You Are My Hero

I have had many fictional heroines in my life that have shaped my character as much as any living woman has. Through decades of television, my heroines have changed at the whim of network programming directors, but their lessons have remained with me.

The first one I can remember is Annie Oakley who had her own Saturday morning television series (starring Gail Davis). Although Ms. Oakley was an independent cowgirl who took nothing off nobody, she always took care of her baby brother, Tagg. My own baby brother, John, owes her a world of thanks.

The women on television through the 60’s were, for the most part, mild mannered, can’t-do-a-thing-without-the-help-of-a-man, stay-at-home moms – too real and not real enough to be heroes.

But in the 70’s, Betty Jones joined her father-in-law, Barnaby, in his detective agency. Not one to shrink in a corner during a fight like most secretaries, Betty would wade right in and smack the bad guy up side the head with a lamp. (Never mess with a former beauty queen. Apparently, they have issues.)

Before the 70’s were over, along came Miss Piggy. Underneath that sexy façade was a woman of steel who knew who she was and was proud of it. If you got in her way she’d just yell “HIYAHHH” and give you a swift kick, but she never let you forget she was a lady.

The Golden Girls came along in the 80’s to prove that women over 50 were not just existing, but exuberant, vibrant, and competent. Not your obvious heroes, they taught us about the curative powers of cheesecake,t hat strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet, and to embrace new adventures even into old age.

My heroine through the next decade was Murphy Brown. She didn’t always think before she acted, she was self-centered, she was opinionated. Dan Quayle thought she made a poor role model. She was passionate about her job, an advocate of justice, she accepted responsibility for her actions. You could do worse.

Sometimes you have to stand and fight. Xena, the Warrior Princess, taught me that. She also taught me to do the warrior yell. A blood curdling sound that scares your opponents so you don't have to use Miss Piggy's swift kick. Xena showed me that you always have options.