Reflecting on Nyad and Find A Way
Listening to Find A Way by Diana Nyad right now on audible. I can’t recommend it enough. I want to tell you what she is telling you. If you want to know how I think and feel, read or listen to this book. I can’t say it better and so I wont. Of course, please do not think I am saying I swim like her or measure up to her in any way athletically or intellectually. She is eons beyond me with her athletic accomplishments and knowledge of languages. I admit I wish I knew all those languages, but I’m not sure I wish I had tried to swim from Cuba to Key West 7 times! The jelly fish alone is a big No Thanks! It makes me smile and laugh heartily in appreciation in my soul, however. I am just tickled she did it and she was so tenacious about it.
When the promoters were advertising the movie they mentioned it is directed by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi. Well, I have watched Meru and Free Solo and The Rescue and 14 Peaks and I am SO GLAD they are covering a FEMALE as the star this time. It is not as if there aren’t a plethora of fuck all ass kicking women out there doing amazing things as hard as men and often for half or none of the money. I think I can probably rattle off a dozen just off the top of my mind who get nowhere NEAR the recognition — or money — the guys do between the movies and the news and the cheering on! Why?! They’re fucking am-A-Zing!
You know, when I was a kid I used to climb trees and skateboard in my skirts and swim all day and ride my dirt bike.
One day I switched to pants because it’s frankly way more practical.
And then one day someone told me, “You can’t do that. You are a GIRL.”
Well, that made absolutely no sense to me. And, as I got older, I knew a female could kick ass on the rocks and still dress up if she wanted to and kill it on the dance floor.
So, WHY, after all these years are we still not recognizing and acknowledging women for what they can and are doing?
STAND and Half the Road by Katherine Bertine gives us many more examples of this.
I have struggled with the mysogyny and discrimination MY WHOLE LIFE — even before I had words for it. I wish someone would have told me, taught me: THIS is how you navigate around this.
Around Christmas and missing Chicago and my mom’s strong accent and all the goofy “aunts” jabbering at the table on holidays growing up, I watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding with my son. Watching these women get through a patriarchal family life was and still is just enchanting. It is full of humor. And it isn’t lost upon me that the women are indeed poking fun at the men by maneuvering and conspiring together. But why did they even need to do that in the first place? Is it courtesy? Well, if it was because of courtesy, the men would ask or convince women of ideas as gently. But they do not. They do as they like according to the male pecking order and even openly discuss a woman’s place is less than a mans. Now I mean in real life, not just in the film.
Please don’t misinterpret me. The film is overflowing with charm and humor and makes me nostalgic. If anything, I’m envious Toula has a mother and aunts that help her through these manly waters. Even when Gus, her father, explains “She’s smart enough for a girl” as to why college is unnecessary, the parents’s argument devolves into a quick and ridiculous argument.
Smart enough for a girl. Well, there you have it.
So how smart are women or can they be and how undervalued are their thoughts? History has many examples of this from Marie Curie to more recent disregard. Remember 9/11? Of course you do. How about the women who warned it was going to happen?
How about October 7? Israeli officials were warned by border troops of the pending attack and ignored the warnings. One main issue surrounding the October 7th attacks is the question of how it was undetected. Well, folks, it was not undetected.
Diana Nyad, you are a rock star. Your persistence and drive and wisdom and knowledge and ability to write it all down — I am in deep admiration. You did not let being a woman stop you. Of course you didn’t, I think to myself with a smile on my face and in my heart.
Same goes for you Chrissie Hynde, Lindsey Vonn, Ronda Rousey, Stephanie Gilmore, Chrissie Wellington, Kathryn Bertine, Kristin Armstrong, Evie Stevens, Serena Williams, Mia Hamm, Simone Biles, Danica Patrick, Venus Williams, Mary Lou Retton, Billie Jean King, Michelle Yeoh, Mickey Facchinello, Amelia Earhart: Of course you didn’t.
Last thoughts, How to about coping strategies for cat callers and putter downers .. maybe later. Besides you can probably find it on Reddit! (insert winky face emoji here)
