801 N. Yates Road on May 5 in Milwaukee. Doors open at 5 pm, with the event starting at 6. More info about the event can be found here.

For Janelle Monáe, Empowerment Comes In PYNK

By Andrea Thompson

So Janelle Monáe just dropped a new video, “PYNK,” yesterday, and it is...something. Something as in possibly the most open celebration of the vagina ever. Janelle Monáe dances in pussy pants. If you somehow haven't watched this video and think that's a euphemism, just see below:

Monáe's latest music, such as “Django Jane” and “Make Me Feel” has been even more female-centric, but in this one she really doubles down, with practically every frame shaded pink and purple, a neon sign in the background reading “pussy power,” and lyrics like “Pink like the inside of your” while opening and closing those pants. In case the meaning is somehow lost on us, there's also images like grapefruit, with other lyrics such as “Pink like your fingers in my” and “Pink like your tongue going round.”

The video is also provocative in other ways:

Also, how can you avoid a more political callback? It's already inspired Planned Parenthood.

And since “PYNK” is another one of Monáe's best offerings, both musically and visually, it wouldn't be complete without Tessa Thompson being featured heavily. The duo is quickly becoming iconic, and here's hoping she keeps showing up. One of my favorite reactions to this video involves people calling Janelle Monáe and Thompson a “music video couple.” Uhh, really?

Let's call it like it is. They're clearly ready, and so are we. I would go into detail about this, but Autostraddle already did. For me, I love how many different black women are in this video, and how Monáe manages to celebrate them even when she's sexualizing them.

Draw your own conclusions about what else this is celebrating; it's not hard. The female gaze really does feel revolutionary in this, and it's a great sign of the times when something like this is mainstream. And if you've managed to miss this video, educate yourself:

How Do Women Deal With Beauty Standards Today? It May Surprise You.

Photo credit to The Cut

By Andrea Thompson

One of the most painful truths every woman has to reckon with is that her actions don't matter nearly as much as her looks. For most people, this will define a woman. It's not how hard she works, how smart she is, or how much she achieves. Attention will only be paid if you are considered beautiful enough to warrant it.

Today, two very different stories have discussed this, and it's brought out some of the ugliness women are capable of inflicting upon each other. One of them is less easy to sympathize with, admittedly. Yesterday on The Cut, there was an article published. The title? “What It's Like to Go Through Life As a Really Beautiful Woman.” It's hardly surprising that this has attracted a lot of negative reactions, and you can hardly blame a lot of women for having some trouble sympathizing. But as others have pointed out, there's also a lot of examples of how women absorbing all the insane beauty standards they're subject to can affect how we treat each other so drastically. There are stories of other women trying to make it look like she was an alcoholic, of breaking up her engagement, and of isolating her socially.

Unpopular opinion (maybe):

That "What It's Like To Go Through Life As A Really Beautiful Women" piece could have been really good. Maybe not as an as-told-to, though.

Beauty privilege is a topic we need to discuss more.

A lot more.

— Jessica Wakeman (@JessicaWakeman) April 3, 2018

To her credit, this woman also recognizes many of the incredible privleges her looks have given her. Well, to a certain extent. Her beauty opened so many doors that now that she's older, she seems unsure of how to cope with that lack of attention. She worked on the issues in her marriage less because she wanted to stay, and more due to a fear of rejection from men, which was something she'd never experienced. It ends up being heartbreaking in ways she probably didn't intend. Sure, beauty will get you in the door, but there has to be more to you than that. You have to work hard to stick around, and this woman just took the easy way out. She basically coasted on her looks without wanting the party to end. Now she feels lonely and starved for attention, even though her experiences later in life have made her a better person. So in the end what this article makes clear is just how much beauty standards end up hurting the women who somehow manage to meet them too. When so much comes so easily, it ends up not leaving you with much at all.

On a lighter note, some women have decided to have a little fun with this concept. There have already been examples of how women are treated by many male authors in the literary canon, but podcast host Whit Reynolds (@whitneyarner) challenged women on Twitter to describe themselves the way male authors would. And the results have been hilarious. Of course, some guys have described how insecure this has made them:

This concerns me deeply; I want to get into writing--had this story rattling in my head for years--but this makes me feel like I don't dare try writing female characters.

— Chuck L. Finley (@TARDIS_Junkie) April 2, 2018

And have been reassured that there is a solution:

Just treat them like people, Chuck, it ain’t that hard

— Kate Leth 🦇✨🌈 (@kateleth) April 2, 2018

There just may be hope for us all.

Teen and Preteen Girls are At The Forefront In The March For Our Lives

What a time we live in. Activism is back, and it's bigger than ever. People are FINALLY starting to do something about the gun violence epidemic, and companies are responding by actually breaking ties with the NRA. It seems like even those who've done business with them have wanted to sever ties for years; they just feel like they have permission now.

