As far as women’s rights are concerned, there’s still a lot we have to work on—from legalizing abortion to making feminine hygiene products accessible for all. And while we’re at it, let’s keep celebrating the women who have made it possible for us to have the rights we’re enjoying now. The right of suffrage and education are all thanks to the women who fought against the racism, sexism and misogyny that were especially prevalent in those times.
It’s high time we start appreciating how far we’ve come as far as women’s rights go. It is through this that we can be more motivated to keep fighting for the rights we deserve. Here are some movies you can start with:
“Hidden Figures”
Set in 1961, “Hidden Figures” tells the story of three African-American women who fought for workplace equality in NASA by proving the men who refuse to credit them wrong. Not letting the workplace segregation policy (African-American women were designated in one room) affect their work, mathematician Katherine Goble, engineer Mary Jackson and supervisor Dorothy Vaughn powered through and contributed to the success of the Mercury-Atlas6 launch, the first American orbital space flight.
“Iron Jawed Angels”
“Iron Jawed Angels” follows women’s rights activists Alice Paul and Lucy Burns as they use peaceful methods of persuasion to lead the 1910 movement for American women’s suffrage. The film also shows the two women’s struggle as they try to reconcile their differences with the National American Women’s Suffrage Association, which disagrees with their methods. Eventually the two suffragists successfully worked with the association, getting President Woodrow Wilson to allow the passage of the Ninth Amendment of the United States Constitution.
“Frida”
Frida Kahlo was a crucial figure in the Chicano civil rights movement, the feminist movement and the LGBTQ+ movement through her art. “Frida” gives us a glimpse of her life, touching on how she found love while fighting for the causes she believed in.
“On The Basis of Sex”
This legal drama gives viewers a peek into the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, an advocate for the advancement of gender equality and women’s rights. “On The Basis of Sex” concentrates on Ginsburg’s education until the “Moritz v. Commissioner” case, a tax law case that Ginsberg took on because she was appalled at the court’s discrimination towards Denver bachelor Charles Moritz for a minor tax deduction for his mother’s caregiver. Despite his mother being dependent on him, the court denied his appeal simply because he wasn’t a woman —because the dependent care deduction only allowed this for “a woman or widower, or is a husband whose wife is incapacitated or is institutionalized.”
“She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry”
A documentary on the buried history of the women’s movement from 1966 to 1971, “She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry” shows the reality of dissensions on race, sexual preference and leadership. Through the testimonies about the challenges they face and experiences shared by activists Chude Pamela Allen, Alta, Judith Arcana and more, the filmmakers hope to empower men and women to fight for feminism and human rights.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
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