The Power to Flip the Script and The Patriarchy

Anna Fishbeyn is a writer, director, filmmaker and actress.

By Anna Fishbeyn

The moment I became a mother, expectations bombarded me: be the perfect mom, wife, and woman, all while looking good doing it. I saw how deeply gender inequity was embedded in our culture, not just in the workplace but in parenting, beauty standards, and social value.

At the playground, I noticed something striking: dads introduced themselves with job titles. “I’m a lawyer.” “I’m a doctor.” Moms said, “I’m a stay-at-home mom” or “working mom.” Our identities were swallowed by motherhood, while men’s remained intact. That was my catalyst.

I took action by creating Movement 360, my “Netflix for Women”, with its flagship movie, Galaxy 360: A Woman’s Playground. It’s a sci-fi feminist satire where women rule the world and men compete in a male beauty pageant for attention and approval. It’s outrageous, yes, but that’s the point. Humor became my weapon for flipping gender narratives and inviting men into the conversation.

I’ve shifted how I approach change. I no longer just speak to women. Through comedy and immersive storytelling, I aim to build empathy and get people to laugh before they realize, “Wait… this is real.”

With a Ph.D., a background in theater, and years writing and performing comedy, I’ve learned that sometimes the most radical ideas come wrapped in rhinestones and punchlines. I don’t shy away from the absurd. Instead, I use it to challenge the status quo. Satire allows me to hold a mirror to society while giving audiences the space to reflect, laugh, and reimagine what power can look like. Because change doesn’t always have to be quiet; sometimes, it wears heels and yells, “You ate a potato chip?!”

Michele WeldonComment