Did or does your Mum admire any strong and/or successful women?

[TheTecknician]

Mine did. She's long gone, born in 1938, and she certainly had her favourites, or at least ladies that made an impression:

Margaret Thatcher. I don't know what Mum thought of her politics but she was always amazed by her stamina and determination.
Tina Turner. For extricating herself from a brutal marriage and restarting her career from virtually nothing.
Debbie Harry. Mum was definitely a Blondie fan and it wasn't that common then for a woman to lead a successful group. We could also mention Patti Smith and Ann and Nancy Wilson.
Vivienne Westwood. Very focused businesswoman who knew what she wanted. Being with Malcolm McLaren can't always have been easy!
Gloria Hunniford. Mum always admired her style and fashion sense for an older woman. I'm sure a fashion magazine declared GH as their best-dressed woman once or twice.

Any more?

No. Mine is a total misogynist.

Snap. Believes that men make better teachers than women, and boys are better at maths - and has previously told my child this. Don't see her very much. She also directs certain questions to my husband.

@TorroFerney@cartagenagina How depressing!

No and I’ve always thought it was so sad that she never celebrated strong or inspiring women. As I have got older I have realised that it’s because she is so unhappy in herself I think, she just can’t celebrate anyone else. It’s really hard to grow up with that narrative of hearing women tearing other women down.

My Mum has always enjoyed Goldie Hawns career starting way back when she was in 'Rowan and Martins Laugh In' from the 60's
Of course Tina Turner as we all do!

My mum born in the 1930s is sadly no longer with us but was a feminist to the end. She admired Betty Boothroyd and Barbara Castle hugely but mostly she held her mother and grandmother in high esteem. They were independent women who farmed through both wars whilst raising children and took no messing from anyone.

She never stopped telling young women that they should vote as her grandmother's generation had fought relentlessly so they could make their voices heard.

Yes, definitely. Mine was born in 1930, is 96, retired from teaching at 62. She loved Joyce Grenfell, Joan Greenwood, Nancy Astor, our Queen Elizabeth II, Margaret Thatcher.

Haha mine too. Any admiration of women is definitely through the gritted teeth of internalised misogyny with a side helping of jealousy.

I make a conscious effort to be happily unreserved in my admiration of women (and men) in front of my DC.

Yes. Born in 1937 and still living independently.

Nope, my Mums a bit dim (born early 50's)
Thought Princess Diana was a slag and couldn't STAND - "bare to listen to the woman" Germain Greer.

I had a late introduction to feminism 🤦‍♂️

My mum was impressed that Thatcher got to be PM but not with her politics.
I always remember she told me I should always vote as women had died for that right. My mum was born in 1934 and very conventinal in so many ways but always gunning for women to break down barriers.

My Mother was an admirer of Margaret Thatcher and any woman who made it in politics. She was born in 1926 and got divorced in about 1955 which was incredibly rare in those days, her choice as he had an affair. She lived overseas for a while in two countries in Africa and was a decent shot and horsewoman She also became a manager in the business she worked for, the first woman in the country.

No. Just deleted a whole paragraph, but it boils down to no, she actively dismisses women who have ambition or who have achieved things. Or at least she hasn't expressed admiration to me.

This reminds me, for all my Mum's admiration of strong women, she didn't think women made good bosses at work. I suspect that was down to her personal experience as a hospital clerk in the late 1950s. I remember her saying that the nursing sister she reported to was "an absolute cow" and how pleased she was when she got fired (she got caught in flagrante delicto with a hospital consultant).

Only when they are thin.

My mum thinks that the single most impressive thing a woman can be is slim.

My mum too. She absolutely hates women who have achieved. Honestly I’ve only fully integrated this when I read the OPs question.

Still impressive with the jab easy weight loss culture? Or not as impressive any more?

Snap! She doesn't have opinions on much else sadly!

Snap. Which is mind blowing considering she’s been treated / allowed herself to be treated? like a doormat. Stockholm syndrome?

The doormat who simpers around men, but is incredibly judgmental and nasty about other women.

Yep my mum does, very much so!

Dolly P
Marilyn M
Maya A
Lucille B
Jane A

And many more. She definitely isn't a fan of Maggie though..

Mine too.

This misogyny from other women is recurrent here and perplexing. I don't understand it. Do we have a cluster of 'she's no better than she ought to be' types out there?

I'm shocked actually

But thinking about it more, perhaps it makes sense. eg. there's a lot of internalised misogyny from posters on this site. Guess it starts at home when growing up.

eta- not suggesting that about pp on this thread