Shonda Rhimes' Lifelong Dream to Become a Writer
In this touching interview with Shonda Rhimes, we learn about the desire and ambition Rhimes' has always had to become the successful and ambitious writer and person that she is today. There is point in the interview where she mentions what it was like when she stepped into the conference room full of men to pitch her pilot episode of Grey's Anatomy. She explains that one man flat out said to her that it was "disgusting" for a women to have had a one night stand the day before her first job, and for me that really hit a sore spot. Not because I am condoning the act of one night stands, but because if it were a man who had a one night stand the night before his first job, no question's would be asked and he probably would have been high-fived for doing so.
As a 22 year old female in this world, it is so frustrating to be told that a job done by a man cannot be done by a woman. And that something that a man does can be socially acceptable, and yet if a woman does it, it is socially and morally degrading. This interview hit a place in my heart that made me proud of Rhimes, but also motivated me to fight back--to show the world that women are just as powerful as men and that equality for everyone, men and women of all races/ages/body types, should exist. I thought it was really powerful when Rhimes mentioned that she was inspired by Buffy The Vampire Slayer because of how strong of a female lead she was, and that she was not perfect--she was just human.
I can see that in all of Rhimes' main female leads. Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy, Olivia Pope on Scandal, and Annalise Keating on How to Get Away With Murder are key examples of female leads who are well complete girl bosses. Each character is strong, independent, and totally and completely imperfect. Each show exposes different flaws all humans have, and challenges all humans face, through the development of the female leads. Of course having a female perspective writing the show brings a unique view, because she can relate to the characters she makes, but having these characters brings hope and a connection to the character. I know from first hand experience that a lot of these characters challenges are ones I have faced in my own life, and watching them overcome them gives me the confidence that I can overcome them as well.
https://www.makers.com/shonda-rhimes
