Blythe Baird - Pocket-Sized Feminism

Button Poetry

24 Jul 202003:22

Summary

TLDRThe script is a powerful spoken word piece addressing the deeply ingrained issues of sexism, rape culture, and the societal pressures women face to stay silent. It reflects on personal experiences of harassment, the internal conflict of staying quiet, and the guilt that follows. The narrator critiques a world that demands women carry the weight of their own safety while minimizing their voices. The piece explores themes of feminism, fear, and the painful contradictions women navigate daily in a patriarchal society, leaving a lasting impact on the audience.

Takeaways

👩‍🎤 The speaker observes a woman standing up for feminism at a party, surrounded by dismissive, toxic behavior.
🤐 The speaker remains silent, feeling empathy but conflicted, unsure of how to respond in a hostile environment.
📌 The metaphor of 'wallpaper women' reflects societal pressure to stay silent and not stand out.
⚖️ The speaker struggles with balancing self-preservation and activism, feeling guilty for not always standing up.
💔 The speaker expresses guilt over not reporting a predator who later harmed others.
🛡️ The constant fear women live with is illustrated through various defensive inventions, like mace disguised as lipstick.
😶 Silence in the face of trauma is portrayed as a painful, secondary form of violence, reflecting the weight of inaction.
⚠️ The speaker recounts past experiences of sexual harassment and being dismissed when asserting her power.
👩‍💼 The piece critiques how women are often reduced to supporting roles, like 'beautiful assistants' in a magic trick.
🌍 The stark difference in how society treats girls and boys is highlighted, with girls told to be careful while boys are free to explore.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the script?
-The main theme of the script is the societal challenges women face, including sexism, objectification, and the internal conflict between feminism and societal pressures to conform.
What does the phrase 'wallpaper women' signify in the context of the script?
-'Wallpaper women' refers to women who are expected to blend into the background, remain silent, and not speak up, much like wallpaper in a room—decorative but unnoticed and unheard.
Why does the narrator feel conflicted about standing up in the party scene?
-The narrator feels conflicted about standing up because doing so would make her vulnerable and noticeable in a space dominated by male voices, where women are expected to remain silent and compliant.
What is the significance of the line 'I'm ashamed of keeping my feminism in my pocket, until it is convenient not to'?
-This line expresses the narrator's guilt about only expressing feminist views in safe or supportive spaces, such as poetry slams or academic settings, rather than consistently standing up for her beliefs in more hostile environments.
How does the narrator feel about her past silence in situations of abuse or assault?
-The narrator feels deep guilt and regret about her past silence in situations of abuse and assault, believing her inaction contributed to further harm to other victims.
What societal issues does the script highlight in terms of safety and fear for women?
-The script highlights the normalized fear women experience, such as carrying pepper spray, using apps to walk home safely, and texting friends when they arrive safely, contrasted with the freedom men experience without such precautions.
What does the metaphor of the 'beautiful assistant' in the magic trick represent?
-The metaphor of the 'beautiful assistant' represents the way women are often seen as necessary yet secondary figures in male-dominated spaces, valued more for their appearance than their voices or agency.
Why does the narrator mention nail polish that changes color in drugged drinks and underwear designed to prevent rape?
-The narrator mentions these products to highlight the extreme measures society expects women to take to protect themselves from assault, rather than addressing the root causes of violence and misogyny.
What is the narrator’s response to a boy accusing her of misandry and asking if she wants to 'take over the world'?
-The narrator responds by clarifying that she doesn't want to take over the world; she just wants to see it and know that it’s accessible to someone, implying she seeks equality and opportunity, not domination.
What does the narrator's father represent in the script when he claims 'sexism is dead' while advising her to carry pepper spray?
-The father represents the contradiction in society where people may believe sexism no longer exists while still acknowledging the need for women to protect themselves from gender-based violence, showing that sexism and fear are still very much alive.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ The Only Other Girl at the Party

The narrator reflects on a woman speaking out about feminism at a party filled with men who dismiss her opinions. The room is full of sexist jokes and indifference, and while the narrator empathizes with her, she stays silent, caught in the dilemma of wanting to act but fearing the repercussions. This moment serves as a critique of societal expectations placed on women to remain quiet and decorative, much like wallpaper. The narrator grapples with her internalized hesitance to speak out, and the underlying pressure to be likable, even when faced with misogyny.

😔 Guilt of Inaction

The narrator admits to suppressing her feminism in situations where it would be inconvenient, acknowledging that she often remains silent rather than confront injustice. She shares a deeply personal story of having forgiven a predator in her social circle, only for him to harm another person later. This guilt weighs heavily on her, symbolized as something she carries with her daily. The narrator reflects on the numerous ways society has adapted to rape culture, from creating tools to prevent assault to the normalization of silence in the face of such violence.

😨 Trauma and Silence

The narrator recounts multiple incidents where she was sexually harassed or assaulted, and like many others, chose not to speak up due to fear and societal pressure. She reflects on the cultural tendency to remain quiet in moments of trauma, grappling with the moral implications of her silence. Her shame and regret extend to moments where others suffered because of her inaction. The haunting memories of other victims, younger and more vulnerable, weigh on her as she questions her role in perpetuating this cycle of silence.

💬 Dismissed Power

The narrator shares an instance where she confidently declared her power to a boy, only to be dismissed and told to mind her own business. She explores the broader theme of being belittled for asserting her voice and power. The conversation evolves into a reflection on how women are often accused of misandry or trying to dominate, when in reality they are merely seeking to exist in a world where their voices are heard and valued.

