Pope Joan for Women's History Month? Were No Real Gals Available?
COMMENTARY | March is National Women's History Month and in honor of that event, who has Reelz Channel chosen to highlight? A real woman who made contributions to the betterment of her gender? No. They're airing "Pope Joan" a schmaltzy fantasy movie based on a fictional account (by Donna Woolfolk Cross) of a medieval legend. What, National Women's History Project, is this the best representative you think we women can provide? Were no flesh-and-blood female heroes available that you had to go with a myth?
I don't blame you for avoiding someone like Sarah Palin; she can't even pull off the working mom schtick. She doesn't labor unless you call making tea work and she's not much of a mom. But, "Pope" Joan? That's just corny. The story was largely debunked (New Advent) centuries ago, and that's not even my biggest gripe.
"Pope Joan" is a fairy tale, a cutesy Shakespearean melodrama. It's no different than Fa-Mulan, or Sebastian and Olivia. Why not choose Persephone or Maid Marian or Cinderella? The Pope Joan story is on the same par as George Sand. They were breast binders and ghost writers. Granted they are cool stories, but they're cliche. Seriously, what do these gals accomplish? Dressing like a guy to prove you're just as good as a guy? How redundant.
I know, I know -- back then you had to dress in drag to break into the business. And it's scintillating to think that a she might actually attain the Vatican (no sedes stercoraria yet) posing as a he. Joan, if she had existed, would have had one major case of chutzpah.
Pope Joan is a non-persona non grata with me because history has provided us with so many examples of gutsy women, so many rebel girls. I don't even know where to start: "Mother" Mary Harris Jones (from which we get "mojo"), Sojourner Truth (she named and reinvented herself), Jane Addams (classy and sassy), Dorothea Dix (nobody gave Dot any lip), another mum, Agnes Gonxhu Bojaxhiu (Mother Theresa), another Dorothy -- Day (if NWHP wants a good Catholic example, they need look no further).
If NWHP wants a militant Catholic, at least Jeanne D'Arc was real. If they want a legend, why not Schherazade? She was smart, creative and she didn't need to cross-dress to get the point across. I hope NWHM looks a bit deeper than fable for a poster girl next year.
I don't blame you for avoiding someone like Sarah Palin; she can't even pull off the working mom schtick. She doesn't labor unless you call making tea work and she's not much of a mom. But, "Pope" Joan? That's just corny. The story was largely debunked (New Advent) centuries ago, and that's not even my biggest gripe.
"Pope Joan" is a fairy tale, a cutesy Shakespearean melodrama. It's no different than Fa-Mulan, or Sebastian and Olivia. Why not choose Persephone or Maid Marian or Cinderella? The Pope Joan story is on the same par as George Sand. They were breast binders and ghost writers. Granted they are cool stories, but they're cliche. Seriously, what do these gals accomplish? Dressing like a guy to prove you're just as good as a guy? How redundant.
I know, I know -- back then you had to dress in drag to break into the business. And it's scintillating to think that a she might actually attain the Vatican (no sedes stercoraria yet) posing as a he. Joan, if she had existed, would have had one major case of chutzpah.
Pope Joan is a non-persona non grata with me because history has provided us with so many examples of gutsy women, so many rebel girls. I don't even know where to start: "Mother" Mary Harris Jones (from which we get "mojo"), Sojourner Truth (she named and reinvented herself), Jane Addams (classy and sassy), Dorothea Dix (nobody gave Dot any lip), another mum, Agnes Gonxhu Bojaxhiu (Mother Theresa), another Dorothy -- Day (if NWHP wants a good Catholic example, they need look no further).
If NWHP wants a militant Catholic, at least Jeanne D'Arc was real. If they want a legend, why not Schherazade? She was smart, creative and she didn't need to cross-dress to get the point across. I hope NWHM looks a bit deeper than fable for a poster girl next year.
Published by Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben
Happy wife. Mom of 4. 10+ year homeschool vet. Certified K-8/special ed. Yahoo! News Beat Writer: Parenting, Michigan, Detroit. Published on Helium, SEED, AT&T, Diabetes Active, Mapquest, Best Contractors, H... View profile
1 Comments
Post a CommentI agree! There are many real women throughout history who could have been chosen to highlight for National Women's History Month. I find the "Pope Joan" choice insulting!