Supplemental Post 3 - Lauren Sullivan

*spoilers*

I saw Black Panther this weekend, and while the film is significant for many reasons, I was really struck by the film’s depiction of women and how it ties into our class discussion of femininity.  Representation of women in the film’s narrative impressed me in many ways. Women are central to the plot and drive the action. The women don’t always agree, and many of the ideological questions that the film addresses are grappled with in dialogue between women. The characters themselves are well-rounded and powerful; they are the innovators and protectors of their society. The fictional Wakandan culture has clearly defined gender differences, but gender appears to have little impact on obtaining political power and receiving respect from others. When T’Challa is believed to be dead, the women instantly get to work to make up for his absence. During the battle at the end of the film, the main antagonist is opposed only by women until the film’s protagonist ultimately finishes him off himself. While it is true that all women are underrepresented and misrepresented in film, this is even more true for women of color; this is why Black Panther having an abdundance of strong, complex, black female characters central to its narrative is so important. It's sad how a film’s fair and thoughtful representation of its female characters feels so groundbreaking in 2018 and shows how low the bar is still set for Hollywood films today.