Writer-producer Keli Goff's documentary 'Reversing Roe' almost didn't get made because none of the male executives and producers she pitched believed abortion rights were in danger.
Both often celebrate popularity over substance, and who appears to have power is not always indicative of who actually does. More films and television shows exist about campaigns than governance, because good governance isn’t glamorous, sexy or exciting. Similarly, in Hollywood, the stars get the glory.
The night of the 2016 election, I co-hosted coverage for WNYC, New York’s NPR affiliate, in front of a live audience. It was like emceeing for a crowd that arrived for a wedding that turned into a wake. The following morning, I was part of an on-air discussion with Gloria Steinem about what the election meant. Obviously, that conversation had a much different tone than originally imagined. But Abra reached out that morning and told me, “Now this film will definitely happen.” She was right.
My goal as a storyteller is to represent those who never get a chance to be in rooms that I’m in. When Abra asked about my inspiration for the film, I talked about my grandmother being one of 14 children, and how family planning was ultimately the pathway out of poverty for my family. I discussed various women in my life who confided about their terrifying pre-Roe experiences with illegal abortions and the conflicting attitudes within my own family on the issue.
My takeaway from that particular experience, and my subsequent experiences as a screenwriter, is this: It doesn’t matter what stories I write or produce if the person I am pitching them to doesn’t think they matter. I am not insinuating that female and BIPOC executives can solve all of Hollywood’s equity problems any more than Clarence Thomas serving on the Supreme Court does.
In a post-Roe world, thinking about which women you want to run for president in 2024 and beyond is important. But so is convincing smart, ambitious women who aspire to be Kamala Harris or Hillary Clinton that the world needs more women judges, too. Not just future superstars like Ketanji Jackson, but also the women whose names we may never know, but who will wield enormous power and impact us all.
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