By Claire Cowley
A film screened in late February at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Minstrel Vs. Puppet, showcases societal challenges diverse women of color face.
Hannah Bonecutter, a first-year master of public health graduate student at the UIC School of Public Health and creator of the film, hosted an open screening and discussion in collaboration with the UIC Black Graduate Student Association, the UIC African-American Cultural Center, the UIC Urban Health Program, and the School of Public Health’s Minority Students for the Advancement of Public Health.
The film illustrates issues regarding racism, physical superficiality versus natural beauty, wealth disparity, higher education, and objectification through Bonecutter’s educational and artistic expression.
“The issues in the film are what’s key,” Bonecutter said. “Many of them aren’t being talked about how they should, and people aren’t aware of the historical background.”
The minstrel character’s idea of success, for example, overlaps with general American definitions such as ample monetary resources. She tends to aim for public acclaim as her ticket to success and has low regard for traditional pathways to other forms of achievement, such as higher education.
“The minstrel is a beauty obsessed woman of color who is fixated on her physical outward appearance, luxurious items, and superficial fame to advance herself,” Bonecutter said.
On the other hand, the puppet is a conservative woman of color who is working toward higher education achievement.
“She looks down on superficiality and doesn’t rely on beauty to get where she wants to go,” Bonecutter said. “She’s a natural beauty, interested in intelligence, and has no desire to be noticed.”
Bonecutter said like many humans, the puppet character wants to be affirmed for who she is and is aware of her Black and Latino history.
Historical objectification
“One thing that’s important to highlight is the historical objectification of women of color…particularly slaves,” Bonecutter said. “This set a deeply rooted foundation for the societal barriers allowing these characters to be here.”
Bonecutter mentions Sarah Baartman, who was taken from South Africa and exhibited as a freak across Britain, to emphasize a pivotal moment of focus on the physicality of the black woman.
Baartman “was stretched to represent women of color, being something to stare at and to gawk at, simply because of outward shape,” Bonecutter said.
Bonecutter said communities of color glorify strippers, solely predicated on women’s physicality, which can be mentally detrimental to society.
A woman of color’s outward physicality may encompass her total value as a human being, even though people bring much more to the table, Bonecutter said.
“Black women attend colleges and universities 66% more than black men,” she said. “For most it’s proven beneficial for their futures and career goals.”
Bonecutter said the educational background, knowledge, and professionalism the puppet has give her power.
“Her power of breaking the pattern of being remembered for how you look allows a new mindset to be formed around her value,” Bonecutter said.
Bonecutter does argue the way the minstrel looks can be a power of influence on a mass scale.
“The minstrel is extremely alluring, attractive, and easy on eyes in a sexual way,” Bonecutter said. “Perhaps a mysterious, confident, kind of cocky way.”
Context is key in knowing when to pull from a minstrel quality or puppet quality, Bonecutter said.
“You’re not diminishing yourself, but rather utilizing a part of yourself and naturally allowing it to come out in the appropriate context,” Bonecutter said. “We are very adaptable creatures, and the more adaptable you are to different settings, the better you will fare.”
Bonecutter said she learned where her value truly is, how her value should be represented to others, and what her value means regarding racism, discrimination, and prejudice through balancing positive attributes.
Stereotypical portrayals
“I understand the stereotypical portrayals of women of color in society, and that doesn’t mean [women of color] have to conform,” she noted.
Alexis Grant, a second-year doctoral student in community health sciences and president of the BGSA, said Bonecutter allows representation of herself on different levels as an actress, executive producer, writer, educator, poet, and business owner.
“I think a lot of the time, with different identities, it’s hard to bring it all together,” Grant said. “This event was a way to recognize we can be all of these things.”
Grant said women can be graduate students, artists, and proud black women in a space created for those conversations where multiple identities are not reduced to a single thing.
“I think people might meet people they’re different from, but not necessarily have the space to have those conversations,” she stated. “They might be concerned about being politically correct.”
Grant believes allowing people who are or are not from the same community to understand people of color can celebrate diversity and value it rather than solely recognizing it exists.
“I think having these conversations in black communities is really important, as is the diversity of blackness,” Grant said. “It’s not one narrative of what it means to be black.”
She added she thinks these kinds of conversations need to come to the academic sphere across the board as part of recognizing black history is a part of American history.
Krystle Everett, an adult and higher education graduate student and guest at the event, said the American dream, which argues hard work and education grant success, often does not take structural racism into account.
“The film addresses racism by bringing awareness of the term ‘minstrel’ from a historical perspective and challenging the myth of mediocrity,” Everett said. “I researched the term minstrel and learned Jim Crow originated from a minstrel character.”
Everett said the film reflects reality for women of color because society has yet to see them as full, complex human beings.
“This event brought people from different walks of life together from different religious and ethnic backgrounds, ages, and professions,” Everett said.
Everett added she believes the film has potential to start a large social justice movement.
Bonecutter wrote and starred in the movie, playing both the minstrel and the puppet. Besides being a UIC student, she also has been active in the community with Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for Elderly, 1419 W. Carroll Ave.
The film has earned kudos including screenings at several film festivals, an award of merit at the Best Shorts Competition, and winning the Chicago section of the Gentleman Jack Real to Reel Competition (sponsored by the makers of Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack whiskey).
For more about Bonecutter, see www.boneclutter.com/meethannahbonecutter. For the UIC School of Public Health, see publichealth.uic.edu or call (312) 996-6620.