Cynthia Nixon embodies feminist rage in viral video

March 24, 2020March 24, 2020 NewsEditor btw

BTW

Girls Girls Girls magazine on Monday released a video titled Be a Lady They Said featuring actress Cynthia Nixon reading a prose-poetry piece by Camille Rainville. The video, which collected more than 300,000 views in one day, was lauded online for conveying conflicting demands on women.

First published on WordPress in 2017, Rainvilles writing expresses the impossibility of performing womanhood to societys standards.

In the video, Nixons tone gets progressively angrier as she describes the pressure on women to live for the service of men and how women are blamed for their own abuse.

Dont talk too loud. Dont talk too much. Dont be intimidating, Nixon narrates. Why are you so miserable? Dont be a bitch. Dont be so bossy. Dont be so emotional. Dont cry. Dont yell. Dont swear. Endure the pain. Dont complain.

Dress modestly. Look sexy. Don't be too fat. Men like women with some meat on their bones. Remove your body hair. Tan your skin. Plump your lips. Look natural. Wear make-up. Look youthful. Don't sleep around. Don't be a prude. Be dirty. Be the good girl.https://t.co/fxKawyN9b7

— Pivi Butcher #ADHDinattentive (@Finnattentive) February 25, 2020

The video was released the same day that Harvey Weinstein of rape and sexual assault,and the timing was impactful for many of the women sharing the clip.

Timely given the Weinstein verdicts – Be a Lady They Said on #Vimeo https://t.co/wtKVHodH70

— Dr Nik Taylor (@Animalsociology) February 24, 2020

Just be a lady they said. A powerful portrayal of the many conflicting ways in which women are expected to present themselves to the world. The message is even more poignant given the Weinstein verdict announced today https://t.co/DZtN2J7XNX

— Steph Nicolaides (@StephNicolaides) February 24, 2020

Many tweeted the ways the video spoke to them.

This is so powerful I felt nauseous, one user wrote.

Be a lady they said. This is so powerful I felt nauseous. Can't help thinking of how much of this has been touted by 'women's magazines', those powerful, aggressive and willing participants in spreading the message of misogyny for the patriarchy. https://t.co/JU4pNOd1oo

— TanyaM (@tanyameeson) February 25, 2020

Dear men who men who write lists and feel they have a right to dictate what is a woman or what constitutes a desirable woman….

F*^k off to all eternity. Youve ZERO idea what harm you cause.

Be a Lady They Said https://t.co/cykENbGGca

— The Fat Controller

Read more: https://www.dailydot.com/irl/cynthia-nixon-be-a-lady-they-said/

Related posts