BEARING WITNESS
A collection of Netflix programmes manages to entertain while raising awareness on issues for International Women’s Day
Cindy Bishop is no stranger to the human-rights-protection circle in Thailand. The campaign she set up two years ago called #DontTellMeHowToDress has helped raise awareness of sexual harassment and gender inequality in Thailand, sparking dialogue on victim-blaming, among other issues.
Her passion and zeal for her advocacy work, which today has become a regional movement for gender equality, and her active involvement with UN Women-initiated projects and speaking engagements both played a deciding role behind Netflix’s decision to pick Cindy as the representative from Thailand for “Because She Watched”: a special Netflix collection of series, documentaries and films to celebrate International Women’s Day, which falls every year on March 8.
A renowned model, actress and
host of Asia’s Next Top Model, Cindy is among 55 famous female global talents from behind and in front of the camera who will be sharing their movie picks in the collection, available until the end of 2020.
She is joined by the likes of global celebrities Salma Hayek (Frida, Desperado, The Hummingbird Project),
Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things),
Laurie Nunn (writer of Sex Education) and many more.
“Of course, I was honoured to be picked,” mused Cindy when asked how it felt to be selected by Netflix for the occasion. “I’ve worked very closely with UN Women, coming on two years now, from the onset of my campaign. I have also watched Netflix religiously.
“Just being chosen one of 55 women around the world to pick something that has influenced me as a viewer is indeed an honour. I hope this will be an inspiration to others, not just women, but anyone watching.”
Cindy admitted that there are a lot of female-oriented movies to choose from on Netflix, which further spoke to the importance they put on women’s issues and the desire to see them represented on a larger scope.
The figures on Netflix’s female workforce speak for themselves: 20% of its 53 original US films last year were directed by women, while 49% of all employees at Netflix throughout the world are female. Forty-nine of all employees at level are women.
This very much explains reason behind Netfli project, which was oration with UN Wo tional Women’s Da theme for 2020 is “I Equality: Realising
Cindy, whose upc this year includes a dren’s book that discusses respect and consent, tion celebrates the stories that have inspired the women who inspire us.
Moreover, these series, films and documentaries have begun a pivotal, often hard, dialogue that has helped challenge the manner with which we see the world, confirming that movies are a powerful channel to reflect and raise awareness of the issues women face today.
Two of Cindy’s picks include Unbelievable, based on the ProPublica Pulitzer-winning article, “An Unbelievable Story Of Rape”, and Anne With An
E, a coming-of-age story about an outsider who, against all odds and challenges, fights for love and acceptance and her place in the world.
Cindy said both the main characters in these movies exuded immense determination and endurance to weather some of the most difficult trials a woman can face; coming out of these life-changing experiences with a renewed sense of hope for a better tomorrow.
“As a child I grew up watching classical movies,” remarked the mother of two, when asked what types of movies impacted her. “One that impacted me most was played by actress Audrey Hepburn. I loved her in My Fair Lady.
When you look at it, you may think it is a very sexist movie, but if you look at it through a different lens, I fell in love with her character. I was enthralled by her spirit, just breaking out of the mould and fiercely standing up for herself.
“Movies, films and now television series are a wonderful medium to just tell someone’s story. However, we need to be telling more stories of women by women. Now that is where I am excited to see the changes that are happening presently, both in the media and films, and I am excited to see how this is going to continue.”
Speaking as an actress, Cindy admitted that she was often typecast in roles that reflected how Thai society and media saw women.
Thai television series are often stereotypical, she noted, where the leading actress is “soft-spoken, almost pitiful and can’t do anything for herself, and any woman who speaks loudly or acts confidently must be the bitch!”.
Cindy would love to play the roles of strong characters, such as that of a protagonist, and hopes that Thai and Asian filmmakers would develop stronger character roles for female actors.
The women’s-rights activist admitted that breaking stereotypes in television dramas can be an uphill task because of the number of factors involved.
“It is the whole thing of supply and demand. The general public likes a certain storyline, but then do we as the entertainment industry have the responsibility to perhaps change that a little bit? One particular issue I have now that I am campaigning about is the romanticisation of violence against women. The traditional storyline where a woman gets raped and the man ends up falling in love and marrying her is very often romanticised.
“Young people watch this. If this is what we are showing, is that a reflection of our society? And how is it creating a tolerance towards violence against women? This is something we have to be vigilant about. I have had to turn down a role because of this. I read the script and saw that there were too many violent scenes that were necessary. One particular one involved rape, and I said I can’t [take this role].”
Cindy, who credits her mother for helping her become a woman of strong character, said that while she is at a stage in her career where she can pick and choose her roles, there are actresses who don’t have that choice, because they are either starting off in the industry or in a position where they do not have that much choice or have a voice that is not that strong.
Looking on the bright side, she continued: “There is an opportunity here as an industry to really look at what we are doing, if there is room for improvement. Definitely, in terms of female representation, both on and off camera, behind the camera, as producers, filmmakers and directors. This is something of a hot topic at the moment, even at the Oscars.”
While there was better awareness of women’s rights today due largely to the fact that more women are discussing this issue, Cindy said the next step is to find ways to translate this talk into actual action.
Touching on the discrepancy found in the ratio between male and female filmmakers, she remarked: “It is such a male-dominated industry, it is said 79% of filmmakers around the world are men and 21% are female, so women have to work extra-hard to get their foot in the door. This is the same for any industry. If this is the way it has been for so long there is an extra effort that is needed to make ourselves relevant, make our talents recognised.
“Giving more opportunities for women to be in this industry would help, because [for one] we have a situation where, OK, we have this role and it’s going to be a female [lead], but it is still a man telling her story, or writing for her. Why can’t it be a woman doing that. So in terms of numbers, we could definitely have more if we allow women to tell another woman’s story.”
Cindy realises it’s a big ask to expect instantaneous change. She explains: “The challenges stem from the fact that it is a multigenerational and multicultural issue. You might say it’s just the film industry, but it is a reflection of us as a society. How we see women and men, the power balance, or how we don’t see it. It goes back to basics. Where do we see the gender norms we were brought up with? This is something we have to be really vigilant about.”
For International Women’s Day, Cindy encourages women to reach for the stars, despite the roadblocks they might face in life.
THE PUBLIC LIKES A CERTAIN KIND OF STORY, BUT DO WE AS ENTERTAINERS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO CHANGE THAT?