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appleton king's avatar

omg at 28 i was lucky not to fall asleep after closing the bar on a weeknight and wake at 3 AM to charred remains of tv dinner let alone deliver this kind of considered thesis.....sometimes tho i did manage to pick around the melted plastic and nibble.....ya gotta eat right?

Caroline's avatar

Haha thank you and thank you for going back in time! This is from my actual thesis lol. I think my next piece will be Arlene centered as well- it’s writing that makes me happy and gets out my frustrations!

appleton king's avatar

i watched her in real time

talk about goin "wayyyyy back" lol

Caroline's avatar

Yes!! Most people look at me like I have three heads whenever I bring her up.

appleton king's avatar

im sure there are scarier 3-heads roaming around😉

Thaissa Lara's avatar

“It reduces each wave to a stereotype and suggests that there is a sharp division between generations of feminists”. Sadly, the same happened and still happens everywhere, including my country. I so admire the witty way you described history, idealization & humanity here – a very interesting trio. Subscribing. Xo.

Caroline's avatar

Hi Thaissa, it's lovely to have you here! Thank you for the kinds words. It's the complicated humans that make me love history the most.

Thaissa Lara's avatar

It's nice to be here, Caroline. Strong female history amazes me. Keep going. Xo.

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Jun 27, 2023
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Caroline's avatar

Oh Isabel, how I love seeing your name pop up in my inbox!

It's fascinating to think about isn't it? I know for Arlene (I had the privilege of speaking to many people in her life) that so much of this was a performance. While she was absolutely a product of the times, she was keenly aware of exactly what she needed to say and do to retain power. In response I feel this both pride and grief: Grief that she thought she had to pretend but Pride that she successfully fooled the men in power. It was really the people around her and the magazines and writers that went out of their way to project her as this "strange bird" as if to say "other women, you could never do what she does." That she alone could have power. I unearthed an insane quote from a 1950s executive who said "sure we treat women poorly. But not Arlene, never Arlene." WILD.