CWLC Blog

Kathryn Bigelow Makes History

bobbie wasserman — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:08:56 +0000

Congratulations to Kathryn Bigelow, the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Director, last night at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards ceremony.

“I hope I’m the first of many [women],” Bigelow said backstage at the 82nd Academy Awards on Los Angeles on Sunday, reports Access Hollywood. ”But I’m grateful if I can inspire some young, intrepid tenacious male or female filmmaker and have them feel that the impossible is possible and never give up on your dream,” she said with a wishful tone.

As we noted on prior to the ceremony, Bigelow is only the fourth female director to have been nominated in Oscar history, working in an industry where only seven to nine percent of top films are directed by women — a figure that apparently…

And The Winner Is…

bobbie wasserman — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:36:29 +0000

Having our offices in Los Angeles, we would lose our driving privileges if we did not mention the Oscars taking place this Sunday. More important is that on Sunday it is predicted that Kathryn Bigelow (far right) will accept the Oscar for Best Director for The Hurt Locker.

In the 81 year history of the Academy Awards there have only been four women nominated for Best Director. From left to right they include: Lina Wertmuller for Seven Beauties in 1975; Jane Campion for The Piano in 1993; Sofia Coppola for Lost in Translation in 2003; and Kathryn Bigelow.

The Hollywood glass ceiling discussion, similar to other professions, has been going on for decades. However, one common thread in the general Hollywood discussion is that women can’t direct male-oriented film. Kathyrn Bigelow has…

On this date…

bobbie wasserman — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:20:24 +0000

Jeanette Rankin became the first US Congresswoman in 1917. Frances Perkins becomes the first woman on a President’s Cabinet, as Secretary of Labor, 1933.

The IOC Boys Team Sinks in the Gender Equity Pool

bobbie wasserman — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:49:30 +0000

With the close of the 2010 Winter Olympics, we could not let IOC president Jacques Rogge comments about women’s hockey go ignored. Apparently Mr. Rogge is upset about the North American women’s hockey teams being “too good.” [CWLC mentioned this in a prior post] and as a result, the sport has four to eight years to ‘build depth’.

Interesting. As Ann Killion points out in Sports Illustrated – in the first 36 years of Olympic competition, the Canadian men won every gold medal save one. Cross-country skiing has been dominated by Norway, Sweden & Finland since 1924.

Individual sports need time to develop; and there will be sports where countries tend to dominate. Looking for more parity in women’s hockey (and other sports) – then require countries…

California Assembly swears in its first gay speaker

bobbie wasserman — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:29:36 +0000

Congratulations to Assembly Speaker John Perez.

The Los Angeles Democrat and former labor leader, who was elected to the post during his first year as a lawmaker, is the first openly gay legislator to win a leadership role in the Legislature.

Women Not Allowed to Jump

bobbie wasserman — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:06:09 +0000

Where new heights are being reached and old world records are being broken every day, there is still an Olympic sized hole at the Vancouver games: female ski jumping. It is still the last remaining sport in the Winter Olympics that the IOC has barred. Saying it is not female discrimination, IOC is insisting the decision was made on a “technical basis” because the sport was lacking in representatives and skill level across the board. However, the women’s ski jump has as many participants as the women’s bobsled along with some key jumpers like Lindsey Van (who, by the way, jumps on par with men and even higher).
Hypothetically speaking if the IOC were correct in saying skill is lacking, there is still the argument that…

Harry Reid and Domestic Violence

bobbie wasserman — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:21:17 +0000

Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid argued for passing a $15 billion job stimulus because ‘violence against women has gotten out of hand.’ Reid’s comments, as noted in by Tracy Clark-Flory in Salon.com continued “Why? Men don’t have jobs. Women don’t have jobs either, but women aren’t abusive, most of the time.” He continued, “Men, when they’re out of work, tend to become abusive.”

Reid is correct, CWLC work and research, a 2004 report funded by the Department of Justice. and experience tells us that there is, unfortunately, a positive relationship between male unemployment and domestic violence against women. Is a jobs bill for men the answer? Especially a $15 billion program that, according to economists, is weak at best?

Here’s an idea – how about funding domestic violence programs…

Fat Women vs. Fat Men on Airplanes

bobbie wasserman — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:51:18 +0000

The blogs are alive and Twitter is aflutter with the horror of Director Kevin Smith being kicked-off a Southwest Airline flight over this past weekend for being deemed “too fat” by the pilot of the flight. When Mr. Smith Tweeted about the incident to his 1.6 million Twitter followers, Southwest received so many complaints that an apology was issued.

Would that be the same response with a high-profile woman?

On this day…

bobbie wasserman — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:21:00 +0000

Ruth Carol Taylor was the first black woman to become a stewardess by making her first initial flight on Mohawk Airlines on February 12, 1958.

Katie Buckland Comments on Domestic Violence Increase During Super Bowl

bobbie wasserman — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:29:27 +0000

This week’s Parade Magazine debunks some Super Bowl myths. Read the article for Katie’s comments on domestic violence. http://www.parade.com/news/intelligence-report/archive/100207-the-truth-behind-super-bowl-myths.html