Friday, April 3, 2009

"Cut"

We've talked a bit about Chris Brown/Rhianna and domestic violence on this blog--mostly about the media coverage and how far we have to come to understand DV and its incredibly complicated dynamics. Keira Knightly has a new anti-DV video available to view HERE with Women's Aid, a UK organization devoted to the health and welfare of women and girls. I have to say that it could be triggering if you have previous DV experiences or have witnessed them, so take care of yourself and don't watch if that's best.

The video is very good, I think because the young woman Knightly portrays is an actress, someone with money and a career of her own, yet she's in an abusive relationship. Its kind of a Russian nestlying doll in that she's an actress who drives home, finds her boyfriend in a rage (broken mirror and a bloody hand), the tension is thick, then he starts to berate her for kissing someone else on the set, she defends it as part of her job, the beating begins, then she says, "I didn't agree to this" like she's back on set, and it all pans out to a set, and the caption is "Isn't it time somebody called cut?"

So, its from controlled, to out of control to controlled, out of control--it leaves you topsy turvy, but you are definitely left with the feeling of the private as a place of terror.

Why discuss this on a fitness blog? We'll I hope this is really an intersectional blog--it is called fat feminist fitness blog and what is more elemental to health than bodily integrity and safety?

I don't think that this particular video is in response to Chris Brown/Rhianna (this video is: HERE and it is extremely triggering and based on the 911 call in their particular case). I think that 1st is a UK production and may have been in the works for quite a while. Yet, I do think that it is useful that a video that will garner quite a bit of attention (due to Knightly's status?) is important right now because it keeps the dialogue going without having the glare of a celebrity he said/she said case.

Watch, discuss--peace.

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