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The Worst Fictional Female Role Models Everyone Loved

Share the goods.

New York City skyline

We know that is a long and slightly confusing title. We’re pretty fired up, so just bear with us. Okay, so maybe it isn’t related to marketing, but it is focused on women role models, which is something we can relate to. Most of our team identifies as women.
A few years back, Kim wrote an article called, “The Entitled Gilmore Girl” for Huffington Post after The Gilmore Girls came back for one last finale so we could all catch up with Lorelai and Rory. Let’s just say…we were VERY disappointed in Rory’s choices (knocked up at 32 and jobless…we’re shaking our heads).  She demonstrated the effects of being raised entitled…therefore becoming the quintessential millennial (sorry, millennials).
This got us thinking about other horrible female fictional characters everyone and their mother loved. Don’t hate us for this blog, but love us for bringing it to your attention.

Carrie Bradshaw

If you’ve never watched Sex and the City, here is a short recap for you: Carrie Bradshaw, the main character, tries to be “the cool girl” for 6 seasons, making excuses for Big (the OG fuckboy) and getting walked all over as a result. Carrie—we repeat, the main character of this show—is treated poorly by the same man over and over and over again, essentially telling every little girl at home that’s what they deserve in a relationship. 

If the show wasn’t enough, the movie is just the icing on the cake. After on-and-off-again dating Big for 10 years, Big decides to leave Carrie at the altar because he is once again NOT SURE. WTF, Big?! Naturally, they still get back together and eventually get married. 
How does he apologize? He sends her a few emails that he copied and pasted from his favorite books. Yes, quotes. In emails. That’s it. He doesn’t pick up the phone, show up at her door, drive up in his black town car like in every other episode. No. He sends her some emails. The smallest amount of effort. It’s honestly a joke, but Carrie is programmed to believe that is what she deserves. 
In the words of Carrie, “I couldn’t help but wonder,” if maybe she was THE WORST role model for any teenage girl watching the show. 
We all should have been looking up to Miranda, the one who was given the worst wardrobe and haircut but had the healthiest relationship and a law degree. Or Charlotte, with her cute kids and adoring husband. Even Samantha was better than Carrie. She finishes the series as a successful single woman with an amazing career and a beachfront home. 
Thank you, Sex and the City, for romanticizing the fuckboy. You are not forgiven.

Olivia Pope

Listen, we’re not happy to see Scandal’s Olivia Pope on this list either, but it had to be done. Yes, she is the crisis queen, has a solution to nearly every problem that arises, and is a pro at managing her workload. We admire her for that. But she did what we ALL knew better than to do: mix business with pleasure. 

We mean, c’mon…having an affair with the president? Yeah, that’s gone down really well in history. No one will ever find out. When are we going to stop romanticizing cheating? Maybe 2021 is the year, but we’re not going to hold our breath.
The reason why we’re most upset with Olivia Pope’s character is that she is a badass boss who we can very much relate to. We can definitely see ourselves relaxing on a couch, eating popcorn and drinking the world’s largest glass of red wine with her. However, we draw the line at letting a man consume you. We are a group of powerful, strong, independent professionals, and well, we don’t need no man (except dogs. We could always use more dogs). In the end, she let Fitz weigh her down, and she was better off without him. 

Sandy Olsson

For all of the young readers (20-year-olds/Gen Z) of our blog, we’re referring to the classic movie-musical, Grease. Sandy and Danny meet and fall in love when they’re both on vacation, and it’s just super magical and romantic. Then enters real life. Sandy ends up going to Danny Zuko’s high school, which is a HUGE surprise (apparently they didn’t have phones in the 50s. Also yes, Gen Zers, if it sounds like the plot to High School Musical, it’s because it is). Well, Danny—big surprise—presented himself as sensitive, attentive and affectionate when he was away from his pals, but then acts like a grade-A asshole when Sandy confronts him in front of the other Greasers. 

She cries, mopes around and wonders what she did wrong—ugh, get a grip, Sandy.
We’ll give Danny some credit because Danny eventually apologizes. They enter the big-deal dance competition, only for him to ditch her for another chic. Not cool, Zuko, not cool.
In the end, Sandy turns herself into the kind of easy lady Zuko likes (or so she thinks) to get his attention. Lo and behold, when she changes everything about herself, she gets the guy.
Honorable mentions go to Bella from Twilight, all of the bachelorettes in the history of The Bachelorette and Bachelor, as well as, all the terrible spin-offs like Bachelor in Paradise.

Thanks for tuning into our rant. If you feel we’ve missed anyone, add the person and why they’re awful in the comments. We have no problem writing part 2.

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FUN FACT FRIDAY: It’s only fitting for us to own a building where a trailblazing female operated her businesses in 1906. The Phillips family represented one of the longest-running retail tenures in Grand Rapids history; L.E. Phillips Jewelry in the 1365 Plainfield Ave. building from 1906 until 1973.
Dr. Eva Phillips, a certified and licensed optometrist ran her practice out of the jewelry store’s secondary parlor and was an equal partner in the jewelry store.

