I have a Web site that parents and girls can use to learn about Title IX and take action if they find their school is not in compliance. Thirty years after Title IX passed, 80 percent of schools are not in compliance.
Geena DavisFor a long time, way back in the โ30s and โ40s, there were fabulous female roles. Bette Davis and all those people had incredible, great roles. After World War II, something happened where it was not only "get out of the factories," but "get out of the movies." That's when women's roles started to really [change].
Geena DavisThe only movies I saw till I was 17 were made by Disney. My parents had this thing. Disney was like, you know, "Ford is a good car. Disney makes good movies that are good for kids and safe."
Geena DavisI just started asking my friends if they had noticed. None of them - feminists, mothers, daughters - noticed until I pointed it out. Then I decided to bring it up within the industry. I knew a lot of people, so I'd say, "Have you ever noticed how few female characters there are in kids movies?" when I met a director, a producer, whatever. And they said, "Oh, but that's not true anymore."
Geena DavisMy whole theory about why I couldnโt find any creators who realized they were leaving out female characters is because they were raised on the same ratio. I just heard someone the other day call it either โsmurfingโ a movie, which is when thereโs one female character, or โminioningโ a movie, which is when thereโs no female characters.
Geena Davis