We ask the TATE to live up to its claim to be 'inclusive of all perspectives' and host a screening of Indian independent film-maker and activist Vaishnavi Sundar's 'Dysphoric: Fleeing Womanhood Like a House on Fire.'

Recently the Tate Modern showed a short film titled 'What is a Woman?’ by Norwegian film maker Marin Håskjol as part of the Tate Lates series.

Ahead of International Women's Day, the Tate Lates program included displays and exhibitions intended to ‘celebrate the art of women and their experiences’. 
‘As always, we aim to be inclusive of all perspectives,' announced the Tate.

As women in the Arts, and women supporting women in the Arts, we understand the value of being inclusive of all perspectives.

We feel strongly that the film ‘What is a Woman?’ does not fit this criterion, following as it does a narrow narrative supporting gender identity ideology. Examples of this include a main character who dismisses trans-racialism (in this case, a white woman identifying as black) as ‘fine by me’ and another character who suggests that vulnerable women ‘look elsewhere’ if they don’t wish to see penises in single-sex changing rooms.

After the film there was no opportunity for the discussion and dialogue that the Tate claims to value so highly. During the closed conversation between curator and artist, the curator claimed she ‘couldn’t find a single voice that wasn’t heard in the film’ and Håskjol referred to one of two ‘gender critical’ characters as a ‘TERF’- a derogatory term for women who believe that the material reality of living in a female body is 'what makes a woman'.

We respect and value artistic freedom and do not object to Håskjol having the platform to express her art and her views. However, we would ask the Tate to live up to its stated values and consider redressing the balance by hosting a screening of Indian independent filmmaker and activist Vaishnavi Sundar’s ‘Dysphoric: Fleeing Womanhood Like a House on Fire’.

A four-part documentary on the rise of gender identity ideology and its devastating effects on women and girls, especially those in in developing nations, ‘Dysphoric’ is a powerful and important piece which explores a less conventional take on what some believe to be the most significant question of our time. A Q&A with Vaishnavi Sundar afterwards would allow a genuine opportunity for discussion.

'Dysphoric' can be viewed here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8taOdnXD6o

Being inclusive of and presenting all perspectives matters in the Arts perhaps more than anywhere else. As such, we very much welcome the Tate’s continued commitment to diversity- including diversity of thought- and hope that we can look forward to a redress of the current imbalance.

The Art not Propaganda Collective