Together, they offered a unique one-stop shot which expanded to include appliances, record players, and more. The couple operated the shop through two World Wars and the Great Depression, acting as the neighborhood matriarch and patriarch.

@crestongr @crestoncorridor @crestongrandrapids @citygrandrapids @grandrapidspubliclibrary

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Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 17898983202545176
FUN FACT FRIDAY: It’s only fitting for us to own a building where a trailblazing female operated her businesses in 1906. The Phillips family represented one of the longest-running retail tenures in Grand Rapids history; L.E. Phillips Jewelry in the 1365 Plainfield Ave. building from 1906 until 1973. Dr. Eva Phillips, a certified and licensed optometrist ran her practice out of the jewelry store’s secondary parlor and was an equal partner in the jewelry store. Together, they offered a unique one-stop shot which expanded to include appliances, record players, and more. The couple operated the shop through two World Wars and the Great Depression, acting as the neighborhood matriarch and patriarch. @crestongr @crestoncorridor @crestongrandrapids @citygrandrapids @grandrapidspubliclibrary

Have you tuned into The Happy Hour Hustle Podcast yet?
If not, a) you’re missing out and b) you need to follow immediately. Hosted by @bodespeaks, episodes drop every other week, and feature some pretty bada$$ guests if we do say so ourselves.

This week, Kim sits down with @kelsey_orchard , VP of Marketing and Communications at @fifthwheelfreight to chat building a personal brand, Gen Z entering the workforce, misconceptions about logistics, spotting fake LinkedIn profiles – oh and why your GPA doesn’t matter anymore.

Grab a watermelon margarita, sit back and enjoy for lots of laughs and real talk.

Listen now at the link in bio.

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Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18112263326023209
Have you tuned into The Happy Hour Hustle Podcast yet? If not, a) you’re missing out and b) you need to follow immediately. Hosted by @bodespeaks, episodes drop every other week, and feature some pretty bada$$ guests if we do say so ourselves. This week, Kim sits down with @kelsey_orchard , VP of Marketing and Communications at @fifthwheelfreight to chat building a personal brand, Gen Z entering the workforce, misconceptions about logistics, spotting fake LinkedIn profiles – oh and why your GPA doesn’t matter anymore. Grab a watermelon margarita, sit back and enjoy for lots of laughs and real talk. Listen now at the link in bio.

National Perimenopause Month starts today. We have a LOT to say, and we’re not going to be quiet about it, especially this month, so buckle up.

We were not prepared for perimenopause, much like our periods, sex, or anything else to do with our bodies. God forbid we talk about it openly.

We were taught to be ashamed, keep quiet, and to accept that it is just part of being a woman. We reject that narrative. In fact, like @bodespeaks, we want to bring it up in every conversation.

When we normalize perimenopause and the conversation around it, we stop isolating, and we’re all more prepared.
Join us for Uncomfortable Conversations: The Pause on September 24th — a powerful conversation hosted alongside the @smallbusinessassocofmichigan
Women’s Business Council, featuring some kicka$$ experts who will give you the real talk on perimenopause (more to come on them later).

Register at the link in bio.

3 0
Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18132641716644887
National Perimenopause Month starts today. We have a LOT to say, and we’re not going to be quiet about it, especially this month, so buckle up. We were not prepared for perimenopause, much like our periods, sex, or anything else to do with our bodies. God forbid we talk about it openly. We were taught to be ashamed, keep quiet, and to accept that it is just part of being a woman. We reject that narrative. In fact, like @bodespeaks, we want to bring it up in every conversation. When we normalize perimenopause and the conversation around it, we stop isolating, and we’re all more prepared. Join us for Uncomfortable Conversations: The Pause on September 24th — a powerful conversation hosted alongside the @smallbusinessassocofmichigan Women’s Business Council, featuring some kicka$$ experts who will give you the real talk on perimenopause (more to come on them later). Register at the link in bio.

You asked, we delivered.

Introducing the Women`s Owners Network - a new program built for what comes first, joining our proven Fellowship model to support Michigan women at every stage of business ownership.

Whether you`ve got a team of 10 or it`s just you and your laptop, you deserve a room full of women who get it.

Six months of leadership, finance, operations, capital access, paired with real support for the isolation, emotional volatility, and decision fatigue that come with owning your own business.

You`ll have your own board of directors in your corner, including @bodespeaks plus a group of mentors, instructors, and coaches who`ve been exactly where you are.

Applications due October 1. Apply now at the link in bio.

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Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18089775152664042
You asked, we delivered. Introducing the Women's Owners Network - a new program built for what comes first, joining our proven Fellowship model to support Michigan women at every stage of business ownership. Whether you've got a team of 10 or it's just you and your laptop, you deserve a room full of women who get it. Six months of leadership, finance, operations, capital access, paired with real support for the isolation, emotional volatility, and decision fatigue that come with owning your own business. You'll have your own board of directors in your corner, including @bodespeaks plus a group of mentors, instructors, and coaches who've been exactly where you are. Applications due October 1. Apply now at the link in bio.
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