An Interview with Maria Suarez Toro

I had the privilege and honor of interviewing Maria Suarez Toro, who is an influential and passionate activist from Latin America. One of her prime successes is being the co-founder of FIRE, Feminist International Radio Endeavor, which brings together women and broadcasts their voices to an international audience. She is a perfect example of using the media to propel the women’s liberation cause. Below is a transcript of our interview:

-What kind of activism were you doing before FIRE, and what kind of success did you have?

Before starting FIRE in 1991 I was a human rights advocate in the Central American Human Rights Commission (CEDEHUCA) doing human rights education in the region and defending women in specific cases where their human rights were being violated.

I defended in Belize the first legal case about domestic violence that was defended on the basis of human rights and CODEHDUCA won the case in 1998. A Costa Rica woman married to a Belizean man was in jail for having killed her husband. She had everything against her: she was a woman, he was a man, she was a lay person, he was a pastor, she was a foreigner who killed a Belizean. Plus, there were no laws to protect a woman from violence against her and very little public awareness about the issue at the time. We were able to prove in court that she had killed him in self defense after years of abuse and violence and that the night she killed him he was going to kill her. The argument of self defense was used by the judge to release her because the penalty was death by hanging and we had organized a global campaign with Amnesty International to show that Belize still has de death penalty in its law, a violation of the right to live.

-Why did you choose to start using radio?

I was asked to start FIRE by the philanthropist, Genevieve Vaughan who created FIRE at Radio for Peace International. For the two decades that I had been doing education, first adult literacy and the human rights education, I realized that poor and illiterate people were a voice that was not heard in media, yet had a wealth of experience and knowledge that needed to be heard. Radio was the way to give them a voice, as they did not need to read and write to speak on a microphone.

-In a sentence or two, what do you see as the main objective of FIRE?

Connecting voices, communications technologies and action to amplify women´s voices worldwide.

-How many people does FIRE reach?

Throughout the 21 years of existence, FIRE has reached million of peoples in all continents, first through short wave radio before the advent of the world wide web and later in internet radio. Letters, emails, an  academic study of the hits by FIRE as the first women´s internet radio station showcase that audience in the internet cannot be measured technically when it operated with a “multiplying effect” like FIRE has done, where our aim was not only to broadcast, but for other media to pick it up and re-broadcast or print.

-How do you think using radio has benefited your efforts and activism?

Radio has shown to be an excellent tool for activism as “voice” carries with it the power of feeling, commitment and passion connected to each call to action, and those are very necessary for people to believe that social change CAN happen and that ordinary people can make it happen.

In a world where mainstream politics have become a game to see who can best hide their true objectives, clear voices that speak from the heart and not only the head are crucial, and that happens in radio.

Feminist International Radio Endeavour

        Feminist International Radio Endeavor (FIRE), founded by Maria Suarez Toro and Katerina Anfossi Gomez, is a prime example of how the mass media has positively impacted the women’s movement. Making strategic and resourceful use of one of the most internationally accessible mediums has allowed the leaders at FIRE to give women a loud and audible voice that can be heard around the world, as well as redefine the idea of “human rights” to include women’s rights (as stated in Suarez Toro’s book chapter “Women’s Human Rights”).
           According to the Thompson and Suarez article, “Giving Women a Voice in the Face of Globalization,” FIRE gives priority to women’s perspectives and contributions. The radio endeavor gives women the opportunity to share their own personal stories and broadcast them, so they can be heard for the first time. Additionally, the article states that FIRE brings forth particular issues that are often silenced in mainstream discourse. Thus, FIRE diversifies the conversation and helps to democratize communications. By connecting voices and actions, FIRE places the power of the media in the hands of women (Suarez and Thompson).
           The radio, unlike other mediums such as the internet, is incredibly accessible and readily available around the world. Thus, by choosing to broadcast women’s voices on the radio, FIRE is able to capture a very extensive reach, including a huge amount of women (and men) in the Global South, which is where FIRE is based. The intelligent and hard-working women behind FIRE have actively promoted better representation of women in the media, greater inclusivity of women in the media field, and have fought to foster genuine networks between women around the world (official FIRE website). Through radio, FIRE has made major strides in all of those progressive objectives.

Official FIRE website found at:
 http://www.fire.or.cr/indexeng.htm

Women's Media Center

           Founded by Gloria Steinem, Robin Morgan, and Jane Fonda, the Women’s Media Center was created to combat a very serious problem: the lack of women’s representation in the media. While women represent half of the population, females are still drastically underrepresented in the news media field. Luckily, the women behind the Women’s Media Center are trying to change that and give women a voice.

