‘Not writing about it not an option’
‘Sharing the Microphone’ could be a heavy topic
When I first saw “Sharing the Microphone” in the listings for last weekend, I admit that my first reaction was, “Hmm...I’d like to cover that, but I don’t think I should. It’d probably be too hefty of an issue for my entertainment column in the paper.”
As I was considering other events last weekend to cover instead for this week’s column, all of a sudden I stopped myself: “Wait a minute. What am I doing? I’m perpetuating the exact thing that is being combatted with this event, that’s what I’m doing.”
And the more I thought about it, the more it seemed that not going to the event and not writing about it in my Guardian column, was simply not an option.
To explain this more directly, I’m talking about the subject of sexual assault – and the fact that talking about it, privately, publicly and certainly in the press – can be key to fixing this problem that lurks in the shadows of our society.
This reality is what is being focused upon by award-winning Island singer-songwriter Kinley, who has generated a groundbreaking anti-sexual assault campaign surrounding the release of the video for her song called Microphone – which had its video release last Friday at Florence Simmons Performance Hall in a wellattended event, with proceeds toward P.E.I. Family Violence Prevention Services.
“Microphone” is about when Kinely was a victim of a sexual assault in a P.E.I. field on her prom night and how things are as she still carries the weight of that incident through her life, 16 years later.
“I was raped in 2001,” said Kinley in her introduction to the “Sharing the Microphone” event, as she went on to describe how her life has unfolded since that assault and how she felt compelled to bring the incident to light in her song, in the hopes that she might help the lives of other victims of sexual assault and help in the process of bringing an end to sexual assault.
Island filmmaker (and director of the “Microphone” video), Jenna MacMillan, stood beside her during that introduction, and expressed a heartfelt summarizing thank-you to Kinley.
“Thank you for your bravery, and hopefully other people will take your microphone and speak into it as well,” said MacMillan.
The brilliant, high-quality and highly impactful video was shown twice that evening and rightfully received a glowing, standing ovation in the theatre.
But, all in all, the night seemed not so much like a simple video release party, and not so much like a concert (as it featured great performances by Jocelyn Fraser, Maria Campbell, Anya Smith, Sharlene Kelly, Dennis Ellsworth, Aaron Comeau and Kinley) but more like the start of a change in our culture with regards to sexual assault on P.E.I.
This feeling was strengthened all the more by the thoughtprovoking panel discussion led by Michelle MacCallum, with Jillian Kilfoil of the Women’s Network, Eileen Conboy of the P.E.I. Rape and Sexual Assault Centre and Michelle Jay of the P.E.I. Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
And how productive speaking out can be. It was announced that night by one of the producers and stars of the video, Island singer/rapper Maria Campbell, that the Premier’s Action Committee is in the process of developing educational materials on sexual assault to bring to Island schools later this year, in conjunction with video showings of “Microphone”.
The video has been released online by Vice magazine this week. For more on the campaign surrounding “Microphone”, to see the video and to get involved, use the hashtag #sharingthemicrophone in online searching and in social media posting.
If you or someone close to you has been a victim of sexual assault, contact Family Violence Prevention Services Inc. on its 24-hour toll-free crisis and support line, 1-800-2409894.
Catch Kinley live next performing with Dennis Ellsworth at Trailside Café, June 16, when the duo will launch its new CD, “Everyone Needs to Chill Out”.
Next week: Valdy at Harmony House Theatre in Hunter River.
Correction: In last week’s Out and About, it was mentioned that Danny Michel will be performing at The Dunk this year as part of the Ebb & Flow concert series, but this was an error on my part. Apologies for that info mixup!