Happy Monday!
I was reading my alumnae magazine from Connecticut College and came upon a book review from a fellow graduate that I highly recommend:Pygmalion’s Chisel: For Women Who Are Never Good Enough by Tracy Hallstead. For those of you that studied more finance than Greek mythology, Pygmalion was a sculptor that believed that women are essentially flawed and set out to create the perfect woman in the form of a statue. The book analyzes our culture’s requirements for the perfect woman and the negative impact that has on women’s psyches as we try to live up to a flawed ideal and the harmful effects it has on both genders. The book examines the destructive impact of misogynistic trends in our popular culture that affects all aspects of a woman’s emotional, spiritual, physical, psychological and professional wellbeing.
The bottom line message in the book is that throughout history, successful women responded rather than reacted to the stereotypes that devalue women. The author encourages women to adopt a “new consciousness of how our culture carves us down,” and continue to question, challenge and reject the messages that are not working for you. This message brought to mind a conversation I had with a long time member recently – she shared how over the past few years having a network of strong women friends has built her confidence and fueled her progress on many levels. What could be better than that?
We have just some amazing events coming up over the next few months that are listed below. Many are space limited so register early to avoid disappointment! Also, note the fabulous line up for speakers for our May event – this is our Woodstock for women in finance across the state with over 300 people in attendance – you will not want to miss what these outstanding investors have to say and the opportunity to meet your colleagues from across the state and beyond.
Kind regards
Christine