By Susan Tomchin Think back to the Purims of your childhood. If you were like most of us, you probably wanted to adorn yourself in beaded dress and rhinestone crown, apply a generous layer of crimson lipstick, and appear as Queen Esther at synagogue Purim festivities. We long for heroines, like Esther, who help us dream of what we can become. Heroines are a beacon that help us see beyond ourselves. At best, they are role models for activism and set examples of achievement that we can aspire to.
Heroines are our guides.
They demonstrate that we can struggle and often excel in spite of the limitations of our environments or prevailing societal attitudes. America used to be. Of course there was no shortage of passive heroines, of Sleeping Beauties and Rapunzels who wait to be rescued by prince charming. And television has always been generously endowed with an abundance of svelte and gorgeous female stars who lead us to believe that our success and happiness depends on our percentage of body fat and the firmness of our thighs. Without valid heroines to lead the way, young girls are cut off from potential sources of inspiration and strength and struggle to get their bearings.