quick introduction so my name is Nathan
and I’ll be doing some spoken word
poetry now I love doing spoken word
poetry especially on feminism and
whenever I do this this is usually a
very controversial topic and this summer
I had some very controversial opinions
put to me such as we’ve overcome gender
equality we don’t need to focus this
anymore this was something from the 50s
and 60s that doesn’t exist today so all
these different opinions that were being
put to me inspired me now to write this
piece which is for this event called a
leap into the future a leap into the
future let’s remember back to the Wizard
of Oz you know that old yellow brick
road the great city called Emerald City
was this greener screen can be so green
in fact that wearing glasses was
mandatory the wrote emerald green the
buildings beautifully green this city
was just one big futuristic dream
everything so bright feliz supreme so
make sure you keep your glasses on it’s
for your own safety now the main
character Dorothy she decided to take
her glasses off to face the city herself
expecting her eyes to be banned to fill
the blistery fire of progress scale her
inner iris none of that happened instead
as she removed her glasses this city was
gray the emerald green tint came her
from her glasses exactly like today and
leap into the future we are Emerald City
we are told that things are now the way
they should be that we’ve overcome
atrocity that we do not live in
patriarchy that we’ve overcome this
gender inequality I have but one mission
today and that’s to get every one of you
to throw these emerald green glasses
away to have a look into the dark pit we
call our presence and to realize how
gendered the world truly is
after you to all understand why I call
myself a feminist so here are seven of
the many puzzle pieces that come
together to build our patriarchal
society one Jane you’re 25 and I love
your CV all those internships and Wow
that masters degree you’ve done so much
volunteer work can you play the violin
Jane you are the candidate for me but
tell me Jane do you plan on having
children too Samuels dream was always to
cut hair to unlock people’s inner beauty
to make whole rings just stand and stare
for the creation of art would be his per
professional duty but Samuel decided to
call himself a barber
because only women are hairdressers 3
when a girl wants to remain friends but
a boy once more we all call this the
friendzone you’ve probably heard of it
you know the boy does everything a good
boyfriend would do except he doesn’t get
the benefits no benefits what the
kind of human being refuses to see the
benefits of friendship beyond sex the
girl looking for ears to welcome the
pangs of life a shoulder to cry on when
tears are overdue she realizes that if
she wants this kind of friendship she
must give him to every single one of his
sexual desires because if she refuses
then she is nothing more than a tease
he’s imprisoned this poor soul to remain
his days in the friendzone denying him
courage perseverance strength all these
attributes are measured by the extent to
which you fit the stereotypical man any
woman or anyone else who does not live
up to the aggressive masculine male
dominance flagship that our patriarchal
society lifts up like a drawn blood
drawn banner are nothing more than
shadows sidelines and casters
to be great is to man to be week is to
woman five avatar The Prestige Finding
Nemo to a story to the life of others
gladiator Fast & Furious 7 40% of
mainstream films have one fact in common
and that’s that they fell a fundamental
test have two female characters who have
names who talk to each other about
something other than men 40% of
mainstream films fell this easy test 40%
of film directors do not realize that
females can have names and talk to each
other
40% of film directors refuse to allow
women to exist in a reality outside of
men 40% of mainstream films 6 we tell
our daughters to stay safe to cover up
their legs not to go out too late at
night not to walk down dark alleys and
to run away from men who do not
understand the word no we have this
conversation with all of our daughters
why don’t we teach our sons to respect
women why don’t we tell them the meaning
of the word no get them to understand
consent not to rape this is a
conversation we never have with our sons
7 you you are the only ones who have the
power to change you and yes just like
myself you are probably sexist but no
you will never admit it so instead just
do me one favor stop pretending that
we’ve actually taken asleep into the
future thank you [Applause]