DON IMUS CANCELLED ON TV--GO TEAM
After losing major advertisers, and facing widespread calls for his firing for...are their words?...debasing the phenomenally talented Rutgers women's basketball team--and women of all ethnic backgrounds--the radio host has been dropped from the schedule at the cable channel MSNBC.
Women: We owe it to ourselves and to the world to make the contribution we were born to make. The world deserves to hear from us.
In my book, amBITCHous--a book encouraging women to reclaim our ambition as a virtue, not a dirty word--and on my various blogs, I've repeated this observation:
"Let's face it, there's just one word that our culture bestows on that supremely ambitious woman who unrepentantly values a career: bitch."
I stand corrected. We can also be called "hos", quoting Don Imus, who called Rutgers women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos".
(FYI: I had to look up how to spell "hos".)
Go Team. And our team includes both ambitious women and men who support us. We're finally seeing a cultural uprising against the the socially-sanctioned denigration of high-achieving women. It's time. And as ambitious women, we're now feeling the force of a collective course correction. It's time. Go team.
In 2007, let's reclaim ambition as a virtue. Embracing a virtuous definition of winning as an ambitchous woman who believes that the world deserves to hear from her means following four golden rules:
1. Love your work without apology, and with integrity.
Be willing to aggressively pursue the professional work you were meant to do and to strive for any career opportunities that inspire you.
2. Regard your deepest career aspirations as unconditionally sacrosanct.
The real way to have a great life is to see your career ambition as a part of your value system to which you must give equal attention, along with other non-negotiable priorities in your life, including your partner, your kids, your friends.
3. Feel entitled to earn your worth.
You must be able to charge your full marketplace value without self-reproach.
4. Take a stand. Do so internally--believing in your ambition in the face of socially-sanctioned disregard for high-achieving women. But also Stand Up. Speak Out. Do so courageously, from your heart, using as one exemplary example Rutgers women's basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer who so eloquently--with grace, dignity, and integrity, championed her team's and young women's right to dream big and to achieve, and to be recognized for making the contribution we women are born, and entitled, to make.
Consider Coach Vivian Stringer's hearfelt words in reponse to Mr. Imus's cavalier, ignorant words:
"I am deeply saddened and angered by Mr. Imus' statements regarding the members of the Rutgers women's basketball team. These talented, articulate young women put forth a great deal of hard work and effort this past season to reach the nation's grandest stage - the NCAA title game.
Throughout the year, these gifted young ladies set an example for the nation that through hard work and perseverance, you can accomplish anything if you believe. Without a doubt, this past season was my most rewarding in 36 years of coaching. This young team fought through immeasurable odds to reach the highest pinnacle and play for the school's first national championship in a major sport.
To serve as a joke of Mr. Imus in such an insensitive manner creates a wedge and makes light of the efforts of these classy individuals, both as women and as women of color. It is unfortunate Mr. Imus sought to tarnish Rutgers' spirit and success. Should we not, as adults, send a message of encouragement to young people to aspire to the highest levels as my team did this season?
It is of the utmost importance to be an inspiration to young people and I truly believe my team represented Rutgers University, the state of New Jersey and NCAA student-athletes across the country in the highest manner. I am proud of these young women...
Thousands of alumni and fans have reached out to me the past few days to share their warm wishes and congratulations on a special year, fans of not only Rutgers University but of women's basketball. I appreciate their kindness and am proud to be associated and surrounded by ten exceptional student-athletes."
IT'S TIME FOR US WOMENTO RECLAIM OUR AMBITION AS A VIRTUE, AS THE BEST OF WHO WE ARE
Every day, ask yourself the question posed by Mary Oliver's poem, "The Summer Day":
"What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
Don't let anyone steal that dream from you. The world deserves to hear from you--and from us.
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