Magic Mike XXL and Women Empowerment

The movie has gained its fair share of popularity – both the first installment and this year, the sequel that fans had to wait for three years.

I haven’t watched the first one and honestly speaking, it was because I wasn’t affected by the hype it received three years ago. So, what made me decide to watch it now?

I guess, one, because I’m older now. Two, I have girlfriends to watch the movie with. And when I say that, I mean TWO sets of girlfriends. Yup! Magic Mike XXL is the first movie I ever watched twice in the cinema. The. Very. First.

Here’s why.

1. Channing Tatum.

Okay, we might have different ideas about him but let me tell you mine. I didn’t watch the movie for him. At first. I don’t find him all that good looking. Okay looking, yes. Good looking, not much. So why? Words from friends say that he’s a really great dancer and that he starred in Step Up. I watched Step Up and didn’t see him there. I just don’t know him. But they say he’s a great dancer, so okay. I love dancers. :D

The movie started and boy can he dance! My fave parts of the movie are all of his dance parts. ALL OF ‘EM! The one in his work studio, the one in the “House”, and of course, that finale dance performance. Woah!

Disclaimer: That’s not the main reason why I like Channing now. It’s ‘cause of his teeth. Yep. They’re slightly crooked and I just realized that I really really really love his teeth. That I love crooked teeth. (Sungki in Tagalog, or did I use a wrong English term for it?)

2. Women Empowerment

Now, I wouldn’t put those words in the title of this blog entry if I didn’t think that it suits the movie and what I am about to share with you now.

In a world dominated by men – those with the physical power and those who “wear the pants” as they once called it, women are struggling every day to prove their worth, fight for their rights, their ideals, and do and get what they want without being called names.

The movie speaks to the senses. Women’s senses. Their desires to be worshipped, to be treated as Royals, and be able to get what they want, how they want it, and when they want it.

I love Jada’s character and what she was doing in the movie. She built an empire of her own where every woman who finds herself there is considered a Queen. And those little, witty speeches during the peak of the movie, those messages, should transcend the movie screen and be heard by every woman in the world.

The movie, sensual as it is, suggests freedom of expression to women about their sexual desires and how they want their men to worship their bodies and respect their minds. So, in comes the sexy choreographies and women, not caring about anything in the world, simply enjoying them. I enjoyed it a lot too! Haha!

Historically, culturally, and socially, men are to do the courtship, ask for marriage, call the shots, decide, and rule while women stay on the idle side to wait, be patient, and obey. Interestingly, even in human genetics, women are designed to “wait” for men. Women’s fertile eggs wait for the very first sperm to get in contact with it and together, they will create an offspring. While waiting, the egg is open to accommodate the sperm then shuts close and would not accommodate anything more once the egg found its partner. (Monogamous much? You bet!) Not unless two or more sperms (results to twins and multiple births) got to her at exactly the same time. (Identical twins, on the other hand, is the result when one sperm splits in two while inside the egg). Hah! Some Science lessons we had there. :P

The point is, women have always played the role of the patient and obedient one and they are expected to remain so. Those women who chase after what they want are easily labeled with words that rhyme and are synonymous to glut.

I like this movie because I’m a woman and I’m a feminist (as all women should be, I believe). Women should be free, and by that I also mean free from criticisms, to express their selves, say what they want, do what they want, demand what they believe they deserve, and be granted with all these without having to explain anything or answer to anybody.

I won’t list down the things men can openly do that will earn bad opinions from the society once done by women. We all know what those things are. Directly and indirectly, those things have been fed to our consciousness by the society that we, powerless against something we, ourselves created, never question the logic behind them.

On a brighter note, I lied. (If you can see lying in the bright side, that is.) I wouldn’t have watched this movie twice in the cinema if it only talked about women empowerment. There are definitely other movies out there that speak of the same message. The main reason is the dance numbers, smooth and sexy and exciting and celebratory and well, Channing’s sungki.

These are my opinion and I’m not ashamed to speak of them. Cheers!

Shared this fun, womanly experience with these ladies. :)

Batch 1

Batch 2 :)