Mama's Watching: Thoughts on 'Girl Rising.'

If you have been keeping up with my recently-adopted fire-at-will method of blogging (like hell I'm not gonna copy write and market the crap outta THAT), you may have noticed disclosure statements at the bottom of some of my posts.  It is possible for bloggers to be offered opportunities to post on a topic for monetary compensation.  I have not had the chance to produce a piece for payment yet, but I hope that will change one day soon.

It is important when any blogger writes a sponsored/required/requested posts, that he disclose whether or not he was compensated monetarily for his writing.  I am always willing to write a post as part of a campaign if it is something in which I believe.  Although I can't say for sure, I don't think I'd ever post (even for money) about, say, sashimi grade tuna because I don't like sushi.  Same with tofu or vegan cheese.  Tried both, didn't like either.  If you ever see a post written by me about sushi that I have consumed, a post purporting that tofu is DELISHUS, or a post touting the alarming likeness of vegan cheese to that of full-on cow cheese, you'll know then that I've officially sold out to the man.  And I give you permission to call me on it.  Every blogger is different and we all have varying motivations.

Up to this point, 99.9% of the posts I have written have been extensions of ideas hatched in my own head.  While those are sometimes the most questionable and soul-jarring to read, a post of that ilk is as pure as my writing will ever, and can ever, be.  Please know, readers, that no matter what type of post I write--whether it's sponsored, required as part of an agreement I made, one for which I'm being paid cold hard cash, or just plain old sudsy drivel foaming right from my own brain down to my fingers... it will always be my voice you hear.  You know that Jackson Browne album "The Next Voice You Hear?"  Yeah, well, it will always be mine on The Grey Blog.  

Photo courtesy of bigpondmusic.com

  Love ya, Jackson.  And where would we be without "Somebody's Baby?"

Fast Times at Ridgemont High certainly wouldn't be the same if not for that little masterpiece. 

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"Aloha, Mr. Hand."

OK, enough pictures and clever captions.  Let's get to the non-meat protein of this post.  This post isn't part of a campaign, and I'm not getting paid to write it, so there won't be a disclosure statement at the bottom.  This is just raw, sashimi grade Mama opinion & thoughts on a movie she watched.  

Photo courtesy of 10x10act.org

I saw info about the movie, Girl Rising, on Facebook when my cousin posted a link about it.  I read, literally, about the first 3 second's-worth of description and found myself buying 2 tickets.  It sounded like the kind of flick that was right up my alley--education, girls' & women's issues, documentary, social injustice, a village raising a child.  Oh yeah, this was golden.  

It certainly seemed golden.  As I watched the movie on April 25th, I found myself wondering if my "problem" could ever be diagnosed.  "What is wrong with me?"  Why was I feeling so very jaded and blase about this groundbreaking documentary focusing on such important issues?  Issues that effect everyone?  Issues that are real problems in my world?     

Girl Rising is a beautiful movie and that cannot be denied.  It shares the stories of several girls from around the world struggling with their own unique (but common, at the same time) issues, in separate segments.  The segments were like mini-movies in themselves, as they began and ended independently of those that preceded and followed.  In between the segments, Liam Neeson's narration presented the audience with lots of startling, pertinent facts.  For instance, do you know what the leading cause of death is for girls ages 15-19 around the world?  AIDS?  Nope.  CHILDBIRTH.  Yeah.

The issue I had with Girl Rising was not the way it was made, or the stories, but more, the audience.  

"Wait, weren't YOU part of the audience, genius?"

Yes, and most of the people in the audience looked like me--white females ranging in age from late teens-middle age (40's, maybe).  I am not stating clinical facts about the demographics of this audience.  I am only mentioning what I saw as I looked around in a darkened theater.  

I felt like, as I watched this movie...showing a girl who, at my daughter's age, was sold to a "master" to clean and take care of his children because her own parents were too poor to take care of her...showing a little girl whose life was devastated by the earthquake in Haiti...showing a girl who was the victim of a rape, telling police her story, and then having the police tell her mother there wasn't really anything they could do about it... I felt like I wasn't the one that needed to be seeing it.  

A shocking thought, right?  "Of course you do!"  "Everyone needs to see a movie like this!"  "This is important!"

Yes.  Obviously this is important and all girls are entitled to their birth right of attending school to become informed, independent, well-adjusted citizens so they can go on to be effective professionals, nurturing mothers, and part of a balanced, loving relationship, if they choose to be those things for themselves.  This is NOT an unimportant movie.

But.  

Who do I believe needs to be watching this movie?  Elders in villages who think it's OK to kill girls who go to school.  Or parents who send their 8-year old daughters into arranged marriages with men in their 20's or 30's, thereby negating any reason for her to get an education.  Or dads who get pissed off at their daughters and kick them out of the house when they get raped, because their family is then seen as the scourge of the neighborhood.  Anyone that perpetuates the act/custom/habit of keeping a girl from going to school would probably benefit from seeing this movie.

I know that school is important.  Dada and I have 5 college & graduate degrees between the two of us, with a 6th on the way.  There are at least 7 teachers in my family.  My 3-year old is almost done her first year of preschool.  School is paramount, and beyond school, education is key.  

A 31-year old, white, middle-class woman who has a masters degree and has taught, knows that.  And I bet that most of the people watching Girl Rising with me on April 25th knew that already too.

I am fairly certain that the movie is being shown to raise awareness.  Awareness is important.  If someone doesn't know a problem exists, they can't do anything about it.  But I am still trying to work through in my own head how big of an impact this movie can have if it's not shown to precisely the right audience.  I'm thinking back to the first (and only) time I watched March of the Penguins, and, bawling my eyes out, I realized that the movie should be shown to deadbeat dads.  You get me? 

Cultures and traditions that are generations old are slow to change, and that's just the way it is.  That's why traditions are what they are.  But I can text to the prescribed number as many times as I want to donate $10 to Girl Rising, and for what?

What do you think?  Have you seen Girl Rising?  I hope you do if you get the chance, so you can get to thinking about it in your own way.  

Part of the reason I love to blog is because I can work my thoughts and feelings out, and give my readers a glimpse into my thought process.  You can kind of see how my mind works in a post like this.  I think a lot {surprise} and experiences don't leave me quickly.  

I am truly looking forward to your thoughts on the matter.  Help me broaden the conversation by sharing this post with anyone you think might be interested.  For more information on Girl Rising, check out the movie's official website.