Using Historical Films to Promote Gender Equity in the History Curriculum Cicely Scheiner-Fisher a & William B
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This article was downloaded by: [Mr William Russell] On: 13 September 2012, At: 18:09 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK The Social Studies Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vtss20 Using Historical Films to Promote Gender Equity in the History Curriculum Cicely Scheiner-Fisher a & William B. Russell III a a College of Education, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA Version of record first published: 10 Sep 2012. To cite this article: Cicely Scheiner-Fisher & William B. Russell III (2012): Using Historical Films to Promote Gender Equity in the History Curriculum, The Social Studies, 103:6, 221-225 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00377996.2011.616239 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae, and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. The Social Studies (2012) 103,221–225 C Copyright ⃝ Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 0037-7996 print / 2152-405X online DOI: 10.1080/00377996.2011.616239 Using Historical Films to Promote Gender Equity in the History Curriculum CICELY SCHEINER-FISHER and WILLIAM B. RUSSELL III College of Education, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA Teaching with film is viewed as a pedagogical best practice, especially when teaching historical or social studies content. Many of the most popular films used to teach history topics leave women’s voices out of the narrative. Women’s history is generally left out of traditionally male-dominated history curriculum; when it is included, it is usually in the margins or in sidebars. This article promotes the use of historical films that have a female presence. How women are portrayed in film and how to choose films that meet the criteria of the Bechdel Test for women in film are also examined. Keywords: Bechdel Test for women, female perspective, historical films, teaching with film In today’s classroom, the female perspective is often left their materials to make a more balanced and accurate cur- out of the historical narrative students are learning. This is riculum. due in part to the fact that there are not many mandates Students exposed to the many roles women have played for such inclusion. The National Council for the Social throughout history can come to understand that while Studies (NCSS) includes only one standard that mentions women maintained their traditional roles, they were also gender: “Assist learners to describe how family, religion, pursuing greater freedom and forging new lifestyles (Groves gender, ethnicity, nationality, socio-economic status and 1994). They learn to value the diversity of perspective and other group and cultural influences contribute to sense of appreciate that there is not just one narrative, not one per- self.” Individual state standards are similar in nature; for spective, not one history. Unfortunately, most teachers do example, the Florida standards include the study of women not take a women’s history course in their teacher prepa- in U.S. history since 1880, as if there were no women con- ration and therefore find themselves uninformed on the is- tributing to society before that date. The standard itself fo- sues; thus, they perpetuate the omission of women’s history cuses on “the contributions of women ...who have worked in their own classrooms. Gender disparities in the social to achieve equality and improve individual lives”; thus, studies curriculum are often not even recognized by teach- women are only worthy of inclusion if they contributed to ers because the male experience is still seen as the standard Downloaded by [Mr William Russell] at 18:09 13 September 2012 their own fight for political equality (Cruz and Groendal- experience (Marcus and Monaghan 2009). To supplement Cobb 1998). the male experience, teachers can use historical films to Even though classroom teachers are the often arbiters promote gender equity and female perspective. of what does get included in their curriculum, “they may The purpose of this article is to encourage educators to not feel comfortable with the subject matter” (Cruz and use historical films to promote gender equity in history Groendal-Cobb 1998). Moreover, there are other influenc- curriculum. In addition, this article also provides educa- ing factors that relegate women’s history or women’s per- tors with a filmography of gender equitable historical films spective on history to the margins: “school administrators that are considered appropriate and effective for teaching that do not support curriculum reform, instructional ma- a gender equitable history curriculum. terials that omit or segregate women’s contributions and curriculum developers who give little thought to women at all in their courses of study” (Cruz and Groendal-Cobb 1998). It falls then to the classroom teachers to supplement Underrepresentation of Women in Historical Films Many of the most popular films used to teach history leave Address correspondence to Cicely Scheiner-Fisher. E-mail: women’s voices out of the narrative. The Patriot, Glory, and cicely.scheiner-fi[email protected] Forrest Gump have females in the cast, but the women do 222 Scheiner-Fisher and Russell not play a significant role nor make a significant contri- determine if a film has a strong female presence, the au- bution to the story. Case in point: in the film Glory they thors used a test created by Alison Bechdel, an American are listed in the credits as “Black Woman” and “White feminist commentator. The test, known in popular culture Woman.” In a discussion on women’s history, Sam Wineb- as “the Bechdel Test,” does not ask if a film is feminist, only urg notes that women’s history is not interwoven through- if there is a “female presence.” The test examines the female out school history texts; rather, women are simply inserted presence in a film by asking if a film meets three criteria: (1) into the traditional canon, usually in the form of represen- there are more than two females (who have names); (2) the tative sidebars and supplemental material (Wineburg 2001). female characters talk to each other; and (3) they talk to The same can be said for films that place a woman into a each other about something other than a man. Most pop- story in the form of the protagonist’s love interest, family ular films do not meet these criteria. Moreover, the choices member, or single compatriot just for the sake of having a teachers make about the historical films they use in class of- female character. The fact is that women seldom speak only ten do not meet these simple measures, and by doing so they to men or encounter only men; they should not continue to are unconsciously marginalizing half their class. Applying be represented in such a manner. It is easy to overlook the the Bechdel Test when selecting films allows educators to lack of interactions of females with other females because circumvent the pervasive, yet low-grade, sexism of popular the male perspective is considered universal. culture. For more information about the Bechdel test visit Often when women are included in a film for the sake www.bechdeltest.com. of simply having a female in the film, she is relegated to a stock character role. For example, the bad girl or outcast who may or may not prove virtuous in the end; the dumb Teaching History with Film blond or bimbo, an attractive but unintelligent character placed in a film for either comic relief or as the idealized Walt Disney said, “Movies can and do have tremendous in- virginal maiden; the Hooker with the Heart of Gold, a sex- fluence in shaping young lives in the realm of entertainment worker who is also wise and compassionate; the Nurse, who toward the ideals and objectives of normal adulthood.” finds herself in unrequited love with the hero (or villain); One of the main goals of teachers is to influence young stu- the Tomboy, the girl who finds that she just relates better dents toward following the ideals of their society. Teaching with the guys than other females, she may also exhibit jeal- with film is viewed as a pedagogical best practice and an ously of more feminine girls, especially if she has romantic effective tool for enhancing curriculum (Russell and Waters feelings for one of the males (McKinely 1997). Negative 2010; Russell 2012a). Film is considered to be an effective portrayals of women may be damaging to younger viewers communicator and has the potential to arouse emotions perceptions because they are not likely to view such por- (Interview with James McPherson in Russell 2008) and trayals as critically as one might like (Lauzen and Dozier stimulate feelings. The visual imagery of history on film 2005). Obviously, in life, no one has such a one-dimensional can (a) help develop students’ historical understanding of personality. In movies, it is less often that male characters the past, (b) help develop students’ awareness of historical have the narrow experience of their female counterparts; prospective, (c) promote historical thinking, and (d) help thus, students will learn the double standard that occurs students develop historical thinking skills (Russell 2012b).