I’m sure you have all seen the controversial debates in the media recently. As a woman, I have a hard time with the news that my rights may soon be taken from me. It has made me think about my role in this world, and what I fear I may be losing. It’s easy to spiral downward with these threats. Therefore I have recently turned to a comfort show of mine for a more hopeful outlook.
Some of you may be familiar with The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel streaming on Amazon Prime Video. For those of you who aren’t, the show follows Miriam –a recently divorced mother-of-two– as she navigates life in the 1950s as a single woman. The show not only highlights Miriam’s new relationship status in her private and public life but also shows her struggles in pursuing her career as a standup comic. At the beginning of the show, Miriam cooks, cleans, raises the children, and caters to her husband’s every need. But once her husband has an affair and eventually leaves the marriage, she is told by both of her parents to go win him back, as if it is her fault that the marriage fell apart in the first place. However, Miriam finally takes her life into her own hands and decides she can take care of herself and her family on her own.
Several times within the series Miriam acknowledges that it is a man’s world, something that she tells her infant daughter. Miriam is clearly frustrated with this fact but refuses to back down when told to do so. She continues to pursue her new career in comedy, typically viewed as a low occupation at the time (for men as well), and even gets a job as a makeup counter girl in order to support her family. Miriam refuses to give up on her dreams or rely on a man in order to survive in a world that is run by them.
While the 50s were a long time ago, and we often view women’s rights very differently in comparison to now, some things remain the same. I’m afraid we are on the cusp of taking some very large steps back in the fight for women’s rights. It feels defeating until I think about Miriam. Although she is a fictional character she shows the strength and resilience I know that all women have within them, and it reminds me that the fight is not over. It gives me hope for a future of true equality.