Sheroes

Now, I know that I live a somewhat cloistered life, (or so I've been told), but it amazes me to find out that I have been blissfully unaware of a complete category of human being. I refer to the superwomen known as 'Sheroes.'

Earlier today I was driving home, listening to a mind-numbingly dull discussion on PBS about some new play or other. Members of the cast were being interviewed. One of them, in particular, was gushing, almost to the point of incoherence, about the merits of this masterpiece. There were knowing murmurs of assent as she spoke about the importance of the 'sheroes' highlighted in the play. At this point I began to listen. I'd never heard of sheroes. I assumed she was merely slurring her speech in her excitement, or that she'd had a little too much Sssauvignon Blanc with her lunssch, but I was wrong. She used the term several times. So, instead of reading the news at lunchtime, I did a little investigating.

Apparently, Maya Angelou coined the term 'sheroes.' It is meant to describe a lady who is both an exemplar of feminine strength as well as a role model and a source of inspiration. So far so good.

Then, I came across a learned work by Varla Ventura (someone else I've never heard of) entitled 'Sheroes: Bold, Brash, (and Absolutely Unabashed) Superwomen from Susan B. Anthony to Xena.' This book explains everything in chapters bearing such exciting titles as: 'Warriorsheroes - Amazons among us,' 'Ecosheroes - Saving Mother Earth,' and, my favorite, 'Polisheroes - Stormin' the Halls of Power' (as opposed to polishing the corridors of power, I assume).


Then, to my amazement, I discovered that the United Church of Christ has produced children's educational materials in its 'Media Awareness Network.' These lessons, based upon a book called 'Media Violence: Pulling the Plug on the Power Myth,' teach grade school children the importance of identifying sheroes who are worthy of one's respect and regard. Good for them. Knowing the UCC, I suspect that few of these sheroes will have much time for conventional morality, they will be much too busy tearing down the bastions of male privilege and prejudice.

Be that as it may, I now consider myself to be educated. I will no longer abuse the language by applying a gender-neutral word to those women whom I admire for having done something particularly worthy. I will refuse to demean women by describing them with a word that sounds like they might be 'he's' and not 'she's'. I just have one question - what shall I do with that lovely old word - 'heroine'? Is that to be discarded, too?