According to the official WMC website, the media is an extraordinarily influential entity. The website states, “The media is the single most powerful tool at our disposal; it has the power to educate, affect social change, and determine the political policies and elections that shape our lives. Our work in diversifying the media landscape is critical to the health of our culture and democracy.” Clearly, the WMC recognizes the relevance and genuine potential that the media holds. They understand that the media can raise awareness as well as mobilize people, thus they are trying to ensure a greater democratization of the media.

The mission of the WMC is to make women “visible and powerful in the media,” as stated on their website. The Women’s Media Center strives to train females to be media literate, curate original content from women, amplify women’s voices, criticize media sexism, launch activist campaigns, and encourage equal participation in the media field.

Media is a large part of contemporary society. It guides perceptions, provides information, and brings attention to particular people and issues. The Women’s Media Center is taking hold of the media and demanding more democratic standards for representation. They are actively making women more visible and powerful in the media. The WMC is an amazing (and modern) example of the women’s movement and the media coming together. By using the media platform, the WMC is promoting alternative voices, thus greatly contributing to the empowerment of women everywhere.

WMC website found at: http://www.womensmediacenter.com/content

Makers: Women Who Make America

This PBS documentary is absolutely brilliant and genuinely captivating. It captures the awakening of the women’s movement in the 1950s when women were restricted had few opportunities outside the kitchen, and current situation of women in the United States. The film chronicles feminism through the decades, and features amazing interviews with Gloria Steinem, Oprah Winfrey, Billy Jean King, and countless others. The documentary also features the variety of ways in which the media aided the movement (whether through news coverage, celebrities, magazines, radio, etc). Part One of the documentary can be seen below.

Full PBS documentary can be seen at: http://www.makers.com/documentary?sem=1&ncid=searchusmake00000001

Madonna

         

        In a world where people are endlessly fascinated and entranced by popular culture, it is undeniable that certain celebrities just happen to be extraordinarily influential. While politicians, activists, and humanitarians all contribute endless amounts to their causes, celebrities can also inspire and engage. And in the evolution of feminism, one can’t help but mention Madonna. Though she might not be the first woman to come to mind when pondering the list of important figures in the women’s movement, I believe she played a significant role in shifting the stereotypical and ancient ideas about womanhood and sexuality.

Cathy Schwichtenberg writes in her article, “Madonna’s Postmodern Feminism: Bringing the Margins to the Center,” that “Madonna’s postmodern representational strategies challenge the foundational ‘truths’ of sex and gender.” The author argues that Madonna’s music, videos, and performances helped redefine “femininity.” Women began embracing a greater sense of sexual freedom and agency. Schwichtenberg writes that Madonna provoked “feminism to rethink its own lines, limits, and boundaries.”

Women, typically encouraged to button up and remain reserved, were shocked and empowered by the radical and liberating personality of Madonna. And due to the reach of mass media, and the popularity of MTV, Madonna’s videos and images spread through the United States like wildfire. Madonna became a pop culture icon because of her catchy music and over-the-top performances. But she became symbol of the women’s movement as well, as she effortlessly challenged and defied typical gender norms and reinvented the feminine identity.

Here's an example of a Madonna music video, “Justify My Love:” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np_Y740aReI

Gloria Steinem

          Though the feminist movement witnessed a number of media contributions, few were quite as visible as the widely publicized personality that was Gloria Steinem. Oddly, feminists themselves are somewhat torn on their feelings toward Steinem. While some saw her as wildly influential and helpful, others were bothered by the fact that she was the sole figure speaking for an entire movement. But regardless, Steinem was extraordinarily successful in grabbing and sustaining popular media attention. She quickly became the face of the movement and was a household name in millions of American homes.

            According to Jillian Klean Zwilling in her article, “A Feminist Icon In Uncharted Territory: The Public Memory Of Gloria Steinem,” the national media popularized Steinem and made her into a cultural icon. She was featured on television, interviewed on several broadcast mediums, written about, and she herself published various articles and pieces. In all senses of the word, Gloria Steinem was a celebrity. As Zwilling states, Steinem was genuinely the media’s go-to feminist and frequently served as the figure-head for the entire movement.

Granted, as many serious feminists critique, Steinem’s style was slightly watered down. Her messages were accessible, but not overly aggressive. She was a personality that the mainstream media could relate to. As Patricia Bradley put it, “As the nation’s most famous, most influential, and subsequently most enduring feminist, Steinem came to represent the only ground on which Americans were ready to consider feminism. It was the same ground that fit with mass media standards, as it must be for any content that is to be embraced by mass media.” Thus, a significant reason for Steinem’s success was that she projected a notion of feminism that the media (and the country) could respect and hold on to. 

         Thus, one could easily argue that Gloria Steinem was not the perfect mouthpiece for the women’s movement. Perhaps she was too much of a media personality and “pretty face,” and not enough of an innovative political activist. But ultimately, Gloria Steinem became an object of the media’s interest. She put a face to the movement, and she garnered attention from a national audience, thus her role must not be downplayed.

