I’ve recently seen two movies – Moana and Wonder Woman. These very different movies are amazingly similar and I believe, do a lot to bolster women. {Click Here to listen to Dr. Mache narrate this post over an original musical background}
Moana is a young Polynesian princess who lives on an island that is dying. She wants to travel beyond the reef that surrounds her island to search for a solution to an ancient curse. But her Chief of the island father forbids travel beyond the reef. With encouragement from her paternal grandmother, Moana sails beyond the reef, overcomes incredible obstacles, and returns home with the belief – and ability – to reverse the curse and restore her people to their successful heritage.
Wonder Woman is an Amazon girl who wants to be a warrior when she grows up. But her Queen of the Amazons mother forbids it. Her aunt teaches her anyway. A WWI British spy who has infiltrated the Germans is found out, and during his escape stumbles upon the secret Amazon Island and nearly dies. He is saved by Diana, the future Wonder Woman. Diana joins the British spy and they go off to defeat the Germans and in the process discovers that she is the daughter of Zeus, and therefore a god. She also discovers her remarkable powers and so do the Germans. She does not fight with anger, but from love.
Moana and Wonder Woman illustrate that women can be strong willed, powerful and the equal of anyone. They can become who or what they wish to be. They can be feminine and strong; kind and successful; empathic and forceful; and both loving and fierce. Once these heroines demonstrated their ability, both women and men followed them.
These are fabulous role models for young girls. And I believe women of all ages can see these movies and awaken their inner Wonder Woman. Awakening that point of view will be a powerful asset for all of life’s challenges, from work to relationships, life in general, and yes, even for life’s challenges such as the transition into menopause. There is a lot to learn from Moana and Wonder Woman. Maybe those hot flashes really are power surges.
