Hear Me Roar

October 16th, 2007 by Martine St-Victor


Not so long ago, women were confronted with black & white choices. Love or security? Career or baby? Full or half-cup cut? Now, it doesn’t have to be one or the other. It’s not about having it all, it’s about having choices. With time, barriers have broken down and a woman’s impact has far surpassed the kitchen and P.T.A. meetings. Women are speaking louder, harsher and more to the point (up yours, Emily Post). In today’s questionable worldwide leadership, the lights at the end of the tunnels are wearing skirts and rocking stilettos. Michele Bachelet in Chili, agree-with-her-or not-Condeleeza Rice in the United States, possibly Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in Argentina and thankfully, the list goes on.

But there are conflicting messages. I wish younger girls would follow the current U.S. Presidential debates instead of wondering who will be the next Pussy Cat Doll or how many roses The Bachelor will hand out. Since television is our main information tool, program directors need to pick television projects that show women in more dominating positions. Dissecting a Britney Spears performance and overanalyzing everything from her post-baby body (still rocking, in my book), to her weave and her questionable sobriety on every channel known to mankind, does absolutely nothing to advance the women’s movement. I guess it would also help if parents stopped buying skanky clothes for their daughters. Midriffs are never acceptable.

This is the best time to be a woman. We no longer have to choose between being a slut or a madonna. It goes deeper than that. Looking up to Martha Stewart, for example, means having impressive organization skills in the home and ruthless insight in the boardroom. We need to stop vilifying such powerful figures and instead, use them as guiding lights. Hillary in ’08 is a good start.



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