Colleen calling me forth as Invisible Woman has focused my thinking about what it means to be a Superhero Woman. Our culture would likely use descriptors such as sexy, successful in a career AND motherhood, well dressed and well coifed, a great entertainer, and a great friend. I have a different set of criteria that allows for much more diversity.

1. Authentic. She is her authentic self. She is comfortable in her own skin and has largely overcome the tendencies to be a people-pleaser or nice. If she is loud, she is loud without apology, or shy, or seriously smart, or funny.
2. Overcomes Social Conditioning: This may seem related to being authentic but it includes learning to love yourself as you are. The biggest challenge most women face is loving their bodies as they are created and includes accepting the aging process without self-judgement.

I recently bought two paintings by Laurelin Gilmore that captures the idea of women claiming their space without excessive regard for what others think. As the artist wrote about her work, “I was in a conversation with a friend who works as a personal trainer… I told her I don’t want to build muscle, but slim down, get smaller. She was understanding, clearly having heard this before, but she is not interested in helping women get smaller, helping women shrink. She said she wants women to take up more space. She said we, as women, are already made to feel small, want small. She told me not to be afraid to gain in volume and take up more space.”

3. Exercises Her God-Given Talents and Gifts. God in his/her infinite creativity does not limit what women can do. A Superhero Woman does not question her passions, gifts and talents but grabs them with both hands and enjoys them.

(Paintings discovered at the Art of Toys gallery.)