Yes, another column on Angelina Jolie, but then she fits an archetype so get used to it. First, a very controversial statement. I like Sarah Palin. I probably wouldn’t vote for her, since we’re not that great a fit ideologically, however I am not one of the army of “progressive women” making fun of her. She may not be informed on world politics but she seems fairly sharp and a quick study. It’s interesting that she has enough ambition to be able to move almost seamlessly from Governor of Alaska to Vice Presidential candidate of the Republicans.
Speaking of sexism (weren’t we?), is it only me or are people much more critical of Sarah Palin’s intellectual prowess as a disqualification then they have been of George W. Bush? I mean hey, if George Bush can be President, for two terms no less, then surely Sarah Palin can be Vice President.
When it comes to contemporary female leadership, I turn again to Angelina Jolie as a strong woman who is providing leadership on the world stage through her actions. Did you catch her recent speech in New York at the Council on Foreign Relations? She wowed them with her intelligence and humour.
Jolie and Palin are both very engaged mothers with a large brood of children. This is a new phenomenon for women in the public arena. Historically many women with high-profile careers have made a choice of career over family. When I was in politics I heard it all the time; you cannot be a good mother and a good politician, someone is losing out. When I was elected to our provincial legislature I was five months pregnant with my third child and it was the women who wrote editorials calling on me to resign for the sake of my children. I could not think of any other high profile women at that time who had more than one child. I am delighted to see two who are ‘out there’ not only as leaders but as mothers whose children are active in their careers and learning from their mother’s activism.
I love the idea of their open arms embracing their children and taking them on their journeys. Jolie has woven her international activism for children into her daily life with her United Nations of babies and Palin has lived her pro-life beliefs by lovingly adding to her family all babies ‘on their way’ including her newest baby with Downs Syndrome. I have not heard either of them ever complain about the challenges of their lives, although there must be many. I have heard both of them talking of the joy in their lives which is all from their family.
Can we also cheer on their husbands? What men these are – both strong, handsome, and clearly loving their wives with the kind of unconditional love these headstrong smart women are going to need when they get up in the morning to read what people are writing about them. These are the type of men who will be the most successful men of the future. Brad Pitt, who stated publicly that he wanted to be a father and then when he became one, set his sights on a soccer team’s worth of kids. Todd Palin, who has loved his wife since their high school days, appears to be very comfortable in his support role for his wife while leading his own life.
These are two beautiful women who have not given up their femininity to lead. I, for one, am applauding them for it.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2008-10-19/shes-actually-smart/
