Part A → Billy Elliot Context Notes: Miners strike - Reflect the struggles of different groups in British withing society → From the miners who battled the government and the gay community who toiled from widespread discrimination - Woman fought for equal rights and the gender roles began to change - 1.2 million were employed in the coal industry -Coal was a key industry export in England - Margret Thatcher wanted to reduce the power in trade unions - Many businesses found it cheaper to import coal from abroad - Demand for coal declined - Mine closures took away jobs and lowered wages - More than 142 000 miners from across the country joined the strike - There was immense solidarity among mining communities - Striking miners and their families stood united - Many of the women formed union groups - A vote was called by the NUM - Employment in the mining industry fell by 90 percent → aftermath of this is still felt today Gender & sexuality - In 1980s Britain, stereotypical male traits like strength and athleticism were often enhanced in over masculine sports such as football and boxing -- Shown throughout Billy Elliot where Billy was expected to do boxing -- “Lads do football, or...boxing, or...wrestling. Not frigging ballet.” - Ballet was considered a middle class activity for girls and woman - Homosexuality was illegal under the Bugger Act of 1533 - 1988 the conservative government introduction section 28 of the Local government Act which prohibited the discussion of homosexuality in British schools - There was very little support and education - Women were expected to stay at home - By the 1980s woman were offered more opportunities for education and working with higher pay rates - Billy Elliot unfolds against a backdrop of severe discord in British society - In the film we see a light at the end of the tunnel for the younger characters Billy, Michael and Debbie - They represent a more progressive future pointing towards the attitudes of the time the film was made Part B → Podcast Notes: what you learn about the strikes and how they affected people in the communities. Men? Women? Account for the popularity of ballads about the strikes. (you might want to investigate what a ballad is.) - - Strikes lasted a couple of day and sometimes a few weeks(normally a fortnight) 1984 strike - they didn't know the strike was starting Ballad music is any light simple song all sung to the same melody a simple narrative poem of folk origin The last attempt by mining unions to stop mining closures and the loss of jobs 1970 decent pension scheme They weren't fighting for wages, or good working conditions. All they were fighting for was to keep their jobs that they had Ballads music about the mining strike -- break the union, Women are mentioned in the songs by men There is a ‘she’ that is mentioned in the voices of the males (Margret Thatcher) Repetition song - “ It will all be over in a fortnight”, meaning they thought that the miners strike would be addressed and concluded quickly Women were not evidently portrayed as much as men in Billy elliot due to their role and status during the time of the mining strikes, this suggest that women were not valued Most Women were uneducated -- this is present within the film as women were the bystanders of their husbands and sons 1971-74 miners strike All there family lived in a small village -- In Billy Elliot the grandma, Billy Elliot, Tony Elliot and the father Women had a significant impact during mining strikes through protests(rallys) and marches Many of the women were simple housewives Women -- “We know It is the matter of survival for us, our kids and our jobs” Women would get up early in the morning and start distributing food parcels Anything above 4 pound signified good income A married family with 2 children we give 11 pounds -- This is demonstrated throughout Billy Elliot as the father had to sell his wife’s piano to get the money to pay for Billy’s dance competition school The miners strike affected people in the community as their was minimal pay, fights within the families, We were expected to go back to normal although women didn't know what the normal was; they stayed in the new world. It was a different life for a year “We were much more than miners wives” They were focused on the short not the long term Part C → Judas Bus Notes - Being called ‘scrub’ was a mark of shame “As the Judas bus goes by”- Billy Elliot’s father went on in the film Then union would help them and the men would support then The word scrub → Someone who works while the strike is ongoing The strike caused a great rift because of the difference As a democratic society we have the right to go on strike → Margret Thatcher undermined democracy - Part D → The Miners Strike - 1984 Notes - Miners strikes were violent 30 years of lies - no justice - no peace - never forget - never forgive There were many police officers If the people had to go through it again we would still stand up to fight The miners were resilient Police brutality The striking miners attacked union officers Henry Richardson for failing to bring there men out Men were physically involved in the strikes compared to Women behind the scenes for example ,union groups Aggressive
