Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Confessions of a Juggler


I read this short essay by Tina Fey, which I found quite good.


I know I'm a little young to be worrying about being a working mom in Hollywood, but it is something I ponder from time to time. I've always felt that I don't want to have to give up anything. I want a Hollywood career and a family all at the same time. Blessed with three hard-working and ambitious daughters, my parents instilled in us a sense of female empowerment and we were taught from an early age that we could do anything. I remember being little and telling my mother that I was just going to marry someone rich when I grew up so I never had to worry about money. This was by far the worst thing I ever could have said out loud, in her opinion. She told me not to rely on that but to instead make my own money....which was something more in my control. So I've always felt a responsibility to my gender to find a way to have a successful career.

In her article, Tina says: "The fastest remedy for this “women are crazy” situation is for more women to become producers and hire diverse women of various ages." Sadly, women are a scarcity in top level film jobs. According to The Los Angeles Times, "A woman is more likely to hold a seat on a Fortune 500 company board (15%), serve as a member of the clergy (15%) or work as an aerospace engineer (10%) than she is to direct a Hollywood movie (7%)." Now that is just sad! We women need to stick together and with a little determination maybe we can remedy this harrowing statistic. And with more women in top level positions, perhaps someday the "baby-verses-work" question will not be so much of an either or situation, and the balance between a career and family can reach equilibrium.

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