Warning: This post may contain a spoiler alert, but really it’s quite obvious.
Just as “Lara Croft” got a reboot under the masterful hand of Rhianna Pratchett, into a heroine with more than boobs, Star Wars has also been rebooted with the seventh sequel, “The Force Awakens”.
And the force it has awakened to is the force of women – in its case first and foremost as consumers but I hope it’s also a recognition of women as a force in their own right to well, save the world – and you’ve got to admit it, the world as it is does need saving from mankind.
It’s interesting to observe what appears to be a global trend towards strong women characters in films and television – where the woman is not chasing a man or helping others chase villains, or being the damsel in distress and the hero must come and save her, but being her own person and killing it and every villain in the process.
In this JJ Abrams’ reboot of Star Wars, which is clearly designed to appeal to mass audiences (it is owned by Disney after all), having a female in a key leading role is clearly a considered decision to breathe new life into this 40-year-old franchise, and open up a whole new galaxy of women customers. Think of the merchandising potential and consuming power of women – as this documentary states, sci-fi movies were in the past made for males 12-24 years old. This seventh sequel taps into a new global awakening of the force of women.
It’s by no means alone. The lead character in the new Netflix series, “Jessica Jones” kicks butt like no other. More than that, it deals with real women issues – not just that of finding love and sex in the city – but of sexual intimidation, abuse, friendship, loyalty and love in other forms.
In Asia, we’ve always had strong women role models in business. The founder of Blue Bird, Indonesia’s largest taxi company, was Mutiara Djokosoetono, whose granddaughter Noni Purmono now runs the business. The founder of Dusit Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s homegrown hotel brand, was started by Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui who handed the reins to her son, Chanin, and whose son Siradej is now involved in rebooting Dusit for a new generation.
Here’s an article from Forbes which quotes an HSBC study that suggests women entrepreneurs are more likely to be successful in Asia. Says the study, “Even though the billionaire ranks may be one of the toughest glass ceilings for women to break through, the HSBC data does show an encouraging statistic for Asian women: 51% of Asian entrepreneurs with a net worth of more than $15 million are female, compared to 33% in the West.”
When I was in New York last month, I met several women entrepreneurs while I was out shopping at Chelsea and happened upon a pop-up store run by Collective Creed which showcases independent designers.
I didn’t get to meet Christina Mercando, who’s the founder of Ringly, but she makes and manufactures smart jewellery which allows you to personalise and prioritise notifications. I met Gretel Going behind Fortune and Frame which allows you to personalise fortunes within accessories. I met Michelle, who had returned after a year in Nepal, and is designing scarves and wraps and working with village women in Nepal.
With mobile payment tools like Shopify and Quick Books, these women designers have now become their own retailers. The ease of doing business with them is incredible and I could sense their liberation and empowerment in being their own women.
At the Expedia Partner Conference in Las Vegas, the force of women shone through at the opening session with keynote speaker Diane von Furstenberg who spoke about the woman she wanted to be.
This is a company that’s trying to increase diversity in the workplace, especially at the leadership level. You can see though it still has some way to go – during the press conference featuring its senior leadership, all were men.
But at least, it’s trying. This is a blog written by Mike Cartwright, an Expedia executive, after speaking at the Global Women’s Leadership Forum. Read the part about his 10 key takeaways. Good practices to bear in mind in the workplace.
In the last couple of months, as 2015 drew to a close, I have noticed a trend in more companies approaching me to speak and/or moderate at women leadership events in the new year. I moderated a couple of events for Accor Hotels in 2015 – they played to a small crowd, primarily women, but I was heartened to see quite a few men in the audience. Google in Singapore also ran a small event towards year end and initially, I heard men were not invited, a rule that was changed fortunately.
This is a conversation that needs diversity. It needs to be inclusive. It needs to go deeper. It needs to ask questions beyond the obvious – “What does it feel like to be a woman entrepreneur”, rather “What does it take to be an entrepreneur?” Or “What does it take to be a general manager?” It needs to inspire women and to empower them. It shouldn’t condescend nor patronise.
This is by no means a new topic – the issue of women as leaders and consumers. I’ve been harping on it until I’ve grown tired of my own voice. I am just so glad to hear new voices.
With this awakening and recognition of women as a force in their own right, I hope that workplace diversity or women leadership (whatever you want to call it) will gain its rightful place within corporations and not be relegated to a Corporate Social Responsibility function and be fringe events held once a year to show we’re doing something about it, pat on the back.
And you know what, even if the big corporations don’t get it, well, there’s plenty of opportunities out there these days for those who want to be their own women.
So in the new year, may the force of women be with you – imagine the galaxy without Rey or a world without Jessica Jones.
