Bess Wohl on Feminism, Nudity, and Time Travel in Her New Broadway Play – Time Magazine

Report on the Theatrical Production ‘Liberation’ and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Context and Urgency

The Broadway play Liberation, written by Bess Wohl, serves as a critical examination of the women’s liberation movement of the 1970s and its contemporary relevance. Developed over two decades, the production has gained significant urgency in the current socio-political climate, which has seen a regression in women’s rights. This report analyzes the play’s narrative, themes, and production choices, with a specific focus on its contribution to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

Thematic Analysis and Connection to SDG 5: Gender Equality

The core of Liberation is deeply aligned with SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. The play interrogates the historical and ongoing struggles for women’s rights by focusing on a consciousness-raising group from the 1970s. This historical lens provides a framework for understanding the origins of current challenges to gender equality.

• Challenging Social Norms: The play depicts women questioning traditional roles in marriage, family, and the workplace, directly addressing societal barriers that SDG 5 seeks to dismantle.
• Economic and Professional Empowerment: Wohl’s personal reflection on balancing a career with motherhood mirrors the play’s exploration of the structural and societal challenges women face in achieving economic and professional parity, a key target of SDG 5.
• Health and Bodily Autonomy: The production’s timeliness is underscored by the reversal of Roe v. Wade. By revisiting the second-wave feminist movement, the play highlights the foundational importance of bodily autonomy and reproductive rights, which are central to achieving gender equality and health outcomes (related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being).
• Deconstructing Objectification: A pivotal scene features the female cast nude but not sexualized, directly confronting the objectification of women’s bodies. This artistic choice promotes the idea of women as subjects of their own stories, reinforcing the principles of empowerment and self-determination central to SDG 5.

Narrative Structure and Social Commentary

The play employs an innovative narrative structure to create a dialogue between past and present, examining the progress and setbacks in the fight for gender equality. The story is told by a narrator who is also the daughter of the main character, and who physically embodies her mother in flashbacks. This device highlights the intergenerational nature of the struggle for equality.

1. Intergenerational Dialogue: The narrator’s dual role facilitates a direct conversation about the legacy of second-wave feminism, questioning what ideals were practical, what was left out, and how they apply today. This fosters a deeper understanding of the long-term effort required to achieve the SDGs.
2. Community and Collective Action: The consciousness-raising group at the center of the play exemplifies the power of community dialogue and collective action in driving social change, a method essential for the grassroots implementation of the SDGs.
3. Audience Engagement: The production breaks the fourth wall, creating an immersive and cathartic experience that encourages the audience to reflect on their own roles in advancing social justice.

Intersectionality and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

While focusing on gender, Liberation also acknowledges the limitations of a monolithic feminist narrative and addresses the importance of intersectionality, aligning with SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). The playwright, Bess Wohl, explicitly recognizes her position as a white woman telling this story and incorporates diverse perspectives to create a more nuanced representation.

• Diverse Representation: The characters in the consciousness-raising group come from varied backgrounds, including a housewife, a radical feminist author, and an immigrant.
• Inclusion of Black Feminist Thought: The development of the character Celeste was informed by the work of Black feminist writer Celestine Ware. This conscious effort to include perspectives often marginalized in historical accounts of second-wave feminism is a critical step toward fulfilling the mandate of SDG 10 to leave no one behind.

Production Impact and Fostering Inclusive Dialogue (SDG 16)

The production makes deliberate choices that enhance its social impact, contributing to the spirit of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), which calls for inclusive societies. By creating a space for focused, communal experience, the play acts as a catalyst for the kind of deep and truthful conversations necessary for social progress.

The mandatory use of Yondr pouches, which lock away audience members’ phones, is a key element. This policy fosters an environment free from digital distraction, enabling a more profound connection with the material and with fellow audience members. Reports from attendees indicate that this technological separation has led to more meaningful interpersonal conversations during intermission and after the show, embodying the inclusive and participatory principles of SDG 16.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses themes of women’s rights, historical feminist movements, and contemporary challenges to gender equality, connecting directly and indirectly to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary SDGs addressed are:

• SDG 5: Gender Equality: This is the most central SDG, as the entire article revolves around the women’s liberation movement, second-wave feminism, unequal societal expectations for women, and the personal and professional struggles women face. The play “Liberation” is described as a “deeply inquisitive look at how we got here” regarding women’s rights.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article explicitly mentions the “shockingly regressed” state of women’s rights with the “reversal of Roe v. Wade.” This directly connects the discussion to women’s health, bodily autonomy, and access to reproductive healthcare services.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The playwright, Bess Wohl, discusses the limitations of her perspective as a white woman and her efforts to include diverse experiences, such as those of Black feminists like Celestine Ware and an Italian immigrant character. This acknowledges the need for intersectionality and reducing inequalities within the feminist movement itself.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The article highlights the play’s role in fostering community and dialogue. The concept of a “consciousness raising group” and the play sparking “deep and truthful conversation” relate to promoting inclusive societies and protecting fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of expression and assembly.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Under SDG 5 (Gender Equality):
   • Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. The play explores the historical and ongoing societal discrimination women face. The article notes that “the expectations and the rules are not equal and they never will be,” reflecting the persistence of discriminatory norms.
   • Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership in political, economic and public life. The playwright’s personal reflection on trying to “have a career and be taken seriously” while also being a mother speaks directly to the challenges women face in achieving equal participation in economic and public life.
   • Target 5.c: Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality. The mention of the reversal of Roe v. Wade is a direct reference to a legislative action that has weakened, rather than strengthened, policies promoting gender equality and women’s autonomy.
2. Under SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):
   • Target 3.7: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services. The article’s reference to the reversal of Roe v. Wade highlights a significant setback in access to reproductive health services, making this target particularly relevant as an area of regression.
3. Under SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities):
   • Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… race, ethnicity, origin… or other status. The playwright’s conscious effort to research and include the perspectives of a Black feminist writer and portray characters like an Italian immigrant demonstrates an attempt to foster inclusion and represent a broader spectrum of women’s experiences.
4. Under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions):
   • Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms. The play and the “consciousness raising group” it portrays are examples of exercising fundamental freedoms of expression and assembly. The article notes the play creates a space where the audience feels they have “permission to show up” and “have their voice be heard,” thereby protecting and promoting these freedoms.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not mention formal quantitative indicators, but it implies several qualitative indicators that can be used to assess progress:

• Legal and Policy Frameworks: The status of laws concerning women’s rights, such as the “reversal of Roe v. Wade,” serves as a direct indicator of progress or regression on targets related to gender equality (5.c) and health (3.7).
• Public Discourse and Cultural Representation: The creation and reception of cultural works like the play “Liberation” can be seen as an indicator. The article describes how the play sparks “intimate conversations” and makes audiences “ready to speak up,” indicating a societal engagement with issues of gender equality (Target 5.1, 16.10). The inclusion of diverse characters (Target 10.2) in such works is also a measure of progress in representation.
• Personal Testimonies and Lived Experiences: The playwright’s own experiences and the stories gathered from women of the second wave (“I got married. I had children. I tried to have a career and be taken seriously”) serve as qualitative indicators of the real-world challenges women face in achieving equality (Target 5.5).
• Existence of Community and Dialogue Platforms: The formation of “consciousness raising groups” in the 1970s and the community feeling generated by the play today (“we’re all here in community together”) indicate the presence of spaces for dialogue and civic engagement, which is crucial for protecting fundamental freedoms (Target 16.10).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: time.com