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[PaperClip]

I don't have a direct response to your question, but as I read your post, it made me think about this documentary called "Blue Eyed, Brown Eyed" by Jane Elliott that deals with race and gender issues in society (it's quite profound. I highly recommend it!) Anyway, she says these two comments in the film: "Get over cute and get competent." Here's a related part of the transcript:

Now, people of colour, particularly blacks, who see the film "The Eye of the Storm" which was made in my classroom the third year I did the exercise, say to me when it's over "That's the way I live every day of my life." And that in what we call "the land of the free and the home of the brave". We have created an enviroment in this country for 11 to 12% of our population in which they feel the way the Jews felt in nazi Germany.
White people say to me "I don't see it that way" - of course they don't see it that way, they don't live it that way. We do not live the same reality in this country. White people do not live as people of color do.

In the workshop
Jane Elliott: Now I need to know - how did you feel about what you went through this morning. The words that you've written came out of your feelings, right? Nobody elses. O.k., read your three words.

F: Confused, sad and some humour.

Jane Elliott: Sad - any of you people sad this morning? You look sad, what were you sad about?

F: I was sad, because I had to stay on the carpet, I didn't get any coffee, I didn't get any donuts.

Jane Elliott: Valley girl? - like "wow, man". And I'll tell you something else.

F: Yes.

Jane Elliott: I'm going to give you a really valuable piece of advice. Get over cute!

F: Aha, o.k.

Jane Elliott: Now, I'm absolutely serious about this. Get over cute, because you'll be cute until you are about 45. And then at 45, you won't be cute any more, you'll just be an old broad. There'll be whole bunch of 18 to 40 year olds there who are cuter than you are. And at that point, you'll say "I want that promotion". And somebody will say to you "Well, let's see, I don't think of you as qualified, I just think of you as cute".
And then you're going to howl "sexism". Females, get over cute! Get competent! Get trained! Get capable! Get over cute! And those of you who are called Patty and Debby and Susy - get over that, because we use those names to infantilize females. We keep females in their little girl state by the names we use for them. Get over it! If you want to be taken seriously, get serious! Get over it!

Why didn't you defend her?

M: It's like if you are picking on her, you are not picking on me. That's all by the rules I kind of saw it's like I'm just going to sit back and lay low.

Jane Elliott: And let her do it to them. It's what makes racism work, people! It's what makes homophobia work, people. It's what makes sexism work, it's what makes agism work. To sit back and do nothing is to cooperate with the oppressor. As long as you folks did nothing, I was free to do whatever I chose to.

M: I think the thing that made me most scared was when we talked about the -, just doing this for a day and how it really is a lifetime thing for so many folks.

Jane Elliott: Why did that scare you?

M: It scared me -, I really got in touch with the incredible injustice, that I'm a part of. It really scared me. I guess part of the biggest thing is that it's really hard for me to believe that one person can make a difference.

Jane Elliott: Have I made a difference in you?

M: Yes.

 

[Isis]

I don't have a direct response to your question, but as I read your post, it made me think about this documentary called "Blue Eyed, Brown Eyed" by Jane Elliott that deals with race and gender issues in society (it's quite profound. I highly recommend it!) Anyway, she says these two comments in the film: "Get over cute and get competent." Here's a related part of the transcript:

Now, people of colour, particularly blacks, who see the film "The Eye of the Storm" which was made in my classroom the third year I did the exercise, say to me when it's over "That's the way I live every day of my life." And that in what we call "the land of the free and the home of the brave". We have created an enviroment in this country for 11 to 12% of our population in which they feel the way the Jews felt in nazi Germany.
White people say to me "I don't see it that way" - of course they don't see it that way, they don't live it that way. We do not live the same reality in this country. White people do not live as people of color do.

In the workshop
Jane Elliott: Now I need to know - how did you feel about what you went through this morning. The words that you've written came out of your feelings, right? Nobody elses. O.k., read your three words.

F: Confused, sad and some humour.

Jane Elliott: Sad - any of you people sad this morning? You look sad, what were you sad about?

F: I was sad, because I had to stay on the carpet, I didn't get any coffee, I didn't get any donuts.

Jane Elliott: Valley girl? - like "wow, man". And I'll tell you something else.

F: Yes.

Jane Elliott: I'm going to give you a really valuable piece of advice. Get over cute!

F: Aha, o.k.

Jane Elliott: Now, I'm absolutely serious about this. Get over cute, because you'll be cute until you are about 45. And then at 45, you won't be cute any more, you'll just be an old broad. There'll be whole bunch of 18 to 40 year olds there who are cuter than you are. And at that point, you'll say "I want that promotion". And somebody will say to you "Well, let's see, I don't think of you as qualified, I just think of you as cute".
And then you're going to howl "sexism". Females, get over cute! Get competent! Get trained! Get capable! Get over cute! And those of you who are called Patty and Debby and Susy - get over that, because we use those names to infantilize females. We keep females in their little girl state by the names we use for them. Get over it! If you want to be taken seriously, get serious! Get over it!

Why didn't you defend her?

M: It's like if you are picking on her, you are not picking on me. That's all by the rules I kind of saw it's like I'm just going to sit back and lay low.

Jane Elliott: And let her do it to them. It's what makes racism work, people! It's what makes homophobia work, people. It's what makes sexism work, it's what makes agism work. To sit back and do nothing is to cooperate with the oppressor. As long as you folks did nothing, I was free to do whatever I chose to.

M: I think the thing that made me most scared was when we talked about the -, just doing this for a day and how it really is a lifetime thing for so many folks.

Jane Elliott: Why did that scare you?

M: It scared me -, I really got in touch with the incredible injustice, that I'm a part of. It really scared me. I guess part of the biggest thing is that it's really hard for me to believe that one person can make a difference.

Jane Elliott: Have I made a difference in you?

M: Yes.

I remember "Blue Eyed, Brown Eyed", a great documentary!

 

[PaperClip]

I remember "Blue Eyed, Brown Eyed", a great documentary!

I watched it in class last year.... I was outraged, intrigued, and emotional all at the same time....