Born in Flames story
Born in Flames is a 1983 documentary-style feminist fiction film by Lizzie Borden that explores racism, classism, sexism, and heterosexism in an alternative United States socialist democracy. The title comes from the song "Born in Flames" written by a member of Art & Language, Mayo Thompson of the band Red Krayola.
19 total · 1 choice · 11 major · 7 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| feminism | choice | The Women's Army was a force dedicated to the liberation of all women. It opposed a government, that was actively undermining the economic and social position of women and minorities. |
| facing persecution by the government | major | The Women's Army led the opposition against a big brother government that was overseeing policies that systematically discriminated against women and minorities. |
| lesbianism | major | The Women's Army was an all female, all lesbian militia. Also something was made of Adelaide being in a relationship with another woman. |
| racism in society | major | Two feminist groups were opposing racism in New York City. In particular, a government jobs program was harshly criticized for being discriminatory against minorities, especially black men. |
| resistance movement | major | The government cast the Women's Army as a terrorist organization after some of the members preempted a televised presidential address with a message from one of their leaders. In the end, they bombed the World Trade Centers. |
| revolution in society | major | The film is set in a near future in which the USA has undergone a social democratic revolution. The Women's Army sprang up as a counter-revolutionary force. |
| sexism in society | major | The government, and society more generally, was undermining the economic and social position of women and minorities. And attention was called to various modes of institutional discrimination against women, including selective government cutbacks to important women's social programs. |
| social inequality | major | A light was shone on the plight of the working classes. |
| social oppression | major | The government, and society more generally, was undermining the economic and social position of women and minorities. |
| socialism | major | The Women's Army led an opposition to a big brother socialist government. The Women's Army fought for what they said was a true socialism: one with proportional representation of women and minorities in government. |