"Cowboys" in feminist classrooms

Just read Adeline Koh's review of "Cowboys in Paradise" in Films for the Feminist Classroom. An assistant professor of literature at Richard Stockton College, Adeline had screened the film for a capstone class in the Women, Gender and Sexuality studies program. (You can order your academic screening copy here.)

Her much-too-generous review praises the film for:

(Calling to) attention the critique of second-wave feminism by minority and international feminists such as bell hooks, Chandra Mohanty, and Trinh T. Minh-ha: despite the common condition of being women, the same battles are not fought by women of privilege and their poorer counterparts.

I confess to smiling upon seeing bell hooks mentioned. It took me back to 1994 when I interviewed her for a student paper, and when she introduced me to the concept of 'white-lily feminism'. She wasn't discounting anyone's contribution to the cause, but merely highlighting the fact that all activists - feminists included - are driven by their own background and circumstance. Shortly after, I began to regard my own women studies courses with suspicion. Thankfully, my professors and mentors encouraged this rebellion.

Back to Adeline. I don't know if she considers herself a 'minority' or 'international feminist'. What I do know is that we share a disdain for the over-romanticization of Asia by Westerners. It's unfair, stifling, and counter-productive at best. At its worst, it's just fucking self-centered. Which naturally brings us to...

Eat, Pray, Love. Writes Adeline:

Students watched both Eat, Pray, Love and Cowboys in Paradise after reading second-wave feminist theory alongside its critique by minority and postcolonial feminists. Because they viewed Cowboys after reading theory, students were able to accurately identify the urgency of the inequality raised by minority and postcolonial feminists in their critique of feminisms of privilege.

My film serving as an indirect critique of feminisms of privilege? Somewhere up there, Dr. Ellis is shaking her head and smiling.

"This doc sounded fucking sexy" - Kevin Smith

Listening to Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier talk about "Cowboys in Paradise" was all kinds of fanboy-cool for me. (Warning: explicit stuff. It's Kevin Smith, mmkay?)

Review in Good Vibrations

Sexologist learns a thing or two watching "Cowboys in Paradise". Full review here **with potential spoilers**.

(Thanks to Dr. Martha Lee. And to HC for the link.)

Review in Yawning Bread

Loved this piece on "Cowboys in Paradise" in Yawning Bread. For one thing, it's a favourable review. Flattering, even.

Mostly, though, I'm grateful to Au Waipang for recognizing the film's efforts to present "the situational complexities and human frailties" surrounding its subject. Even if he had disliked the film, it would be enough.

P.S. What he overhears some audience members discussing after the screening is as mind-boggling as it is hilarious.

Don't cue the porno music yet

artsHUB (Australia) published a review of "Cowboys in Paradise" last week. Curiously, there was no mention of the film being vulgar or pornographic. Oh wait, this reviewer actually saw the film.