Hi Leanne, I wrote heaps of stuff to add what you posted, but I’m on an ipad, still working out how to use Substack and lost everything. I don’t think it saves drafts. Never mind, I’ll figure it out.
What you’re saying is very interesting. I’ve been thinking about strong women & warrior women also, but as part of a collective tribe, like the Amazons. Even Buddhist & Hindu cultures recognise there are times when only warrior pose will suffice.
The issue which is coming up here tho, is something I engaged with in Art History & cultural studies/literary theory years ago - the individual genius who gets rewarded in their own lifetime esp if they chose the right lucrative career. Man as superhero. President as All Mighty. Rembrandt as artist. Fact is, none of it happens in a vacuum, look closer, there’s always a support network or a lucky break or whatever power structures & money is influencing it.
Being branded a ‘Strong Woman’, yes. What a crock that is. What an excellent way, through praise, to get the boot in when one is so exhausted, that it’s difficult to even breathe, and maintain the status quo. Systems theory is really useful here. Throw in pharmacetherapy, and, well…..
And being a strong woman these days, thanks to the delights of internet porn, means putting out & supposedly enjoying a raft activities that have become normalised, eg anal sex, three ways. In addition to doing all of the tasks capable women do, esp if they don’t have the luxury of outsourcing to other lower paid ‘domestics’ or they’re on their own.
Strong Woman, to me, is the next gen manifestation of the time when ‘multi-tasking’ became a thing. In reality, it had a particularly gendered flavour which applied to women who could now ‘have it all’. Fact is, research is finally catching up & showing that the brain isn’t wired like. As a designer, I was taught that the best designs are multi-purpose, eg the Swiss Army Knife. The timesaving, ultility & economy is coming from a completely different angle.
It’s going to be interesting to see where this is leading. Systems are extremely effective at homeostatis, & the stronger the rumblings the harsher the pushback. For the tables to turn tho, it requires cross-cultural global thinking. And a return & engagement with virtues, ethical values & collective structures, whatever & however they play out.
The beautiful French Canadian woman who has the vineyard where I buy wine from, tells me we are on the cusp of a new matriarchy rising. And I agree. It must be in conjunction though, with strong men tho. We’re all part of our tribes.
Thank you so much for this powerful and thoughtful response, Erika. You articulated what so many of us feel but haven’t had words for — especially how “strength” gets praised as a way to maintain the status quo. You’re right: multitasking and resilience have become expectations, not choices, and they’re rooted in systems that benefit from our silence.
Your reflection on the next wave of matriarchy is beautiful and necessary. We don’t need a reversal of power, we need a reimagining of it. So grateful you shared this. Thank you for showing up.
It’s my pleasure, Leanne. And also essential for me too, under the circumstances I’m finding myself in. Won’t go into details right now, but lordy, to paraphrase Shakespeare’s Hamlet, there’s something rotten in the Commonwealth of Australia, the United States & Little Britain.
And guess what? That’s because they’re all connected from the very foundations thru the multifaceted processes of colonisation, war & power relationships & legal systems.
I just back thru what I wrote to you earlier & blow me down, in this age of AI, I’m loving the typos I saw in it. What a revelation, and I say that because, firstly I know I’m not a bot & haven’t stripped my comments from the internet - I’m writing from a strong knowledge base & it’s authentic.
Secondly I’m absolutely a perfectionist, with a penchant for correct spelling & editing skills
So much so, I’ve never succumbed to coercion to outsource this nor lots of other skills, to some silicon valley start up or 15 yo Microsoft genuis who’s being rewarded for egocentric solutions & is too cossetted to proceed to the next milestone of abstract cognitive & ethical thinking.
Enjoy your day of rest & recreation, Leanne & I’ll look forward to chatting further! Perhaps one day over a coffee in Fremantle. E xx
Hi Leanne, I wrote heaps of stuff to add what you posted, but I’m on an ipad, still working out how to use Substack and lost everything. I don’t think it saves drafts. Never mind, I’ll figure it out.
