Renouncing Allowance: Exploring Gender Inequality and Rape Culture Through Dance
By: Abra Myles
It started with a question. It seems
as if all great works, discoveries, and innovations started with a question. I
am in no way saying that this new journey that I am about to embark on is
anything revolutionary, innovative, or special. It is simply addressing an
initial question that has evolved into even more questions. We all choose to explore
our questions through different mediums. Whether it is through science, art,
literature, philosophy, or all of the above, there is this need to explore
these questions in hopes of finding an answer. Sometimes these answers lead to
an immediate call to action, while many times we simply just stumble upon new
questions.
Here is my initial question: Why is it
acceptable for men to be topless and expose their chest and torso area without
any scrutiny, while females are required to cover up? Of course, this question
was answered immediately in my mind and through other people’s responses.
Surely, it would be ridiculous to see women’s breasts hanging out all day long.
It would be a total distraction, especially for men, as they would be more likely
to engage in inappropriate behaviors with the woman. We wouldn’t want to tempt
the man. Besides, it’s just the way things are in our society.
Of
course these answers led me to more questions. Why are women’s bodies seen only
as sexual objects? Specifically referring to the women’s breasts, why are they
only seen as something that is pleasing to the eye sexually? We know that the
breasts serve various functions other than sexual pleasure. Why is it not a
distraction to see the male physique? Males have attractive qualities in their
chest and torso area that women find attractive. What makes the male body so
special that it is not perceived to be something that is allowed to be
objectified? Question after question kept entering my brain, until finally I
decided I had to explore them and find some legitimate answers.
I’m a dancer and choreographer. Dance
has always been my primary form of expression and communication. Now, more than
ever, I’ve realized the importance and impact that dance can have when it comes
to exploration. So, I decided to embark on a new quest. I decided that I would
choreograph a piece that would address some of these questions.
I knew that this journey would not be
easy, as this would require a ton of research, self- exploration, communication
with a variety of sources, and courage to expose these questions to a larger
audience. I began by googling some of my questions in hopes that I would find random
blogs, articles, videos, Tumblr rants, Instagram memes, etc. that would give me
a clearer picture of what I really wanted to say. What I found is that the
overall concept of the inequality of revealing one’s body parts between men and
women was only a small portion of a bigger issue.
One of the first things I stumbled
upon was information regarding the “modesty doctrine”. I found countless
articles, blogs, and YouTube rants from women and men about how this idea is a
direct link to rape culture. A basic definition of the modesty doctrine is the
belief that women need to cover their bodies to prevent men from being
attracted to them. Along with this is the assumption that men have a right to a
woman’s body. Through my research and intimate conversations with friends that have
been victims of rape and/or various forms of sexual harassment and abuse, I
discovered that this piece was no longer about my initial question. There was a
bigger question to be addressed that would definitely lead to a call to action.
I realized that this mentality that has been instilled in us as a society for
so long has been the cause of so much pain and shame among women. Men also
suffer from this, as gender stereotypes and expectations are heavily reinforced
through this absurd thinking.
I realized that this piece was not
just about making a statement, but a call to change and healing. I’ve already
begun the rehearsal process, and I’m discovering that there is a unique
opportunity for others to be enlightened, inspired, and encouraged to take a
stand against this mentality that is often a gateway to horrid acts of violence
and instilling
It all comes down to allowance. Women
are not only put in a place of abuse and scrutiny, but have been conditioned to
allow these things to happen to them. The allowance is what contributes to the
shame and the feelings of lack of value and worth. This piece is about
renouncing that shame. It is a renouncement of all allowances that would hinder
the empowerment, acceptance, and genuine respect for all people, but particularly
women that have been victimized, oppressed and abused for so long. It is an
invitation for all women to realize their strength and that they as individuals
are more than a pretty piece of flesh to be desired by a
It has definitely been an emotionally
grueling process for myself and my dancers so far, but I strongly believe that
this is necessary in order to invite courage among all of us to offer solutions
and answers to these complex questions. While this particular project consists
of my dancers embodying certain “characters” that do not necessarily reflect who
they are as people in their everyday lives, all of the scenarios presented
reflect real life situations. This piece will also present literal and abstract
themes and ideas, in order to paint an overall picture that each audience
member can latch onto. Along with my choreographic process, I will be using
this platform to provide bimonthly updates and communicate with readers about
what my dancers and I are exploring and discovering in our rehearsal process,
in hopes that this project will reach people beyond the dance community on the campus
of ISU. The issues being addressed in this piece are a worldwide issue that
goes beyond what I am doing. It is my hope that my piece will plant a seed for
people to start having a more open dialogue about this particular issue and
that a safe place is created for this to happen. In the future I will probably
include some video clips, along with some of the dancers’ commentary. Feedback is
greatly encouraged and appreciated.
A
little bit more about the logistics of this piece….
Every
year, Dance Association (a dance RSO on campus) hosts a student choreographed
concert called “Dance Inventions” in the spring semester. Members of this
organization are given the opportunity to choreograph original works. These
works are adjudicated by the dance faculty, as they pick which pieces will be
allowed to perform in the concert. Pieces are also adjudicated to determine
which ones will go to American College Dance Association (formerly known as
American College Dance Festival) in March. In addition to being adjudicated and
hopefully performed in the student choreographed concert, a section of this
piece will be performed at Dance Association’s event, RSO Live, on October 17th
at 7pm in the Brown Ballroom (Bone Student Center). Admission is 3 dollars.
Please
stay tuned for what is to come, and I look forward to sharing more with all of
you!
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