The Burden of Our Forefathers Deeds

War Statue in Rome

Dr. L wrote a great comment to my last post Speaking in Another Voice, or Even My Own.  

If it isn't acceptable for a woman to write in a man's voice or to tell a story of men at war, why has it been acceptable for men to be the sole crafters of artistic depictions of women over the centuries and across the board - in all the fine arts, literature, theater, opera, and finally film? Not one fine or performing art has been dominated by women since the beginning of time.

Is a woman's voice less authentic, honest, or intellectually and artistically valid than a man's?

I am not arguing it is. I am stating it as a fact. A woman has just as much artistic license to depict the world as she sees it as the other sex has had at her expense. It's 2010. Kathryn Bigelow is the first woman to take the Academy Award for Best Director. What took so long is my question. It's not a question of who has the right to whose voice. It's about art, and I think it's time for men to move over and quit pretending they own the domain of self expression.

I  agree with her comment, especially the last paragraph. Every person has "just as much artistic license to depict the world" as he/she sees fit.  If an artist can create quality work with meaning to her/him in the areas she/he explores, then the world is better for it.  That is my point exactly, everyone should be able to create all types of art.

My forefathers, in all aspects of culture and history, dominated the areas of science, art, politics, culture, religion and most every other aspect of humanity.  If you were not a white male, your voice was at best tolerated and many times squashed.

In the past century, many people worked hard to overcome and break down these barriers put before them.  We are better for it.  Sadly there are still remnants of the dominating culture oppressing the majority.  We are obviously not in a post-racial or post-gender world.  We must strive to eliminate the powers that be putting limitations on others. 

I am concerned about the ongoing backlash against individuals of the dominant oppressors demographic set even though we have not personally perpetuated the sins of the forefathers.  It is not as blatant or damaging as what other groups have faced, but it is real and prevalent.  This is an unpopular argument since some believe I should have to suffer the penance of the past by not being allowed to participate at all.   I support and defend the rights of free speech and creativity for everyone.  What I am asking is that the historically wronged don't limit me, like my forefathers limited them, just because of the color of my skin or my gender.  Even though I am part of the historically dominant race and gender, that does not mean my voice is not important about issues of race, gender, and other areas.  No one should assume I will only regurgitate thousands of years of dogma just because of my physical characteristics.

While my forefathers wrongly hogged the stage for thousands of years and everyone deserves to participate on it, the remediation should not eliminate my turn.  I am not a direct copy of my forefathers.  I am not doing what they did.  I do not defend the oppression they inflicted on others.   It is crucial I remember the repressive culture my forefathers created and sustained and ensure I don't perpetuate it, but I refuse to feel personally guilty about it if I am not guilty of it myself.

It's about art, and I think it's time for men to move over and quit pretending they own the domain of self expression.

I don't own or pretend to own the domain.  I am not giving up my right to be part of it.  My voice is just as important, but no more so, than of my fellow humans.  Viewers do not need to like my work, that is their right as I hold the same right about theirs.  We need to remember no one should be held back from creating it because of who we are or what our forefathers did.