What you’re saying is very interesting. I’ve been thinking about strong women & warrior women also, but as part of a collective tribe, like the Amazons. Even Buddhist & Hindu cultures recognise there are times when only warrior pose will suffice.
The issue which is coming up here tho, is something I engaged with in Art History & cultural studies/literary theory years ago - the individual genius who gets rewarded in their own lifetime esp if they chose the right lucrative career. Man as superhero. President as All Mighty. Rembrandt as artist. Fact is, none of it happens in a vacuum, look closer, there’s always a support network or a lucky break or whatever power structures & money is influencing it.
Being branded a ‘Strong Woman’, yes. What a crock that is. What an excellent way, through praise, to get the boot in when one is so exhausted, that it’s difficult to even breathe, and maintain the status quo. Systems theory is really useful here. Throw in pharmacetherapy, and, well…..
And being a strong woman these days, thanks to the delights of internet porn, means putting out & supposedly enjoying a raft activities that have become normalised, eg anal sex, three ways. In addition to doing all of the tasks capable women do, esp if they don’t have the luxury of outsourcing to other lower paid ‘domestics’ or they’re on their own.
Strong Woman, to me, is the next gen manifestation of the time when ‘multi-tasking’ became a thing. In reality, it had a particularly gendered flavour which applied to women who could now ‘have it all’. Fact is, research is finally catching up & showing that the brain isn’t wired like. As a designer, I was taught that the best designs are multi-purpose, eg the Swiss Army Knife. The timesaving, ultility & economy is coming from a completely different angle.
It’s going to be interesting to see where this is leading. Systems are extremely effective at homeostatis, & the stronger the rumblings the harsher the pushback. For the tables to turn tho, it requires cross-cultural global thinking. And a return & engagement with virtues, ethical values & collective structures, whatever & however they play out.
The beautiful French Canadian woman who has the vineyard where I buy wine from, tells me we are on the cusp of a new matriarchy rising. And I agree. It must be in conjunction though, with strong men tho. We’re all part of our tribes.
Thank you so much for this powerful and thoughtful response, Erika. You articulated what so many of us feel but haven’t had words for — especially how “strength” gets praised as a way to maintain the status quo. You’re right: multitasking and resilience have become expectations, not choices, and they’re rooted in systems that benefit from our silence.
Your reflection on the next wave of matriarchy is beautiful and necessary. We don’t need a reversal of power, we need a reimagining of it. So grateful you shared this. Thank you for showing up.
“But martyrdom isn’t strength—it’s self-erasure dressed up as virtue.” Oof. So perfectly said!
Carolyn, right? I watched this growing up (my mom) and I took it on myself. But not anymore!
It’s my pleasure, Leanne. And also essential for me too, under the circumstances I’m finding myself in. Won’t go into details right now, but lordy, to paraphrase Shakespeare’s Hamlet, there’s something rotten in the Commonwealth of Australia, the United States & Little Britain.
And guess what? That’s because they’re all connected from the very foundations thru the multifaceted processes of colonisation, war & power relationships & legal systems.
I just back thru what I wrote to you earlier & blow me down, in this age of AI, I’m loving the typos I saw in it. What a revelation, and I say that because, firstly I know I’m not a bot & haven’t stripped my comments from the internet - I’m writing from a strong knowledge base & it’s authentic.
Secondly I’m absolutely a perfectionist, with a penchant for correct spelling & editing skills
So much so, I’ve never succumbed to coercion to outsource this nor lots of other skills, to some silicon valley start up or 15 yo Microsoft genuis who’s being rewarded for egocentric solutions & is too cossetted to proceed to the next milestone of abstract cognitive & ethical thinking.
Enjoy your day of rest & recreation, Leanne & I’ll look forward to chatting further! Perhaps one day over a coffee in Fremantle. E xx