The Force Awakens... addresses many of the feminist fans' basic concerns, sidestepping unnecessarily revealing costumes and passing the Bechdel Test — that is, the movie features at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man. Women hold plenty of bit parts, portraying villagers fighting for their homes, combat pilots, mechanics, medics and a terrifying storm trooper captain. But the film also contains strong female role models who are both young and old. Gen. Leia is a seasoned leader with just a hint of the spunky, fearless teenager who once jumped into a Death Star garbage chute.
In Rey, I saw a character who would have thrilled and inspired 6-year-old me, but her storyline contains echoes of much more: The bravery of the World War II Army nurses I interviewed a few years ago. The desire for independence I see in my female students. The tenacity of my great-grandmother who, as a very young woman, walked alone across Europe to escape the shattered Austro-Hungarian Empire. These are important and interesting aspects of the female experience and are too often omitted from pop culture.
Even the Force itself is illuminated primarily through female voices. Leia is the first character to utter the phrase “may the force be with you.” And while Han Solo tells Rey that the Jedi Order is real, it’s the mysterious Maz Kanata who presents her with a lightsaber.
Yes, Rey is overpowered and imprisoned by a villain in a black mask, but her capture is as much a path to personal discovery as it is a plot device to keep the boys moving along. And yes, it’s the quest for a man — Luke Skywalker — that drives the entire plot. But Rey is successful in finding him largely because of the wisdom and power of other women.
Read the full column here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/01/05/star-wars-force-awakens-feminism-column/78265780/
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