See below for photos from the New York premiere:
Miss Representation was an excellent film. It was engaging and interesting, and for those of us who aren’t really on social media or paying attention to it, this was eye-opening. Not only are nearly all social media platforms havens for stalkers, doxxers, and abusers, the platforms refuse to enforce their own rules. Clearly abusive posts targeted at a person are reported and nearly always dismissed. Promises of moderation and protection of users by social media executives testifying before Congress were never kept. Not only that, but when those who would later become whistleblowers approached the executives, giving them information about how they could keep those promises they thoughtlessly made, the requests were refused. They were told that, despite each of the companies raking in billions in profits, there was no money to protect young people and girls on their platforms.
And that is just the start of it. We learn about women in all fields of activity who have to fight the ‘glass ceiling’ that no one will acknowledge exists – except other women. There is a great deal of backlask against women, especially those who try to get involved in politics to make a difference. Doxing of women running for office is common and unprotected in most states. Women and their families feel unsafe in their own homes because multiple predators out there have made it clear they know where they live, and they would like nothing more than coming to their homes and ending their lives. In most states, these are considered threats, but there is little to nothing that law enforcement can due, partially because of Section 230, which alleviates social media platforms of any liability or responsibility on their platforms. They don’t have to reveal a user’s identity if one is accused of abuse, and since so many predators use fake names and identifying information, it can be very difficult to track them down.
There are two very simple solutions that are not mentioned in the film: first would be to advise all young girls to use an alias and not their real name. That way, some online predator can’t destroy their real reputation; any damage would be to a fake persona. While this may be technically ‘against the rules’ of the social media platforms, they don’t actually enforce the rules that are supposed to protect users, so this is a way to protect oneself. Using a fake persona ensures that only one’s actual friends and relatives will be able to connect with them on the platforms. Many people think it is illegal to use a fake name online, but that only applies when one is doing so to deceive or defraud others out of money. If it is being done in an innocent manner, to protect a minor or female from abuse, there is no illegality in it.
Second: Every school-aged girl should be able to take free self-defense classes in her community. This gives girls the skills and confidence to actually defend themselves should one of their online stalkers find them in real life. Basic self-defense and skills building awareness of one’s one surroundings are excellent skills for every girl and woman to learn. There are a lot of predators out there, and the vast majority of them happen to be male. So learning to become aware of these threats and protect against them can be more valuable than anything else.
This film presented information that every woman and girl in America should know. There are many threats to our freedom and health, both from politicians and ordinary people that might not be obvious. It does a great job of weaving everything together that is threatening women’s freedom, including reproductive freedom. From the Trad Wives tradition, where there are groups of predominantly Christian women (this was a favorite belief of the late Charlie Kirk) that women exist only to serve men. They do not have a right to their own autonomy, bodily or otherwise, and they should not participate in civil society. They should be raised by their father, who does everything for them and keeps them under lock and key, into the ‘possession’ of her husband to be lorded over by him for the rest of her life. The ‘trad wives’ who have left the movement have described a misogynystic world of abusive, destructive men who need to dominate a woman in order to feel powerful. There is no shortage in this society of men like that. But there are those who are allies to women, who have fought just as hard as they have for the rights they now enjoy and those that were recently taken away in many states.
This movie is highly recommended, and is a must-see movie. I would rate it five stars:
Now Playing at the IFC Center in New York & Expanding to Theaters Nationwide
Directed & Produced by: Jennifer Siebel Newsom
Produced by: Camille Servan-Schreiber, Gretchen Miller, Jennifer Siebel Newsom
Written by: Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Camille Servan-Schreiber, Gretchen Miller
Featuring: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Safiya Noble, Frances Haugen, Reshma Saujani, Jameela Jamil, Jim Steyer, Gretchen Carlson, Nancy Pelosi, Amy Klobuchar
Over a decade after Miss Representation exposed the media’s contribution to the under-representation of women in leadership, Miss Representation: Rise Up dives deep into the cultural backlash against women’s agency and power. With the proliferation of AI and deepfakes, this new era of tech-facilitated violence is exacerbating sexism and misogyny towards women and girls, in an attempt to control and silence them. With inspiring young women at its core, Miss Representation: Rise Up interweaves young women’s personal journeys alongside powerful voices in media, culture, leadership, and academia to reimagine a future that finally uplifts women and girls.
RT: 87 Minutes
FIM FESTIVAL SELECTIONS
**Official Selection – 2026 Tribeca Film Festival**
**Official Selection – 2026 DC/DOX Film Festival**
**Official Selection – 2026 Bentonville Film Festival**
**Official Selection – 2026 Woods Hole Film Festival**
**Official Selection – 2026 Mill Valley Film Festival**
**Official Selection – 2026 Global Peace Film Festival**
**Official Selection – 2026 Twin Cities Film Festival**
**Official Selection – 2026 Reading Film Festival**
Banner Image: Miss Representation premiere. Image Credit – Falko Ink
