Tank in Somaliland. Does this make you think all Somaliland is engulfed in violence?
I am in the middle of watching the movie Half the Sky. Read the book when it first came out, thanks to an airport bookstore in Dubai.
Of course my favorite part is about Edna Aden’s hospital. That is where we lived for a week in 2003, the safest place for Americans in those days between three murders. I don’t have positive memories of the hospital but that is because we were two families in one small, unfurnished apartment, unprepared to spend a week. Two moms with toddlers and we never left that hospital. We hadn’t brought toys or books or underwear or diapers – it was an evacuation. Our husbands went out for food. They would bring back plastic bags of pasta which which we ate from the bag with our hands.
Yeah, not great memories.
But, an amazing hospital!
After the Child of Two Worlds came out in the NYT, a reader wrote that she was surprised I would give birth in Djibouti instead of at Edna Aden’s hospital in Somaliland which she had read about in Half the Sky. As limited as Boufard is here in Djibouti, it is still light years ahead of Somaliland’s facilities.
But, an amazing hospital!
But I’m not writing this post about the hospital. The issues the book raises of slavery and sex trafficking and education and rape and female genital cutting are real and powerful and deep and personal to me. I know the family of a girl who was sold last week. One of the reasons we live here is to work with locals on education issues. Cutting is a common topic of conversation.
I know I’m behind the times in talking about the documentary. Such is life in Djibouti. There are already fabulous reviews and critiques online so I won’t go in-depth.
Seattle Globalist. This article says pretty much what I think. The movie is good, important. Why on earth did Kristof need to bring along actresses who created such awkward scenes? Why couldn’t the women speak for themselves? Their stories are the powerful ones, not the shocked looks on Eva Mendes face or Meg Ryan’s cowardice.
Your Women are Oppressed but Ours are Awesome
Pop Matters. It opens with the quote: “All the girls have their own songs.”
My question is, if the girls have their own songs, why do we need the western celebrities?
I have the honor of participating in a blog series called War Photography with D.L. Mayfield. My post will come out in a few weeks and we are looking at what it means to present other people’s stories and how to do it in ways that give honor.
Sometimes it means stepping in. Sometimes it means stepping out. I don’t know if it means bringing in famous people for the shock value or the ‘bridge-character’ value as Kristof refers to them.
Girls in school. Which picture is ‘true’? Hint – the tank is all rusted.
Another issue is, when and how is it appropriate for westerners to criticize another culture? How can it be done without objectifying? Can it? I came away from the movie torn. Like I said, it is an important film and raises very real issues. On the other hand, it felt rather one-sided. Someone without a global perspective could come away and believe that all Cambodian men enslave preteen girls to brothels. Or all pastors in Sierra Leone get away with rape. Or that ‘our’ culture doesn’t battle with these issues. Or that all you have to do is smile and hug and make a movie to change an ugly situation. Or that there is nothing beautiful in these nations other than little girls who can smile through their suffering. And maybe a few wild animals and an orange sunset.
Kristof writes about others with himself in the picture. Katherine Boo, winner of the National Book Award for her Behind the Beautiful Forevers (my favorite book of the year by far), writes about Indian slum dwellers with herself completely absent. Is one better? More right? These are things I am constantly asking myself as I write about life here in Djibouti. For more thoughts like this, I’ll link you up to my post when it comes out and encourage you to read more of that War Photographers series (link above).
Did the celebrities help or hurt Half the Sky, the movie?
Sorry, the only reason most women will watch a show like halfthesky is because of the famous women. Like it or not, but they are to thank for people watching. Glad Kristoff was smart enough to recognize that. And glad those famous women traveled the world for it.
I guess a question I have though then (because your comment is true). Why is that true and can anything be done to change it, or Should anything be done to change it?
WTF??? Meg Ryan’s “cowardice”?
Celebrities bring attention to causes LIke it or not…and or in your case, not.
I’d rather them do this then spend time on a useless pointless film
She didn’t go on the brothel raid, because, by her own admission, she didn’t have that ‘adventure’ gene, which is why I wrote that. I appreciated her honesty – which is the opposite of cowardice. Right there is the nuance and complication of being human.
yes, I saw the program. Cant say I blame her being out of the way when cops invade a brothel.
These actresses were there with good intentions, and that’s a good thing. We need more celebrities with good intentions
I agree that they had good intentions and yes, more celebrities and more of the world needs to step up to fight injustice. I do think she was a bit naive about what going to Cambodia would entail – I think this is where the disconnect came in for me. A lot of people think about fighting injustice in theory and fewer do it in practice – in ways that require risk.
I saw parts of Half – wondered some of the same things. How to get people to listen to those going through – living – what was trying to be shown? It seemed like some of the celebrities were socially unaware of appropriate behaviors at time – like the necklace offering……
Thanks for bringing attention to real issues is our world.
I felt for her, she wanted to do something, her heart was breaking and overwhelmed, I’m sure. It just came off as uncomfortably awkward, you know?
so glad to hear your point of view–i was terribly disappointed by the films (after my initial excitement). it just feels so depressing that this is what we need in order to get people interested (the celebrity bit, i mean). i would really really like to know how kristof feels. and katherine boo, while amazing, has a lack of spiritual engagement that doesn’t quite work for me.
i would SO love for you to flesh this out for the series!
I’ve read some of his interviews and reasons for why he writes and works the way he does and I think he has valid points. But it can be over the top too – too much of swooping in to save and not enough sticking it out through the times when the ‘saving’ doesn’t go smoothly. I hadn’t thought of Boo as lacking spiritual engagement, but now that you say it, that’s a good insight.
I was wondering if you’d expand on that bit about Boo? Would like to understand that better and think about it more. Am just reading some interviews with her.
Interesting perspective Rachel, and I happen to agree with your thoughts, in particular, that the celebs didn’t add much to the stories of the women in SE asia/africa/india. And I tend to disagree that having them in there drew a wider audience, particularly since the movie aired on PBS….I don’t know, PBS watchers don’t strike me as people who care as much about celebrities.
But I do see value in including Meg Ryan and such that goes beyond the movie…what I mean is, yes, maybe some folks decided to watch the movie because of the celebs, but I think including them was an opportunity to inspire those celebs that participated to be transformed. For them to go out and draw attention to women’s rights in their own, future philanthropic work.
That’s a good point Melissa – both actually. About PBS and about inspiring the celebs – getting them involved in issues that are really important.
But…is it taking advantage of these women and girls to use them to teach those who are better off about the issues? I think about Jamie the VWM’s blog post Using your poor kid to teach my rich kids a lesson: http://www.theveryworstmissionary.com/2011/09/using-your-poor-kid-to-teach-my-rich.html