I'm dedication this blog post to the teens who make up our Teen Think Tank at the Writers' Loft. They are amazing girls who are definitely still figuring it out, but so unique, imaginative, and powerful in their own right!
This TED Talk grabs onto the portrayal of women and girls in pop-culture (mostly movies and TV) and looks at how often even the strongest female roles are one-dimensional. A cautionary tale for anyone writing about women/girls in their novels.
It's like Tavi jumped inside my head and ferreted out my beef with the Spice Girls. (Oh, does that date me?)
Check it out:
Can't see the TED Talk? Click through here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6osiBvQ-RRg
We all want to write multi-dimensional characters, whether female or not. Tavi says it's all about the flaws, and I agree.
And it's something we're all still figuring out--what makes a female character strong? Recently there's been an insurgent of kick-ass teens and women in books--are they complete, well-rounded characters, or one-dimensional super women?
Tavi is certainly figuring some of this stuff out. Check out her online magazine, Rookie.
I definitely think that the strong girl debate is a current one, but my favorite part of this TED Talk is her general attitude toward, well, everything. She's still figuring it out. It's okay to mess up when you are still figuring things out. Things aren't set in stone, not even what feminism means. It's a conversation. A fluid topic. Everything is.
I love it when she said she could get away with anything if she said she's still figuring it out. That's a great life mindset to have!
Let's adopt Tavi's mindset and get away with everything!
