‘Good Girls Revolt’: The right to write

“Good Girls Revolt” is the kind of television that reaches in and grabs your soul, and implores you to do more, be more, and enact change.  I have not been so inspired by a television show since Lisa Simpson ran for president.

This 2016 Amazon Original Series is set in New York City in the late 1960’s, when in the midst of women’s liberation sweeping the nation a group of young women fight for their right to be journalists at their news magazine.

I am an 18-year-old girl, about to leave for college next year, and the show woke me up to the reality that 50 years ago, women were second-class citizens in America in a fight for equality across gender and race. You see these women, who are only a few years older than I, were as educated, or more, than the men. They did the research, wrote much of the articles, but the men were the only ones allowed to be reporters, and to get the byline on the article; women were relegated to the role of researcher for the men.  Also, the men made three times as much money as the ladies.

Inspired by real events, “Good Girls Revolt” follows a fictional group of young ladies at News of the Week, who decide to ask for equal treatment, for the right to write. Without courageous women like these standing up to effect change, I might not be able to have my name at the top of this article today. This was something I took for granted until watching this “Good Girls Revolt.”

As the show built to the tenth and final episode, I found myself laughing, crying, and cheering for these heroines. The writers were brilliant as they made each character so relatable. Although Patti was the primary protagonist, each of the girls in the show represented a different emotion for me.

I was proud of Patti who plays the central role in leading the girls to revolt. She is whip-smart, a free spirit, and unbridled in her vision of the future she wants for herself. And, so I related to Patti as a visionary for change. She touched that part of me that refuses to be silenced, dresses how she pleases, and stands up for what is right.

Cindy touched my soul. Such a shy, nervous, subservient young lady who had the inner strength to overcome who she was at her core to propel the suit for equality forward. It was she that always came through when progress needed to be made.  At the same time she left a loveless marriage, where she was asked to be a doormat.  More women today should channel Cindy’s strength.

Jane is sweet, beautiful, and the epitome of a good girl, always doing the right thing, just like Daddy taught her. Jane finally realizes that what Daddy tells her is best may not indeed be what is best for her, and so she defies everything she was ever taught about being a good girl to be the voice of the revolution.

The show also weaves into the equality theme the lack of equality not just for women, but for African Americans, making the viewer have to live a time where races were fighting to be equal as humans in our nation.

Through tears and cheers I found myself rooting for the women, as if I was one of them, fighting for the future not just of themselves, but for future generations of women. To say I was inspired is a severe understatement. I was riveted. I was angry. I was changed as a young lady, infused with a fire inside to not let the efforts of the women before me be for naught.

Watch out world, this show started an internal revolution in this girl.  I am awakened to the idea that I must use my mind and voice to achieve and change the world.

For more on the offer see:  CeceJane.com