🛡️ Sexism, Fear, and Safety

In a striking contrast, the narrator reveals how her father assured her that sexism no longer exists, yet in the same breath reminded her to carry pepper spray for protection. This juxtaposition underscores the conflicting messages women receive about their safety and the ever-present fear they must navigate in their daily lives. The narrator delves into how women have normalized texting each other to confirm they got home safely, while men rarely share the same concerns. This passage powerfully illustrates how women internalize a state of constant fear as a natural part of life.

🎩 The Magic Trick of Misogyny

The narrator offers a chilling metaphor about how society views violence against women as something trivial—comparing it to a magic trick where even if a woman is sawed in half, it would be seen as entertainment. She highlights how women's roles in society are reduced to being silent assistants, always present but never the main act. This passage criticizes the way violence, objectification, and misogyny are ingrained in popular culture, where women are dehumanized and marginalized.

🚸 Daughters of Fear, Sons of Freedom

The narrator ends with a reflection on the differences in how boys and girls are raised. Fathers warn their daughters about the dangers of the world, urging them to be careful, while encouraging their sons to explore and play without fear. The narrator links this to a culture that places the burden of safety on women while allowing men the freedom to navigate the world unburdened. This closing statement is a powerful commentary on the inherited fears that women carry from childhood into adulthood.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Feminism

Feminism in this script is central to the narrator's internal conflict and the environment of hostility she finds herself in. Feminism represents the advocacy for women's rights and equality, yet the speaker feels the weight of silence and shame for not defending it when faced with sexist behavior. The party environment is dismissive of feminist ideas, highlighted by 'rape jokes' and the reaction of the crowd to the feminist rant.

💡Silence

Silence here is portrayed as complicity, especially in the face of injustice and trauma. The narrator reflects on how silence becomes a protective mechanism but also a source of guilt. For example, when she doesn't speak up during instances of harassment or when another girl voices her feminist views, silence becomes an act of surrender to a male-dominated space.

💡Guilt

Guilt is an emotion that haunts the narrator throughout the script, especially when she reflects on moments where she failed to act. One specific example is when she forgave a predator to avoid tension in her friend group, only for him to assault someone else later. This guilt is something she metaphorically carries in her purse, a reminder of the times she stayed silent.

💡Predator

The term 'predator' refers to men who have harmed or assaulted women, as recounted in the narrator's experiences. The predator represents a broader societal threat, one that often goes unchecked due to social dynamics that encourage silence or forgiveness. This predator assaulted multiple women, symbolizing the widespread and repeated harm that occurs when accountability is absent.

💡Empathy

Empathy is illustrated when the narrator offers a silent, understanding glance to the feminist speaker at the party, but doesn't verbally support her. The narrator feels connected to the feminist speaker but is unable to act, showing how empathy alone without action can feel powerless in oppressive environments.

💡Safety

Safety is a recurring concern, especially in the way women are taught to navigate the world. From carrying pepper spray to using nail polish that detects drugs in drinks, safety is portrayed as a constant, gender-specific burden. The narrator notes the stark contrast between how women must be vigilant and how men are free to move without the same fear.

💡Rape culture

Rape culture is referenced through various examples of how society normalizes or trivializes sexual assault. This is seen in the 'rape jokes' told at the party and the boys who 'fantasize about choking us' while idolizing women's bodies in violent contexts. The narrator highlights how this culture fosters an environment where women are objectified and dehumanized.

💡Objectification

Objectification is discussed through the imagery of boys hanging naked posters of women and fantasizing about harming them. The narrator criticizes how women are reduced to objects for male consumption, both in personal fantasies and popular media, which is harmful and dehumanizing.

💡Fear

Fear is a persistent theme throughout the script, representing both a personal and collective experience for women. Whether it is the fear of speaking up, being harassed, or navigating public spaces, the narrator details how fear shapes the everyday lives of women. Fear also becomes normalized, as shown when women instinctively text each other when they arrive home safely.

💡Complicity

Complicity refers to the role the narrator and society play in allowing harmful behaviors to persist. By staying silent during acts of harassment or assault, the narrator reflects on how this silence equates to complicity. She acknowledges her internal struggle with complicity, especially in not holding perpetrators accountable.

Highlights

The only other girl at the party is ranting about feminism while the audience is a sea of rape jokes and silence.

They gawk at her like her mouth is clogged with too many opinions, highlighting the dismissiveness toward women's voices.

The narrator struggles with the desire to stand up but fears losing her place in a world that keeps women silent.

The narrator admits shame in keeping her feminism 'in her pocket' until it's convenient, reflecting the internal conflict of wanting acceptance versus fighting for change.

She recounts forgiving a predator out of fear of causing conflict, only to carry the guilt after he assaults someone else.

The narrator reflects on the inventions like nail polish that detects drugged drinks, symbolizing how women's safety is a constant concern.

A man once shoved his hand up her skirt in public, but no one said anything, and neither did she to avoid making a scene.

The recurring theme of silence in the face of violence, where inaction feels like another form of violence.

She describes the haunting memory of a man who assaulted younger girls after she didn't report him.

A boy accuses her of misandry for claiming power, questioning why she wants to take over the world when she just wants to see it.

Her father tells her sexism is dead while reminding her to carry pepper spray, illustrating the contradictions women face.

Women live in a state of constant fear, texting each other when they get home safely—something that men don't always have to do.

The metaphor of a woman being sawed in half still being called a 'magic trick'—a sharp commentary on how violence against women is often trivialized.

The party is filled with boys who hang up naked posters of women and fantasize about violent acts, highlighting the normalization of objectification.

The closing remarks reflect on how fathers warn their daughters about danger, while encouraging their sons to go out and play.