The Birth of a Nation premiered at TIFF this weekend. As you might have seen from the widespread headlines, the film got a standing ovation at its first screening/premiere. Like, that headline was on every site – “Nate Parker gets a standing ovation.” Because rape culture, I suppose. Vulture’s take was to analyze what the standing ovation meant for the film in the wake of Parker’s absolutely bungled public relations and his inability to give an interview about his 17-year-old rape charge without sounding like a sociopath. Interestingly enough, very few outlets are running with the story that Parker shut down a TIFF interview when asked several times about the rape case.

So, in lieu of giving Nate Parker any positive coverage, let’s talk about Gabrielle Union. Gabrielle has a small but significant role in the film, and she’s spent years talking about her rape. More than a week ago, she wrote an op-ed which was basically like “I have many problems with this whole situation but let’s use this moment to talk about consent.” At TIFF, Gabrielle acknowledged that many people probably won’t see the film, and that’s fine. Some assorted comments:

She understands if you don’t want to see it: “I say, for a lot of different reasons this film’s going to be difficult to see for a lot of people, and I get it. There are movies I sit out, so I understand and I’d be a hypocrite to say I don’t. But I would say this movement that this film has inspired includes our issues. That is my sole purpose, and I’ve been by joined by so many advocates and allies on our cast and worldwide who say this is uncomfortable and everything makes me so angry, but I recognize that there is a movement that I want to be a part of, and that movement is education about sexual violence, toxic masculinity, misogyny, rape culture. I want to be a part of that.”

Committing to evolution: “I was firmly committed to not the best projects. Now I can’t go back. Know what I’m saying? When we commit to evolution and when we humble ourselves and realize that we don’t have all the answers, that the things that we’ve firmly rooted ourselves in may not be the right course, that we may not be on the right side of history, it’s okay to be like, ‘I was wrong. Imma step in the right direction.'”

Standing with Colin Kaepernick: “So if you are wondering about Colin Kaepernick and his stand for equality and if he’s on the right side of history, there’s nothing more patriotic than resistance and encouraging resistance! That is the story of the legacy of Nat Turner and that’s why we’re all on this stage.”

[From Vulture & E! News]

Again, I just feel sorry for Union and the rest of the cast. The idea of a rape survivor like Union being forced to interact with Nate Parker in any official capacity makes my skin crawl, so I can only imagine what it’s like for her. Interestingly enough, I was looking through the TIFF photos and Union made sure that she never posed solo with Parker. Part of the reason was that Parker didn’t pose for many photos at the premieres while Union and the rest of the cast did. I can imagine that there were other reasons too.

Photos courtesy of Getty, WENN.