North Texas Daily

Heamiy Park / Intern Writer

The Fem Flicks Film Series began its seventh season with documentary film Tough Guise 2: Violence, Manhood and American Culture Wednesday in the Media Library.

The documentary discusses the influences and trends in violence among men. The documentary contains graphic material.

Jackson Katz, a filmmaker and author who’s work largely focuses on gender in the media, examines the pattern and expectations society creates for men that result in the common myth that men should reclaim their manhood through violence to avoid losing control.

Most of the film consisted of clips from news media, viral videos and entertainment media. The entertainment footage consisted mostly of movie and television clips that show how men are expected to behave violently or put up a false front in order to gain credibility as a man.

The film discusses common issues in violence among men including mass shootings, violence against women and bullying other men, violence in pornography, discrimination against LGBTs, violence used to control authority and more.

After the film, there was a 20 minute question and answer session with women’s studies adjunct Maia Cudhea as the guest speaker. Cudhea is a UNT professor and teaches Sociology and Women’s Studies. Cudhea discussed the film and encouraged the audience to provide some insight they gained from watching it.

Several viewers, both men and women, spoke about what they could relate to from the film.

Associate librarian Kimberly Stanton, who serves as head of the media library, helps organize the Fem Flicks Film Series.

Stanton said Tough Guise 2 was chosen because  the Women’s Studies and Sociology programs use Jackson Katz’s work frequently, including having used the first film.

“Tough Guise 1 is a pretty seminal work.” said Stanton. “When this new Tough Guise 2 came out, we felt like it would be completely relevant to show because it was a very updated version.”

It was Stanton’s first time watching the sequel during the event.

“I thought it was very powerful and it was very well done. It gives you a lot to chew on,” Stanton said.

The Fem Flicks Film Series covers a wide range of topics that are primarily focused on gender-related studies, and it is not only focused on women.

The fall series is planned to include three films followed by a discussion by a guest lecturer. was its first one of the semester.

The Fem Flicks Film Series is free and open to the public. The next upcoming film will be After Tiller, a documentary about third-trimester abortions. It will be presented on Oct. 29 in the Media Library at 4 p.m.

The series attracts a wide range of people, including people who participate in the women’s study department, students who come for class credit and those who are simply interested in the topic.

Sandra Spencer, director of women’s and gender studies, attended the screening and offered extra credit for her students that came.

“It’s tough to watch in a lot of ways, but I think it does talk about a contemporary issue that a lot of people don’t think about,” Spencer said. “I think it was good from that aspect.”

Journalism sophomore Justin Allen attended the screening. Allen said he enjoyed the experience.

“It was a really cool observation on the way that culture works when it comes to applying masculinity on how men live their lives in America,” Allen said. “I thought that they made a lot of really good points.”