And why not? An estimated 20,000 people attended the march in D.C., celebs of all kinds, from Paul McCartney to Kim Kardashian, also joined. My social media exploded with images of them not only them, but practically everyone in my network, who also went out to march. Thousands also registered to vote.

But one of the most remarkable things I noticed was who was taking the lead for the most part. In past progressive movements, we typically saw women and their concerns get shoved to the side, but not so much this time around. The future is truly female, because it's women, hell, teens and preteen girls really, who took the lead. Martin Luther King's 9-year-old granddaughter Yolanda Renee King recalled her grandfather's words as she shared her own dream of a world without guns. 11-year-old Naomi Wadler made sure the pain of girls and women of color were not forgotten. And of course, 18-year-old Emma González, a survivor of the Parkland shooting, has become a major force in the fight for change. Her time at the podium, which lasted exactly as long as the shooting at her school, was brilliantly heartbreaking.

This type of movement seems to be the one we need. It is inclusive, driven by the young, and frightening the people on the far right. Already, false stories about González have been circulating, as these young people passionately refute the claim that they're unable to understand the policies they want to change. And many of them will be old enough to vote before too long.

As Cameron Kasky, another Parkland student said, “Welcome to the revolution.”

A Great Night Supporting Female and non-Binary Comic Book Artists

Going out and supporting the art women make is a great feeling. But when that feeling is accompanied by snacks, drinks, and pizza? Well, that's even better.

Such was the case at Women's Comics Night, which is a monthly hangout at Challengers Comics in Bucktown in Chicago. I'd missed the last meeting, and I'm so glad I made it to this one. I arrived a little late, and I was pleased to see the room off to the side for the panel, comprised solely of female and non-binary (well, one) artists was already underway. And packed. Luckily, I managed to find a seat, and so I kicked off a very fun evening.

Since I've been so focused on movies, it was also an opportunity to catch up on what was happening in the comics world. I knew I was behind, but I had no idea that there was now a Rogue & Gambit comic, particularly sad as they're one of my favorite couples ever. I was also unaware of just how much indigenous comics there were, as well as a comics convention devoted solely to indigenous artists. Also, that women were drawing comics about sex education, all the stuff they were doing that just involved a kind of expansion from superhero comics driven by a need to see their stories, or just different kinds of stories out there while doing what they loved. And some of them weren't even artists. They were just nerds who came because they were curious and wanted to support female artists too. Afterwards, there was plenty of chatting with the panelists and pretty much the entire audience that stayed to mingle.

Nights like this always mean so much to me because they completely disprove so many of the negative attitudes that I was fed growing up. The ones about how women only compete with each other and are never supportive. About how few women there are compared to men making and doing things. Events like this make me wish so badly for a time machine so I could go back and tell the younger me that not only is this wrong, that I'd be helping to disprove these things myself when I was older.

If you're in the Chicago area, check it out! Turns out this place has a ton of monthly events, and they really emphasize spreading the word about the great work women are doing. Check out the site here, and Facebook page here. Until next time!

Rotten Tomatoes Alternative Launching Soon With Women-Only Critics Site

This article first appeared on The Young Folks. To check it out click here.

Men don’t only dominate the popular culture that’s released, they also play a major part in how we interpret and react to that culture. Film critics are generally white and male, and they often play a significant role in deciding whether a movie is worth our time and attention.

But a new site, CherryPicks, aims to offer a new perspective by only featuring works by female critics, giving audiences an alternative to sites such as Rotten Tomatoes. Founded by Miranda Bailey (The Squid and the Whale, Diary of a Teenage Girl), an actor and producer, and author and entrepreneur Rebecca Odes (gurl.com, wifey.tv), the site aims to become the leading voice for the female perspective on media.

“The timing is perfect, “ said Odes. “The male-dominated culture of Hollywood has reached a breaking point. It’s time to start building the Hollywood of the future—one that recognizes the multi-tiered problem of gender bias—and correct it every step of the way.”

CherryPicks will also have its own rating scale, which is below:

Bowl of Cherries: Great. Must see.
Pair of Cherries: Good. Recommended.
Single Cherry: Mixed. You might like it, you might not.
The Pits: Self-explanatory.

The site will also have a system called the CherryCheck, which will “offer easy access to information relevant to women as media consumers, using the female lens, expanding on The Bechdel test to evaluate films according to on- and off-screen gender representation, and other content considerations relevant to women.”

“For years now, our industry has been proclaiming that we need change to include more minorities and females on both sides of the camera,” said Bailey. “This would be impossible to do in a speedy fashion, unless we can change the perceived desires of consumers. How can we possibly change what consumers consider good and worthy content if the majority of critics who tell them what to want are predominately older white males? I’m hoping CherryPicks will prove that female artists, crew, and stories are valuable for our industry to invest in, thereby influencing Hollywood to move towards equality in a more timely fashion.”

The site will launch this month with Cherry Bites, an email subscription service which will highlight female viewpoints on film criticism and media. Later this year, CherryPicks will also launch its multi-platform site which will include original content such as podcasts, reviews, Top 10 lists, and interviews with women who work in the industry.

