Women We Love
March has a lot of good going for it. Clocks change and we’ll have more sunlight (thank god,) Spring will have officially sprung by the 31st, and it’s women’s history month!
Even in 2021, women stay making history (herstory) every day. I mean, we just got our first ever, real life female vice president…we’ve been a country for 243 years and only just now got our first woman in office as the second most important person in our government. Wild.
So in honor of women, I’m spending this month chronicling the good, the bad, and curating the perfect playlist to celebrate all the women in between!
Let’s start this female centric discussion with a little love. I’ve been asking my followers on Instagram to tell me about the famous women they love and why and it’s funny that no matter how different the women themselves are, the things people love about them are so similar and universal. Whether it be for their creativity, their resilience, or their ability to help us feel better in our own skin, the five women below have left their mark on us in the best way possible!
Lizzo - Lizzo’s got a ridiculous amount of talent, she’s got style, she’s got personality for day, and the perfect laugh for an evil villain. She’s never shied away from showing her body in all of its glory and that has been a real inspiration for one commenter who said, “ She really made me feel better about my bod….I buy sexy things for myself now because of her.” While she shouldn’t have to prove how healthy or deserving she is, I can’t help but applaud Lizzo every time I see a video of her running on the treadmill belting out ‘Cuz I Love You’ or footage of one her shows where she’s singing, dancing, and playing the flute. Being fat does not make you less talented or less healthy and I love Lizzo for living her best life in the face of any haters. I’m sure Lizzo will have many more years of entertaining ahead of her but I hope she’s proud of the self-loving legacy she’s already leaving behind.
Princess Diana - It seems appropriate that Princess Diana was brought up when I asked who some of the famous women we love are because I think I love her more now, after the Harry and Meghan interview, than ever before (I did a first person presentation as Princess Di in 10th grade… so I’m not fucking around.) She was bold and a force to be reckoned with, maybe one of the first in modern day to fight against the rigid expectations of the royals. Princess Diana set the stage for her son and his wife to be able to stand up for themselves and flee a situation that was harmful to them…making her an ultimate mama bear even after she was gone. Of course she was just as badass in life as a commenter noted, “She humanized AIDS victims and did so much humanitarian work,” that made her the people’s princess. The royals hated her cause they couldn’t control her and in the history books, Princess Diana will probably always be the one coming out on top.
Chrissy Teigen - Man. Chrissy Teigen. I just love her…hence her inclusion on this list. She’s a woman who is never afraid to speak her mind and who lets us see the good, the bad, and the ugly of her life. Chrissy knows how to laugh at herself and the world around her and doesn’t take things too seriously which I think is incredibly important and admire a lot. Even though she’s been through personal tragedy over the last few months with the loss of her son, Jack, she’s been open about her struggles when she didn’t need to be and at potentially a great emotional and mental cost since the internet is full of terrible, trolly, people. But Chrissy shows us there is life and laughter after loss and I love her for it. And for the way she regularly roasts John Legend…that shit’s hilarious.
Oprah- Has anyone made such an amazing and inspiring rise as Oprah? As the reader who put her on this list said, “Oprah Winfrey…wise and intelligent. Came from nothing, faced adversity and built an empire. Definition of bad bitch,”and she totally is. Oprah is the definition of the “American Dream.” She survived poverty, sexual abuse, teenage pregnancy and loss of her child, to become a billionaire and a household name. Oprah has used all that she’s been through to shape a career built on compassion, strength, and relatability. She was a plus size black woman who took a white male dominated field by storm and hasn’t relinquished the reigns yet. If there’s anyone who deserves what she’s built, it’s Oprah.
Lady Gaga - Lady Gaga has really gone through some eras amirite? Club queen, walking art exhibit, glammed up, bared it all, Hollywood starlet, metallic alien. She’s done it all and then some and she’s made this list because she’s done it without a thought or care about what the world has to say about it, “She’s so true to herself and didn’t let people thinking she was weird stop her,” is what the Gaga commenter had to say about Mother Monster herself. While I always really loved Lady Gaga’s music, I can totally admit that I thought she was extra as shit in her early days. I didn’t understand why, when attending a sporting event, she couldn’t just wear a t shirt and jeans like anyone else…it felt like she was always playing a character. But ya know what? That’s who Lady Gaga was at that time. She was (and honestly still is) extra, artistic, creative, and weird. She gave other “weirdos” license to do whatever they want, dress however they want and just be true to themselves while ignoring the assholes like me who judged for no reason. Now I can say, I can’t wait to see what Lady Gaga does next.
These five women are just a small sampling of all the women we love and whom inspire us. Honorable mentions go out to Yeah Yeah Yeahs front woman Karen O. who is admired for the way she is “continually finding relevance while maintaining her creative voice,” Michelle Obama because “she’s shown us all how to become us,” and Jane Fonda, who has been fighting the good fight since the 60s…risking safety and reputation to stand up for what’s right.
It only takes one look at the women we tend to universally love to see the similarities and the characteristics we find inspiring and uplifting and worth looking up to. Women are inspirational, they’re admirable, they’re pioneers, and they’re worth celebrating more than one month out of the year!
Who are some of your favorite women and why? What characteristics do you admire in them? Let us know in the comments below!