Representation Matters
Newsletter March 6, 2023 Together, we're #keepingitsacred... A friend of mine recently shared, "When I was a girl, my mom was insistent in making me dress up as Esther EVERY SINGLE YEAR because 'a Jewish Persian girl should celebrate a Jewish Persian heroine!'" "And there you have it!" I thought. "A perfect example of why representation matters!"
The concept that representation matters is the idea that who is depicted in media and in public places, in legends and in news, matters. It shapes people's ideas about ourselves and our community, and about others not like us, too. So, who is valorized and shamed, who is uplifted and who is denigrated, matters.
Much consciousness has been raised about this issue throughout the feminist movement, and actually started changing more rapidly for the better during the beginnings of the #metoo movement. More storylines featuring protagonists and centering the experiences of women and trans and gender nonbinary people were financed and run (think of show like the Morning Show, Pose, and Insecure).
The story of Purim would absolutely be one of these stories that features the bravery and courage and creativity and commitment of a Persian Jewish female protagonist. How powerful is it that it is the story that is told all around the world tonight! No wonder my friend's mom encouraged her (strongly) to celebrate and emulate Esther. These are the stories we should know and we should tell and we should share-- these are the stories that make a difference. May we celebrate the story of Esther not only tonight but year round!
Please enjoy the following evergreen resources that you can watch or listen to at your convenience (below in this newsletter). One about some of my favorite parts of the Purim story, and one a lively retelling of the Purim story (that I shared with my kids before school this week!). Let us be proud of Esther's leadership, and the leadership of all the Esthers in our community year round!
Together, we're #keepingitsacred… Rabbi Heather Miller Founder, Keeping It Sacred |
The above is an excerpt from a Keeping It Sacred newsletter. If you want to read the entire newsletter or any from our archives, please head over to: keepingitsacred.com/news And if you'd like the newsletter delivered to your inbox every week, please share your name and email address in the fields at the bottom of the page in the purple boxes. Thanks for your interest, and thanks for #keepingitsacred… |