Zwilling’s article can be found at:

http://0-ehis.ebscohost.com.bianca.penlib.du.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=517145e3-25f4-473b-9144-39e6f5d1a326%40sessionmgr114&vid=5&hid=116

Ms. Magazine

Another momentous media contribution to the women’s movement was Ms. Magazine, founded in 1972. According to the journal article, “Liberty media, Ms. magazine acquired by Feminist Majority Foundation,” in Media Report to Women, the magazine, which was co-created by Gloria Steinem, quickly became a national forum for new and innovative ideas. The magazine includes investigative journalism, political pieces, as well as coverage about women’s health, humor, and international news. The magazine was (and still is) a major platform, completely run by women, for the exchange and sharing of ideas and information.

According the official website of Ms. Magazine (http://www.msmagazine.com), the magazine has greatly helped to give feminists an audible voice in the national media. Ms. has historically brought important issues to the media’s attention, and frequently featured highly political and activist-driven articles. For example, the magazine published pieces about repealing laws that criminalized abortion, sexual harassment and domestic violence, and date rape. The magazine publicized women’s issues and paved a place for them on the media’s agenda.

              Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation, has remarked on the impact of Ms. “The magazine has provided the feminist movement with a unique, unfiltered voice. We are committed to making sure that the Ms. voice thrives as the forum for challenging conventional ideas and a springboard for the development and spread of feminist ideas,” stated Smeal.

            Additionally, the previously mentioned journal article quotes Suzanne Braun Levine, who served as editor of Ms. from 1972 to 1987. Levine said, "The early Ms. enabled women to discover they were not alone. The magazine went on to mobilize women, collective energy for change. Now, it will be able to focus that momentum on a new generation of activism."

            Clearly, Ms. Magazine was an important venue for women’s voices to be heard. All too often women were silenced, or (perhaps even worse) their perspectives were crafted for them and women themselves did not have the opportunity to contribute to the way women were represented in the media. But with Ms. Magazine, women came to the forefront, challenged dominant ways of thinking, brought attention to women’s issues, and spread alternative views to a mass audience, fueling the rising feminist movement.

“Liberty media, Ms. magazine acquired by Feminist Majority Foundation” article can be found at:

http://jc3th3db7e.search.serialssolutions.com/?sid=EBSCO:Communication+%26+Mass+Media+Complete&genre=article&title=Media+Report+to+Women&atitle=Liberty+Media%2c+Ms.+Magazine+Acquired+by+Feminist+Majority+Foundation.&author=&authors=&date=20020101&volume=30&issue=1&spage=6&issn=01459651

The Feminine Mystique

When talking about the women’s movement, and specifically the role of the media, it would be a monumental injustice to not talk about The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. This book, practically single-handedly, started a new wave of feminism in the United States, and was responsible for engaging thousands of American women.

According to the PBS documentary, “Makers: Women who Make America,” the 1963 book, The Feminine Mystique, helped to crumble the traditional notion of the “happy homemaker.” Friedan’s work shed light on the fact that there were large amounts of women that were utterly dissatisfied with their homemaker lives; there were women out there who wanted more! The documentary illuminates that The Feminine Mystique was really a turning point in the women’s movement because it let women know that it was okay to want more out of life than just staying at home. The book helped inspire women to dream bigger and fight the restricting stereotypes of women that were so ingrained in the 1950s and 1960s. 

Not only was The Feminine Mystique a fundamental document for women’s empowerment, but it is a prime example of how the media greatly impacted the success of the women’s movement. According to Patricia Bradley in her book, Mass Media and the Shaping of American Feminism: 1963-1975, the historic book represented one of the first times that the feminist agenda was able to reach the national media agenda. Friedan wrote the book in a way that made it accessible and interesting to the mass media, thus giving the piece national attention. “With Friedan’s book as the opening salvo, the second wave of feminism was inextricably mounted to a midcentury belief in the mass media’s ability to promote change...Beginning with The Feminist Mystique, mass media brought feminism to millions of women who otherwise might never have been connected to the movement at all,” writes Bradley.

Ultimately, The Feminine Mystique was a controversial and truly ground-breaking book that challenged the notion of what it meant to be a woman in the 1960s. Encouraging women that it was okay to want more than the homemaker lifestyle, Friedan invigorated a swath of eager American women to become more involved in women’s liberation. While there were of course negative reactions and critiques to Friedan’s assertions, there is no way one could argue that her book didn’t play a significant role in the growth of feminism. She got a woman’s daring perspective in the mass media, and that was a gigantic win for women everywhere.

PBS documentary can be found at:

http://www.makers.com/documentary?sem=1&ncid=searchusmake00000001

Patricia Bradley’s book can be found at: 

http://0-site.ebrary.com.bianca.penlib.du.edu/lib/udenver/docDetail.action?docID=10157899