The Womens Crusade

“The world is awakening to a powerful truth: Women and girls aren’t the problem; they’re the solution.”

New York Times

If you get a chance, please read this amazing article in the NY Times.

I read it aloud to my children and husband, Paul.  At the end of my oration, I gave Paul a look of anticipation, (maybe I looked like I had just eaten a really great appetizer and I was thrilled over the next course.)

“What?” Paul asked me. 

“This is just exciting for the world and…my book.” I beamed knowing I should have stopped with the world.  But I was thrilled. 

“What????  How could this have anything to do with your book????”  Really, he looked at me with that many question marks and one of his head tilting looks that accused me of being the most self absorbed person in the history of self absorbed people.

“This story is about girls in a third world country, not the US, not your book.”

I was irritated.  It made perfect sense to me.  Girl power was universal.  Maybe because he grew up a boy in the US he didn’t understand what it felt like to be a girl in a world that underestimated girls and our abilities…especially if you were raised by a single mother in poverty.  There weren’t any cute vampires in my neighborhood offering to bite my neck and rescue me.  I had to deal with it on my own.  That was my experience as a young girl in this country.

But my book about two young girls who have power and are not broken by their childhoods has been inspiring as that grown up little girl and for my daughters and son.    

As I’ve been writing my book for what feels like an eternity, the thing that has helped keep going is the idea that I’d be helping all those other girls out there (who instead of being willing to give up their neck and soul to a dreamy vampire) will read my characters and use their plucky courage and smarts to better their situation, like I did when I was a little kid reading about Pippi Longstocking and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Stories about kids overcoming odds and different lifestyles.

And that’s why the story in the NY Times was inspiring.  That in real life, women and girls are being recognized as powerful human beings, not otherworldly creatures or just worthless.

So, I guess if it’s a stretch…and I’m an ego maniac…well,why not.