🎬“Je ne suis pas un homme facile” -What If the Tables Turned?

"A world ruled by women might seem like a dream at first. But what if that dream slowly turns into a different kind of oppression?"

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🎥 Getting to Know the Film:

Today, I want to talk about Je ne suis pas un homme facile, a 2018 French film. The story takes place in a world where traditional gender roles are flipped. The main character, Damien, is a man who grew up in a patriarchal society and fully enjoyed the privileges that came with it. But one day, he suddenly hits his head and wakes up in a world that feels completely foreign to him: a world ruled by women. While he's trying to adapt to the new system, we also start to question the gender power dynamics in our world. The female-dominated world in the movie is actually a mirror reflection of the patriarchal system we live with. Women dominate business life, the streets, and social spaces, while men are often in the background.

In the movie, men are objectified, they are seen as sexual objects. Damien is constantly judged by his appearance. While walking down the street, he is catcalled and physically harassed by women, and he's expected to mind his tone of voice. In one scene, he's warned by women because his nipples are visible through his t-shirt. Some of them even give him suggestive looks, as if he's 'asking for it.' Isn't that scene familiar? Men are also taking to the streets, protesting the discrimination they face in this reversed system.

Women are also quite dominant. They are more open in flirting and don't mind talking about the physical attractiveness of men. Men being emotional or gentle is seen as a weakness and is often made fun of. Sexuality is under women's control. Men are trying to be quite careful not to seem eager. Culture has also been shaped by this order. While women are at the center of business life, men are at home looking after children or taking on more "supportive" roles. In books, TV programs, advertisements, and the media, the superiority of women is always at the forefront.

Damien wearing sweatpants with 'HOT' written in pink on his backside - a reversal of gendered objectification

Men protesting against gender-based discrimination in a female-dominated world

First Impression and Expectations

When I first heard about the movie's premise, I was really excited. The idea of seeing how gender norms function in a reversed world seemed striking and thought-provoking to me. However, after watching the film, I must say I was a little disappointed. It's definitely not a bad film, but it could've been much more. I think the film didn’t fully exploit the potential of such an interesting topic. Specifically, I feel that a lot of the micro and macro discrimination women face in everyday life wasn’t shown. What is depicted in the film is true, yes, but it is definitely insufficient. The struggles of being a woman could have been explored in much more detail. Still, I enjoyed watching a film about such a topic, especially since it wasn’t an American production, but a French one.

About the Characters: Damien and Alexandre:

Damien's character often disturbed me while watching the film. He had an almost hostile attitude towards women. A typical womanizer, with a high ego, and someone who saw himself as superior to women. That’s why his anger towards this new world he wakes up in wasn’t because women were imposing power on him, but because he couldn’t impose power on them anymore. Being a man in a world dominated by women is difficult, but for him, what was difficult was the lack of superiority over women, the fact that he couldn’t dominate them anymore.

On the other hand, Alexandre's character was a bit different. Yes, in many ways, she was like a female version of Damien. However, instead of directly rejecting the idea of a "male-dominated world" that Damien talks about, she thought about it and started researching. I found that very valuable. They were actually reflections of each other, but Alexandre had the courage to look into that mirror, while Damien was running away from it.

At first, I thought Damien's character wouldn't change at all. Because he was just rebelling and getting angry. But towards the end, his transformation slowly started to show. He may not completely accept the world dominated by women, but he no longer blindly rejects it either. Although sometimes it felt like "nothing has changed," it was quite obvious that he was going through an internal transformation.

🎬 What If Women Really Ruled the World?

What if we truly lived in a world ruled by women? Honestly, as a woman, I’ve always dreamed of such a system. A world where we are powerful, where we lead, where we don't have to fight for space. But after watching this film, I started questioning that dream. Would it really be justice if one side dominated and oppressed the other? Or is true equality only possible when both sides accept each other and live with equal rights?

In real life, we sometimes fantasize about reversed societies; where women are strong, and men are pushed to the sidelines. And thinking about it can bring a sense of relief, maybe even satisfaction. But switching roles doesn’t mean we’ve achieved equality. True equality only comes when both sides are willing to truly listen, understand, and respect one another.

By the end of the film, I found my eyes welling up with tears. Alexandra and Damien return to the male-dominated world - our world. And Alexandra finally sees that the world Damien kept talking about… was real. Women are out in the streets, protesting, demanding their rights.

That moment hit me so deeply. Because that is our reality. That is our fight. And we, as women, we understand it best.

🪞 Reflection from the Film

This film made me think: A world dominated by women may seem like a dream for women

(and I’m included in that), but any system in which one side has superiority over the other can be oppressive. Just as in patriarchal societies, where men gradually become arrogant and experience power intoxication, the same would happen in a world dominated by women. Men would be reduced to sexual objects, belittled, and devalued. Therefore, the solution is not for one side to have superiority, dominance, or control over the other, but to coexist in equality. Unfortunately, this idea still seems like nothing more than a dream...

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By the way… This was my very first movie review and also the first post on my blog. Maybe it has its flaws, maybe it’s far from perfect, but I tried to be honest with myself in every line. I hope some of these feelings reached you too.

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If gender roles were reversed like in the movie, how would you react?

• I would love to live in a world where women have the power.
• I believe both sides should have equal rights.
• I don't think such a system would be fair.
• This kind of change could lead to social conflict.

You can vote for more than one answer.

How did this article make you feel?

• Very thought-provoking and deep.
• Made me question my own views.
• Well-written, but I would have liked more details.
• Emotionally impactful.

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