Role Models

A co-worker and I were just discussing the Batman tv series and I mentioned that I would watch it when I was a little girl (as re-runs) and wait to see Batgirl ride across on her motorcycle. I loved those episodes that she was in. Not realizing that I was looking for a strong feminine role model, I just thought she was cool. But that got me to thinking of all of the role models that I had when I was growing up in the 70s and 80s.

Not only was there Batgirl, there were other strong women. Not just in regular tv shows but in cartoons as well. Wonderwoman, Charlie's Angels, Josie and the Pussycats, Daphne & Velma from Scooby Doo are just a few.

So, what did I learn. Well, I learned that it was ok to have an opinion and that I was just as good as the boys (if not better/smarter in some cases). I think I also learned that a pretty face goes a long way when it comes to men. I also learned that what was inside counted, but that the pretty girl got the attention while the frumpy librarian was usually ignored. Oh, and it was ok to be bad as long as you looked good doing it.

Also, it mattered what you wore. If you wore things that were in style you would be recognized more than if you wore just regular clothes. Examples are Daphne in Scooby Doo (she always got kidnapped), Batgirl compared to her secret identity of Barbara Gordon and Wonderwoman and whatever her secret identity was. I think also as the 70s went on the clothes got skimpier. I think that was something when I was in my twenties that I unconciously remembered.

Overall I am not so sure that these women did me any favors. Sure they paved the way for women to be more than just nurses and waitresses and secretaries. The idea was that a woman could be and do whatever she wanted to be and do. But I think it also was portrayed a little trashy. Regular housewives were still portrayed as the good girls but they were usually frumpy and lived boring lives. Where the stronger more opinionated women lived interesting exciting lives. I look back and I like what was accomplished in the change of how women were viewed, but I think it did a diservice to the stay at home moms and housewives. I think women were told that if you wanted to have a say or have an interesting life then you needed to give up being a homemaker, wife and mother. Of course those women also made life look easy and to be honest not much reality entered the picture.

I find it fascinating to look back at those 70s women and think of all that was accomplished and all that was taken away. We gained more individuality and more of a role in society but I think we lost part of our identity as women, a softness. Gradually I think we have regained some of that, but I still think we are judged by that standard. Look at Hillary Clinton during her campaign in Massachusetts. She welled up with emotion and showed a softer side and was basically torn to shreds because of it. Why? Because a strong woman is not expected to have a softer side and show feelings - it's a weakness. I'm not her biggest fan, but I have to say it endeared her to me more than any hardened speech would have. No one is perfect and I like when regular human nature shows us that.

Going back to the shows that I grew up on. They were a mix. Getting away from the traditional way women were thought about to more of an equal rights mentality. I think in some cases we did more harm than good. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the benefits that previous generations have worked so hard for. But I have to say that it would be nice to have a door held for me or a seat given up once in awhile. But would I exchange that for all that has been accomplished? Probably not.