Wonder Woman at 70
Listening right now to a piece on To the Best of Our Knowledge about Wonder Woman turning 70–and, thanks to Korean cartoonist Jim Lee, acquiring a new costume that replaces the sexy star-spangled short shorts with (somewhat more demure) leggings and new boots. (Do not worry WW oglers, the bosom is still, well, very much there.)
Okay, I loved Wonder Woman when I was growing up. There were so few strong images of women, women who were total heroes (heroines back then). We found our own super-role models. My Aunt Rose, my mother Henrietta, Martha Graham, Dorothy Parker, Mother Jones, Madame Curie, Rosa Parks, Billie Holiday, Eleanor Roosevelt, Amelia Earhart, etc. were all on my list.
Who were the women you looked up to as a child–regardless of your age now? Who were the women you admired if you came of age in the 1970s or 80s or 90s? Who did you admire if you came of age before WW II? This question is not directed at women only. I’m curious about which women seemed exceptional to men as well.
Tags: Wonder Woman
I have a long list of women I think are exceptional, and it includes family: my mom, her mother and my paternal great-grandmother who lived to 102. In May, I blogged about an elderly neighbor lady. Here’s some of that post about Minnie Reimann:
“Minnie was my family’s go-to person for advice on gardening and local lore.
She never married and spent all of her 88 years on her family farm. Born and raised there, Minnie often reminded us that she’d never spent a night away from home.
I don’t remember that she ever wore a dress. Her white hair was always tucked under a net, the kind cafeteria workers wear. Her only indoor plumbing was the kitchen sink.
My grandparents lived hours away, but our grandmotherly Minnie was just a few minutes by car, even shorter if you cut through the woods.
Retired from farming and the only surviving member of her family, Minnie raised chickens and spent most of the non-winter months in her garden. My mom bought a dozen eggs, or two, every week. She was our “Egg Lady”. My sister and I often tagged along on weekends and during summer vacation. We adored the hens and her garden tours. But it was more than just eggs. In her own quiet way, Minnie loved visitors. In my mind I can still see Minnie’s twinkling eyes and hear her laughter. “