The Me Too movement is, well, moving. Gretchen Carlson, the woman who came forward regarding Fox News Executive Roger Ailes, was interviewed today and talked about how her decision to use her voice has given other women the courage to use their own voices in coming forward, leading to the downfall of Harvey Weinstein and eventually to women globally finding their voices to stand up for themselves. Safety in numbers. It is a beautiful thing, these women coming forward through the strength they have found thanks to the brave vulnerability of others. I still wonder how they can be so brave. I worry. I worry about what people would think. I worry about my parents feeling pain on my behalf. I worry.
Michael Phelps was on Megyn Kelly today. He was sharing how he struggles with depression and anxiety, and he is participating in a documentary to help others with their struggle. Another brave spirit, coming forward in transparency. A man who has been called perfect, with his record setting gold medal wins, letting us all in on his imperfections.
It has been on my bucket list, ever since I first saw Glennon Doyle Melton on SuperSoul Sunday and read her book Love Warrior, to be this fabulously transparent, open and honest person. Anne Lamott does it quite well also, this ability to show up and be seen, unapologetically real. I want to be brave like that. Brave enough to be vulnerable and open before others without fear of reprisal, fear I will no longer be loved if they learn I am not perfect. (Which is kind of funny, because they obviously already know I’m not perfect!)
It’s kind of like the rest of my life, where my artist half conflicts with my Type A business woman half. My business suit is telling me to “shut up – fake it till you make it!” Meanwhile my messy smock, covered in paint and clay and all the things that get messy to create beauty, is telling me to stop hiding behind the wall of implied perfection and share my imperfect self so that I can give others permission to do the same.
I don’t know when or how I will figure out this whole transparently vulnerable thing. For today, I will just start with this: Me Too.