Dear Matt Damon,
Words cannot express how disappointed the Feminist Internet is with you over the recent video (1) of you talking with the acclaimed director, Effie Brown. The video shows you interrupting her, and then, gobsmackingly, telling her how diversity is best achieved in the film industry.
After I watched it, I thought, “He's not doing anything that white feminism hasn't been doing for years; attempting to speak for/silence black voices.” Then I thought about how, in order to remain a great feminist, you really need to understand intersectional feminism. And although it gets tiring having to explain these things in ways which don’t offend our male allies, I genuinely think you’re worth it. Not only because if you had a better grasp of this you’d be a better feminist – and you have the platform from which speak, but also because you’re an intelligent, thoughtful, compassionate person who I think made a mistake.
Now, obviously I don’t know the details of the project. So I’m not going to talk about the artistic direction of the film itself (even though, from an outsider’s perspective, Brown’s critique of the problematic set-up of the only black character being a prostitute who gets slapped by a white man needs careful consideration).
Instead I’m going to talk about the specifics of your interaction with Effie Brown.
[Disclaimer: I’m a white feminist who tries hard to be an intersectional feminist but no doubt sometimes fails. I’m going to do my best, as a linguist, to unpick the layers of power and gender and race and language that are going on here. Please Google other perspectives as well. For example here (2) is a great article about how to be a white ally: “Diversify your media. Be intentional about looking for and paying close attention to diverse voices of color on television, on radio, online and in print to help shape your awareness, understanding and thinking about political, economic and social issues.”]
Firstly, let’s talk about interruption and speech. I’m going to borrow from this (3) article, which, incidentally, cites study after study confirming that contrary to popular belief, men speak more than women. It’s simple: “more talk is associated with higher social status or power.” Interestingly, however, men generally are not able to accurately perceive who talks more. When Dale Spender (4) asked students in Australia to estimate who talked more, men thought the discussion had being “equal” even when women spoke only 15% of the time. When women spoke 30% of the time, men perceived them as having dominated the discussion. What has this got to do with you? Well, for starters, listen to women. When they have something to say, let them say it.
Furthermore, the optics of a white man interrupting a black woman are extraordinarily damaging. Acknowledge your white male privilege, Matt (5), and with all due respect, shut the fuck up. People are going to listen to you regardless.
“Men who want to be feminists do not need to be given a space in feminism. They need to take the space they have in society and make it feminist.” (Soultired, Tumblr)
This was an opportunity for you to hear from the marginalised, discriminated-against perspective that you were including in your film. And you lost it. I think that undermines the very integrity of the film. If you’re not interested in including those perspectives in the very fabric of your creative process then that makes me want to see your film a whole lot less, if I’m honest.
Let’s not forget the power dynamics of the context – as the only black women (and black person) in a room full of white voices, she negotiated that moment as diplomatically as she possibly could. I’ve watched the clip through several times, cringing at the way you repeatedly spoke over her attempts to defend her position. Now, I understand that you had a specific remit in that room. But you silenced the only voice which tried to, in your own words, “throw a broader net” given that it’s “high time for that to change.” Make no mistake, your body language as well as your language gave a clear signal in that discussion: “I’m not interested in changing anything as a result of what you’re saying.” Paying lip-service afterwards regarding how glad you were she brought it up is frankly condescending.
I wasn’t going to talk about the talking head in which you argue that merit is the only factor that should be considered when hiring. But I cannot believe that you don’t understand how power structures work to prevent certain demographics accessing the necessary education and experience to succeed. Honestly? You’re too intelligent not to grasp the industry’s role in perpetuating biased hiring (6). Look at the creative team like any other job sector. I think you’d agree that there are not enough women in engineering, or that stereotypes discourage men from becoming nurses - both of which are ridiculous.
But the creative world has one crucial difference. Neither stereotypes nor education are holding women back - there are PLENTY of women directors and producers out there. Which makes the startling lack of them being hired to direct mainstream films even more insidious. This problem is magnified when it comes to race. In the 100 top-grossing films of 2014, only five were Black, and only one, Ava DuVernay (Selma), was a Black woman. (7)
Now we come back to you Matt. You have amassed a loyal following, and a reputation for creating phenomenal films. With such a platform, don't you feel you have a responsibility - or even a chance (!) to promote equal representation behind the scenes, and, in the process, perhaps bring different perspectives on the representations that millions of people around the world will consume? I think you do. If we agree on the influence that popular culture has on our attitudes, our identities and our social relationships, then it follows that the representations we create in popular culture are significant. We need to find ways of making sure that these representations are not drawn from a predominantly straight, white male perspective. And that's exactly the trap you have fallen into.
Diversifying “the casting of the film” is all well and good. Diversifying “the casting of the show” is equally – if not more – important. I beg you, please try to see that, it’s so important. This is where the power lies – this is the space where marginalised voices need to be heard.
Many feminists I know have wholly distanced themselves from you. But I read this recently (8): “We’ve fallen into an all-or-nothing rut with feminist criticism lately. Battle lines are immediately drawn between movies that are “feminist” (i.e. “good”) and “sexist” (i.e. “bad”). And that simplistic breakdown is hurting our ability to actually talk about this stuff.” And I think we have to be careful about doing the same with people. You have been such a positive force for women in the past, and so I urge you to reconfigure your feminism to be more intersectional.
Regards,
Miranda
Links:
(1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4scwoJ2OKY
(2) http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/08/ferguson_how_white_peopl...
(3) https://www.pbs.org/speak/speech/prejudice/women/
(4) Spender, Dale. Learning to lose: Sexism and education. Ed. Elizabeth Sarah. London: Women's Press, 1980.
(5) http://www.buzzfeed.com/nathanwpyle/this-teacher-taught-his-class-a-powe...
(6) http://www.inc.com/will-yakowicz/how-to-help-end-gender-bias-while-hirin...
(7) http://jezebel.com/hollywood-diversity-report-reveals-a-grim-obvious-rea...
(8) http://www.avclub.com/article/if-you-return-jedi-hate-ewoks-you-understa...