therealljidol | (Reply)

From:

“The first thing I thought of when I read the prompt was "Smash the patriarchy, grab your dreams" but it took a little bit longer for me to realize I had the perfect story for that in my own family.” What was it that finally clicked in your head that you had the perfect story to tell right in front of you the entire time? How did you decide on the format of the story, switching perspectives as you switched generations? And, of course, how did Aline’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren continue that legacy of independence? From a game perspective, the women far outnumber the men and non-binary contestants. Does that make them easier to “smash”?

I'm not actually sure what it was that made me realize I had the perfect story. I was doing dishes, and it just popped into my head out of nowhere. I must have been thinking about something that led me there, but I honestly cannot tell you what. We're just going to say maybe that is when my muse just finally woke up :)

And I actually decided on the format when I was writing up my idea to run it by a couple of my tribemates. Originally I was just going to write my great-grandmother's story but when I was describing it, I realized my grandmother's was just as powerful (maybe even more so) in her own way, and to do them both justice, they both needed to be told from their own perspective.

As for how it's continuing, I like to think my sister and I (and our cousins) are all very strong, independent women. None of us have had to make the kinds of choices our grandmother and great-grandmother had to make, but my grandmother raised my dad and her other kids to be respectful and hard-working and, in turn, my parents raised my sister and me to believe that we didn't need anyone else to take care of us and that we could stand on our own two feet and be confident in our own decisions and who we are. And I hope that is what we're teaching our kids, especially my daughter and my niece. Ellie is only 2 and Caitlin is 8, so they aren't quite ready to go out and rule the world, but someday they will be, and I believe they will be awesome at it!

And, Gary, I'm pretty sure we don't have men in here who are trying to hold us all back with their superiority over us, so there really is no reason to smash them, is there? We can just work and play together and be supportive no matter one's gender.

What is your criteria for who should be going home this week? Gary!! There are other people listening! I'm not going to tell you that!! And Luzon already knows why I think they should keep me. Will they listen? I super super hope so but I don't know.