Strong Women: Know Them, Be Them

As you’ve probably noticed, I don’t use my blog or social media to be particularly outspoken on social or political issues. There are certainly times I feel compelled to share my opinions or thoughts on matters. But overall, I like to keep this little corner of the Internet as a happy place for me to use trivial topics to stay away from the headlines we’re plagued with daily. And of course, it’s not just headlines. It’s going into an autobody shop and having a man your age refer to you as “sweetie” and “honey” repeatedly with a smarmy grin. Or trying to educate your own husband about your uneasiness when faced with daily occurrences like being in an elevator alone with a man.

When these things happen, I try to find the good in the world – and despite how it might appear on the blog, not just burying my head in makeup or clothes. So today I thought I’d share some recent pop culture that inspired me and reminded me that there are strong women of all time periods and generations (both fictional and real) whose tenacity and wit made a difference in their own lives or the lives of thousands.

TV

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The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
I honestly didn’t expect to like this show as much as I did. I thought it was something cute I would enjoy once around (I do love the 50s), but here I am wanting to replay the first season until we get a next one! The sets and clothes are amazing, but what’s more, Miriam “Midge” Maisel is as well! She’s an upper West Side housewife who finds herself in the comedy business in Greenwich Village. This woman, who’s never had to work a day in her life, sure doesn’t understand Beatniks or the issues they face. But she understands how everyday household occurrences resonate with a general audience. And she takes the gumption she starts to gain onstage into her home life. It inspired me to take the reins in ways I’ve been wanting to, it’s never too late to reinvent yourself. Or at least just pursue a passion! Leave me a note to let me know if you’ve also found the joy of Midge.

Books

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald
Zelda Fitzgerald is admittedly less strong than Midge, but an inspirational woman nonetheless. Especially for her time period! I immediately became immersed in her and F. Scott’s lavish lifestyle and enjoyed stories of their fabulous soirees and equally fabulous friends. But about 2/3 of the way through the book I had to stop reading for a few days. Poor Zelda was in a bad marriage, with a man plagued by addiction and egotism. Back in those days, what was she to do? She had friends described as feminists who tried to help, even her father encouraged her to get divorced, but it was a different time. I so wished someone could travel back in time or she could time travel forward and learn about her right to happiness. Still, reading the book through the lens of the time period, I was still enraptured by the way Z stood her ground and fought her own demons to the best of her ability.

Music

Halsey’s Speech at the 2018 Women’s March
The Women’s March has been an especially inspirational event over the last two years. The reason as to why people felt the need for a march in the first place isn’t so uplifting, but you can also see the good in so many people coming together to fight for change. In full disclosure I myself haven’t marched for personal reasons, but I try to spread the message of the march. One person who did an amazing job of “rallying the troops” was Halsey. I respect her in the music industry and now respect her even more for sharing such personal details publicly in an effort to help others know they’re not alone. The things she discussed could be shared by a woman of any era, yet here we are in 2018, and a pop singer has experienced them herself. It’s an impactful speech that’s worth listening to more than once.

Kesha at the 2018 Grammy Awards
I’ll end with Kesha’s performance at the 2018 Grammy Awards. I get choked up each time I watch it. It’s amazing to see all these women come together for such a powerful message. Enjoy for what I hope is your second, third, even tenth time!