Monday, July 1, 2013

Emily Cale for Congress!

I officially endorse Emily Cale for Congress! I just watched White House Down and was inspired by the 11 year old girl who heroically helps save the White House. I'd like to thank the filmmakers for a positive female heroine who can inspire girls everywhere.

Emily is a young politico who idolizes the president of White House Down and has her own You Tube ChannelAs she goes on her White House tour, she is an American history buff who educates her tour guide.  When she runs into the president on her tour, she has the audacity to ask him a tough question on his Middle East policy.  She is a young wonk star! Moreover, she does not conform to stereotypical images of a weak girl.  She bravely posts mobile videos of the terrorists that provides the government with crucial information. When a gun is held at her head, she yells at the gunmen to get out of her face, and fights back.  

It's rare than we see a girl main character such as Emily Cale defying gender norms in a Hollywood summer blockbuster.  Check out the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media , which is "the only research-based organization working within the media and entertainment industry to engage, educate, and influence the need for gender balance, reducing stereotyping and creating a wide variety of female characters for entertainment targeting children 11 and under."

If they made a sequel to the movie, I hope that Emily Cale would be the next president.  After making the national spotlight through her heroism when the White House was attacked, hopefully she was first elected to local office.  Then when she was 25 and eligible to run for the House of Representatives, she became a Congresswoman.  Seniority on the Hill is required to become a chair of a committee, but since Emily ran so early in life she was able to become a chair in her thirties.  After a few years of chair of the powerful Rules Committee, she became a Senator.  Then she was elected president!

We need women to run for office earlier on in life so they can actually climb the political ladder and break the glass ceiling.  Many great organizations such as Running Start, WUFPAC, and Ignite exist with the purpose of giving young women the skills and confidence to truly start running for office early in life.

Incredible girls like Emily Cale exist in real life.  Take Talia Leman who at the age of ten raised over $10 million dollar for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. I hope Emily's character will remind the American public about the power of young women and girls!

1 comment:

  1. Here is that scene you're talking about :D
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JMLBCtyok0

    ReplyDelete