How Carrie Fisher empowered generations of women
She refused to play the damsel in distress at any point in her life
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Carrie Fisher was introduced as Princess Leia in the epic franchise Star Wars. She was a bold princess character who may have seemed like nothing more than a sex symbol, but today is considered as an empowering figure to generations of women.
In fact, she’s considered one of the most badass actress Hollywood has ever seen. Here’s why.
Carrie didn’t settle for playing the ‘damsel in distress’
If you have ever watched Star Wars, you know that Princess Leia wasn’t someone you wanted to mess around with. She was a strong, independent woman who went up against the strongest men in the galaxies and even when she was made to be the character who “needs saving” — she wasn’t.
She managed to become a strong princess (pretty much an oxymoron at the time) — independent, feisty and a leader who stood up against the most feared Sith, Darth Vader.
In Star Wars, she was equally capable of making sarcastic remarks like Han Solo. She represented all women who aren’t afraid of the task at hand. The role she played showed young girls that we, too, could be superheroes if we wanted to be.
Carrie Fisher was the face of a generation of bold women, who stood up for their ‘galaxy’. She acted side by side with the men who were perceived as the main heroes of these films and paved a road away from the stereotypes women traditionally portray in these films. Carrie as Princess Leia was the reason why many young women like myself were opened to liking sci-fi films since it’s usually a thing just for boys.
After we were introduced to Princess Leia in Star Wars, girls were able to see themselves as the hero. Because of Carrie’s portrayal of Princess Leia, she not only brought balance to the force in Star Wars but she also allowed young girls like myself to be see ourselves as heroes as well.
She wasn’t afraid to advocate for mental illness — or talk about her own
Carrie left a legacy as an advocate for removing the stigma surrounding mental illness. She began by opening up about her own struggle with depression and bipolar disorder. For many, talking about mental illness is hard to do, and so by doing so herself, she made it easier for other to be open about their struggles. In a Diane Sawyer interview, she explained about her depression.
“I used to think I was a drug addict, pure and simple — just someone who could not stop taking drugs willfully. And I was that. But it turns out that I am severely manic depressive,” she revealed.
Despite this, she had a powerful message to send to young women like myself: we should never be ashamed of the battles we’ve fought or are going through.
“I outlasted my problems,” said Fisher. “I am mentally ill. I can say that. I am not ashamed of that. I survived that, I’m still surviving it, but bring it on. Better me than you.”
She had her own rules on being a wife
Women are stereotypically thought to magically be able to nurture anyone — or should I say, any man. It’s something we should, supposedly, all learn how to do before we meet the ‘one.’ But Carrie was also open about her struggle with fitting into that role.
“I don’t have wifely skills,” she admitted in an interview with Esquire. I tried to learn them. I tried to learn to cook and clean and stuff like that. But then I realized it’s not skills you need, it’s impulses. It’s having the impulses to care for someone.”
Carrie paved the road for young actresses like Daisy Ridley to have a leading role in blockbuster sci-fi films
Daisy Ridley had a monumental role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. However, that role probably wouldn’t be the same if Carrie Fisher had never played Princess Leia. Just as Carrie became a figure of empowerment for young girls as Princess Leia, the same has now occurred for another generation of viewers with Daisy as Rey.
Star Wars currently has costumes and other merchandise depicting Rey, a super strong female lead, flying off the shelves. Young girls want to be just like Rey and suddenly Hollywood has begun to acknowledge the need and desire for more female action movie leads. Daisy had done the exact thing Carrie did when she was introduced in the trilogy — she became the badass female lead in the film and dominated the big screen. But she couldn’t have done it without Leia and the actress who made her famous.
During a press conference, Ridley said: “Well, obviously Princess Leia and Carrie are a source of inspiration for girls for the past 30 years. I’m definitely not quite there yet but I hope Rey will be something of a girl power figure.”
She was an important writer
Many might not know, but Carrie Fisher was also a brilliant author. In her book Postcards from the Edge, Carrie writes about a young actress who’s struggling to make it out of rehab for a drug addiction and how she must find a way to continue her career sober.
Not only did her book become wildly influential for its honest depiction of addiction recovery and mental illness, but she was part of the reason why many people were able to begin the conversation of their mental health.
“She wanted so to be tranquil, to be someone who took walks in the late-afternoon sun, listening to the birds and crickets and feeling the whole world breathe. Instead, she lived in her head like a madwoman locked in a tower, hearing the wind howling through her hair and waiting for someone to come and rescue her from feeling things so deeply that her bones burned. She had plenty of evidence that she had a good life. She just couldn’t feel the life she had. It was as though she had cancer of the perspective.” –Postcards from the Edge
Her sense of humor is something we will always remember
Carrie Fisher’s Twitter account was nothing less than iconic thanks to emoji-filled tweets, dog pictures and a cavalcade of selfies.
She wasn’t afraid to be herself and it’s just how we imagined Carrie to be in real life — hilarious and outspoken.
She was the definition of the ultimate dog mom
Carrie Fisher made sure everyone knew how much she loved her dog Gary. He was taken everywhere with Carrie, and I mean EVERYWHERE. Gary has been on red carpets, TV interviews, and probably all around the world with his mom. She even took Gary to the White House because she’s that badass.
On the day Carrie passed away, Gary tweeted this photo. And we all simultaneously cried.
She will always be a badass for saying this — and so many other things
She once revealed in an interview about her disapproval for the iconic gold bikini she wore in Star Wars and how glad she was to be able to kill off one of the main villains in the movie wearing the uncomfortable outfit on. Carrie would later give Daisy Ridley important advice of what to do if a director encourages her to dress in something she’s not comfortable of wearing.
“You should fight for your outfit,” she reportedly told Daisy, “Don’t be a slave like I was.”
She left a long-lasting legacy for all women
In an interview with Teen Vogue, her daughter Billie Lourd, was asked what advice her mother gave her before she started her acting career.
“She told me to be true, and kind, and confident in yourself,” she recalled. “She raised me to not think of men and women as different. She raised me without gender. It’s kind of the reason she named me Billie. It’s not about being a strong woman — it’s about being a strong person. She once told me, “I never sat you down with a credo. It was more about leading by example.”
And honestly, that’s what she did for all of us.