Deeper Dive - Will feminine power be redefined? - September 27, 2022
Will the passing of Queen Elizabeth II have an effect on how a generation of people view powerful women?
The Death of the Queen
It has been barely a few scant weeks since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Since that sad news, I have been thinking deeply about how the loss of such a monumental figure in history will have on the broader culture. Elizabeth was the fist Queen of the United Kingdom since Queen Victoria in the mid-Nineteenth Century. Looking at the future line of succession, we may not see another Queen for quite some time; Princess Charlotte is currently third and may go down on the list if her older brother grows up and has a family.
At least in my mind, Queen Elizabeth II was portrayed as a very powerful figure and that power was backed up with an undeniable sense of grace, determination and concern for her country and her people. I mean, this was after all the woman that had to give her blessing to twelve men and three women over her seventy years to form a government in the United Kingdom. Leaders of the United Kingdom starting with Sir Winston Churchill came to her for her royal assent and advice on important matters.
The Future Feminine Superhero?
This past weekend, I saw an advertisement for a new streaming show, “She Hulk: Attorney at Law”. I didn’t watch any of the show, but the premise seems to be the effect of a young, attractive female lawyer reluctantly ends up with the powers of “The Incredible Hulk”. I can see where a beautiful young lady doesn’t want to have the muscular build of a body-builder or the green tinted skin. But it did seem that having these powers had some benefits, being able to take a pound of flesh where ever one roams probably has it’s advantages.
I am not sure how well the show is doing, but it makes me wonder that if the future of feminine power is nothing more than masculine power (physical brute strength with a prickly attitude) in a pretty dress and makeup. In a world where there seems to be more confusion than stability about gender roles and gender identity, where does this lead our future?
Women Aren’t Weak
This may seem like an odd topic for someone to get into when they write about nonprofits and philanthropy. It’s probably even more odd when the writer of this is a man over age 40. But, women dominate this field (I recently saw one study where upwards of 70% of nonprofit employees are women) and it’s important to talk about some of these issues, especially as it relates to the future of our industry.
From my own perspective, some of the most powerful people I met were women who made a career in this industry. These are women that commanded attention and concern for their causes and effectively persuaded individuals to give their time and treasure to the causes that they stood for. Perhaps there is no better definition of power than being able to make a persuasive argument to get a goal or an objective accomplished.
I can look back at my own career in the nonprofit world and see stages that were dominated by strong women that helped me grow my own career path, either through by working together on projects, giving me a new perspective or by teaching me important lessons on how this industry really works. These amazing women did not become powerful through crafting a snarky attitude or by doing bench presses all day; they did through honing a deep concern for the causes that mattered to them, understanding and communicating with people and finding allies for their work along the way.
My Biggest Fear
As I look to the future, with a fifteen year old son and a twelve year old daughter, I am very concerned that we are creating a world where there is a great deal of gender confusion. I’d much rather live in a world where girls and young women look up to women like Queen Elizabeth II rather than characters like She Hulk. Why? Because, I would argue that the Queen was much more powerful than She Hulk could ever be. Women should be proud of the strengths they have, even though the larger culture may see them as weaknesses.
People need the strength and stamina that come from taking responsibility for themselves in the world. People need to learn the tough lessons that things aren’t always going to go out way. People need to learn to communicate and reciprocate with one another. We need the masculine power of strength and determination to overcome our obstacles. We need the feminine power of perception and compassion to bring others along our side.
I have had my say, what’s yours? Feel free to leave a comment and share this with your friends and colleagues. Also, don’t forget to “hit that heart”.
Stay Well,
Bill