Goodbye To A Place With A Whole Lot Of Film Girl Film Festival Memories

It's the end of an era for the Film Girl Film Festival. One of my favorite local coffee shops, the Pleasant Kafe, has closed. It had switched owners before without changing too much, which I was glad of. But now I'm genuinely pained to see it gone for good.

I suppose I was part of the problem. I hadn't really stopped by since I moved out of the lower east side to Bay View, where I made Sven's my new place to work, and even less since I moved to Chicago. But I remember when I lived in the area and practically made the Pleasant Kafe my office, especially during the first year when I was running the film festival by myself.

Not only that, it was a great place to network. I met the other women, Kenlei and Crystal, who would work with me on the festival there. I heard about other Milwuakee artists and organizations. My friend and fellow writer Matt Mueller interviewed me there about the festival for OnMilwaukee. I liked the coffee, I liked the setup, I liked the food. But I too started spending less and less time there even when I came in from Chicago. I guess some places you just always expect will be there.

I hope whatever comes next is just as enjoyable, but I have a very strong feeling that it'll never mean as much to me as the Pleasant did. Goodbye, Pleasant Kafe. Thanks for all the great coffee and memories.

On International Women's Day, A Few Thoughts On How Far I've Come, And How Far I Still Have To Go

It's International Women's Day, so it's a good time to reflect on how the Film Girl Film Festival has grown over the years. Granted, this is only my third year, but still.

First off? Let's just say ignorance is bliss. Generally, I'm not a huge fan of not knowing what's coming, but I'm kind of glad I didn't know just how much I was going to go through that first time. I had almost no guidance. I started the film festival myself, with no organizational backing. To comprehend just what I'd gotten myself into (and the times I wondered that was more than I could count), consider I had no experience in putting on such a massive event like this, and I also had no staff. Sure, I had plenty of people who were willing to help, especially once they saw I was serious. But mostly, it was just me writing press releases and keeping the media informed, watching and choosing the films, determining the schedule, getting sponsors, raising money, building and updating the website, finding the location, arranging the opening night party festivities, coordinating volunteers, running the festival equipment during the fest itself, and finally, setting up and taking everything down.

Needless to say, by the time it was all over, I needed a day off to lie around on the couch, which I happily took. Actually, more than one. It wasn't too hard, since the day job I had, or rather, stayed stuck in for years let me go about a month or two before the fest. Why? Because I'd gotten a 94.91 instead of a 95 on an assessment after being there for...well, years. I truly wish I could say I'd left rather than getting fired, like so many others had. But when I walked out, I felt freed rather than bitter. It may not have been the best timing, but it felt like I was finally making the necessary changes.

I hope all this makes it easier to understand just why I wasn't sure I wanted to put on the festival again. Just the thought of going through everything again exhausted me. But then the 2016 election happened. And that decided things. Sure, the fest was a relatively small thing, but I felt like I needed to do it again. This would be my own way of saying that not only would I not shut up, I'd do my part to make sure other women were heard too. Once I committed to it, things happened quickly. I found that new problems quickly sprang up to replace the old, but for once I was happy to have them. When your issues are due to growth, that's a lot easier to handle.

The big thing was I met the two women who would work with me. One was Crystal Schreiner, who would help me build the Film Girl Film Festival into not just an event, but a brand, with a new site and logo. The other was Kenlei, who would help me fundraise and find new sponsors. Interestingly enough, I met them both at the coffee shop I would go to, the Pleasant Kafe. It's since changed owners, but thankfully it's still there. Local coffee shops really are the best for all purposes, including networking.

But the biggest change came from being awarded a grant from the Women's Fund of Greater Milwaukee. Hell, I didn't even apply for it. Money changes things, and having spare cash that I could use to spend on the fest changed everything. Suddenly, my profile was bigger, people were taking me more seriously, and I learned even more about how to make best use of funds. (Like paying Crystal and Kenlei, although that was more of a given.) And it had results. For my second year, I learned about how to build a brand, give the festival a higher profile, and get even more people to attend.

So for 2018, there was never even a question of whether I would do it again. For the third year, I changed the name to the Film Girl Film Festival, and decided to try and make it an official nonprofit. I set up a GoFundMe, opened the fest for submissions, and made the move to Chicago (don't worry, fest is still staying in Milwaukee!) for more professional opportunities. To get a sense of just how much things have progressed in just a few years, here's the essay I wrote after my first year, with my old logo: https://www.theyoungfolks.com/review/85918/six-things-i-learned-from-starting-a-film-festival/. But if you wanna skip the read, here's the logo from my first year:

For the second year, here's my new logo:

And the current one:

So what comes next? I'm still in uncharted territory, but I'm happy to say at the very least, a really great event celebrating women in film.

The Film Girl Film Festival will occur from Oct. 12-14 at the Underground Collaborative in Milwaukee, WI. To donate to the fest, click here. To submit, click here.