One of the biggest and most anticipated films this year in Hollywood and across the world, Justice League has taken a stellar opening. The film, which has been mired in debate across social media forums right from the beginning had seen a new controversy just few days prior to yesterday’s worldwide release.
Few pictures were released by Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment few days back depicting female artists in the film sporting the Amazonian costumes from Wonder Woman’s homeland, Themyscira. One image caught the eye of many and led to quite a furore.
The picture in debate drew flak for supposedly depicting the Amazons in skimpily-clad costumes contrary to director Patty Jenkins’ depiction in the blockbuster Wonder Woman film released earlier this year.
In the midst of this, an actress/stunt-woman named Erin Blevins took to her Facebook a couple of days back to express not just her thoughts about working in Justice League, but also issue a strong response to the ongoing controversy.
Her Facebook post is as follows:
“It seems like people have a lot to say about the Amazonian costumes in Justice League, people who frankly don’t deserve an opinion about it. For those claiming that it shows somehow that @zacksnyder is sexist or is in any sort of way harmful to the progression of females, you can fuck off.
I was an Amazonian – My scene didn’t make the final cut of the movie -but that doesn’t change the relationship I have with the part and my experience as a female on set. I loved it, I felt empowered. I looked around and saw strong women who are proud of their bodies and their abilities, both physical and other. I saw other women I look up to, athletes and actors who all wanted the perception of women to be one of ability and strength. Yes we wore costumes that showed our bodies, much like the guys did in 300 (which people seem to forget is a Zack Snyder film). At no time was my experience in Justice League sexual which brings me to the point:
Clothing, or lack thereof is NOT sexual. If you feel like the revealing of skin summons certain sexual feelings, then you are the problem. Do you look at a naked child and think “sex!”? Do you look at a topless elderly woman at the beach in France and think ‘I just can’t control myself”? Your concern isn’t for the safety and security of our children or to protect the value of women, it’s to mask your own disease, which by all accounts is a fetish of flesh.
I’ve fought against this type of person my entire life, the ones that commented my shorts were too short, that made me go home from school because my belly showing was distracting to the male teachers and students. They didn’t realize that I bought the same kids clothes as everyone else, I just had long limbs. They blamed their lack of self control on me, they called me “slutty” they made presumptions of my sexual activity because they lacked control over their own. You can call me whatever you want, you can assert that scantily clad females is regression, but you might want to realize that your attitude is the problem, the ignorance of your own perversion is the culprit, and it is only further masked by your comments that fall under the banner of “equality” and false flags of feminism.
I love my body. I love being able to do, I love being capable. I love the strength and esteem that I’ve developed through physical activity, I also love that I will pass it down to my daughter, I love that she sees me hold my chin high in the face of accusations and judge-mental trolls, so she can one day do the same, when she faces a society that sees and treats her like a sexual object that can only be considered appropriate as long as her shirt is long enough.
The hypocrisy of this outrage is stunning. I worked on Justice League first and foremost as a personal chef (I was later cast as an Amazonian). My first order of business was to make sure my client (a male) would look physically imposing, because his appearance on screen would be shirtless for the majority of the film. His effort and dedication are jaw dropping on screen. The comments of him make this clear, they commend his hard work, they ask how they can do the same, they don’t for a second question his appearance as a cultural regression to our obsession with sex.
I am grateful to Zack and WB for representing female ability, for celebrating women, and allowing us to be a part. Here is to all of the women and men that made this film possible, it was a unified effort of both sexes, an effort that should be celebrated not belittled.
So while these keyboard warriors search for relevance in their opposition of this film, I want to make it clear, my Amazonian sisters and I hold our middle finger high to you.
#JLmovie #justiceleague #dccomics #shutupEAT #shutupWORK #Amazonianwarrior #amazonian #superhero ZackSnyder Warner Bros. Entertainment #unitetheleague #justiceleaguemovie”
Looks like we can now come to a clear consensus on the debate.
