Today is International Women’s Day, which is intended to celebrate women’s contributions and the continued advancement of women’s rights. As a woman and a mother of a teen girl, this is a day worth discussing.
There are long lists of women throughout history who have changed the course of the world—Joan of Arc, Florence Nightingale, Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Indira Ghandi, Princess Di, and Malala Yousafzai to name a few.
But you don’t need to be among the most courageous of all women to be a role model of femininity and feminism. Plenty of other prominent women—like Nora Ephron, Julia Child, Katherine Hepburn, Toni Morrison, Serena Williams—have followed their passion with conviction and thereby encouraged each of us to harness our own power to break through barriers. Each of them proves being authentic in our words and deeds matters.
I want to embody these ideals so that I leave behind a legacy of truth and power for my daughter and her “someday” daughters (fingers crossed!). I hope my daughter will continue to strive for those things in her life, too.
When I watched my daughter play ice hockey right after singing a beautiful rendition of the national anthem, I was so very proud. Proud that she has the courage to try new and “less traditionally” feminine sports. Proud that she’s shown commitment to her music. Proud that she is willing to pursue opportunities to achieve her goals, whatever they may be.
At a young age, she embodies the spirit of feminism. That word, to me, is about women having choices and the freedom to pursue them without judgment. The choice to take on the traditional role of a stay-at-home wife and mother. The choice to be a professional athlete. The choice to lead an organization, spearhead a medical breakthrough, or lead a revolution.
I hope that my female characters, all of whom to date have been fighting for love, friendship, family, and community, embody these ideals as well.
So today, let’s celebrate all of our choices, our diversity, and the way we women soldier on, generation after generation, with love, gratitude, and peace. That deserves some cupcakes!
xo-Jamie
