FEMINIST FRIDAY: ’20 Weeks’ Film Shows The Complex Reality Behind Abortion Decisions

Welcome to another edition of Feminist Friday, that part of our week where we bust out the popcorn and spend time watching a few of our fave videos. We like to share these videos with out readers because we believe the messages and themes they center around can help expand the feminist definition and break down misconceptions about a range of topics.

This week we’re diving into the world of reproductive health from a few different angles. First up is the trailer to a very important and timely film called ’20 Weeks‘ from writer-director Leena Pendharkar. Anna Margaret Hollyman and Amir Arison play Maya and Ronan, a couple who learn they are pregnant after only dating for roughly a year. At their 20 week scan, they learn some heartbreaking news that their baby boy has severe physical and health complications.

The film takes the viewer on the complex and nuanced journey of what happens when a difficult decision is made during a pregnancy, and takes away a lot of the highly-politicized stigma around abortion. With a seemingly endless amount of hyper-focus on earlier and earlier abortion bans across the United States that are being introduced as political weapon rather than focused on best medical practice to actually help those who are pregnant, ’20 Weeks’ is a welcome breath of fresh air.

“The film gracefully humanizes what is often an abstract, philosophical debate around abortion,” writes the LA Times’ Kimber Myers. It had a short theatrical run and is now available on demand.

Our second video isn’t technically a reproductive rights-related piece, but it is a reminder that women are badass and strong. Canadian up-and-coming hip hop artist Tee Krispil released the music video to her track ‘Badangadang’ which is giving us all the feels on this Fri-yay. Earmilk.com describes her as a mix between Princess Superstar and Iddy Azalea.

The song is an unapologetic message about the power of women: “Badangadang isn’t about making women strong, women are already strong, it’s about remembering this truth,” says the video description. Be prepared for an audio and visual feminist sensory feast below:

Our final video this week comes to us from feminine hygiene brand Cora who have released a video titled ‘Wake Up’ as part of their epic and beautiful Blood + Milk campaign. As the website describes, Blood + Milk is a community and resource for the awakening woman. Their mission is to revolutionize women’s health content, breaking down stigma and misconceptions about the female body. The term “blood + milk” refers to the two types of fluids the female body makes that relate to reproduction – menstruation and breast milk.

“The world is changing. We are all waking up, in the biggest cosmic sense. The old structures, institutions, paradigms, and unwritten rules that no longer serve us (and indeed have in many ways caused great harm) are beginning to die—because those of us who have suffered at the hands of devaluation, degradation, and systematic oppression are demanding change,” says the description.

“Blood + Milk is a source of knowledge and wisdom for those of us experiencing life in a female body, and is a place for the awakening woman to be fed and nourished by forward-looking information, advice from progressive minds in women’s wellness, and stories from women who have been there. It is our mission to help those who are already waking up to new and ancient truths and insights to continue doing so with as much support as we can offer.”

At a time of women rising to power in unprecedented ways, women’s health, especially reproductive health, needs to be lead by women. Check out the website for some great content, as Cora have partnered with medical doctors, journalists, writers, and industry experts to share women’s stories, exclusive interviews, and expert advice on a wide range of women’s health topics.

For every view of the video on YouTube, Cora will give a period product to a girl in need in Kenya through our giving partner, ZanaAfrica. Check out ‘Wake Up’ below: