Badass Women on the Internet.

You know what's cool? Women who stand in their power. Better than that? Women who stand in their power who write on the internet. Here's three that I know of .. they're kind of my mentors, I just forgot to ask them.

JUSTINE MUSK

I have no idea how I found Justine, all I know is that sometimes I'm reading her posts and I cannot believe I didn't pay anything to read her posts. How can something so valuable .. be so free? Justine is a published author, a rebel, a misfit. Her blog posts are filled with gold, attitude, information, power. And BADASSERY. She talks a lot about being a "Creative Badass." Sometimes I click over and everything she has written I can relate to in my life, right at that very second. The strangest thing. One of the things I love the most about her is her bio picture:

See how her head is tilted up? And she's not smiling? Loving. I have a long history with not smiling in photos. She's even kind of sneering. LOVE.

 Justine's post on ambitious women is outstanding. Why the world needs more ambitious women. (And ambition is not a dirty word.)

Next up:

SWEETNEY

Sweetney is Tracey Gaughran-Perez - Gen X-er, writer, editor, self-confessed geek. I'd heard of her for a while. It wasn't until I read this post where she defended Kanye after the whole IMMA LETCHU FINISH incident .. that my ears perked up. Who was this female blogger, who had the balls - nay, the ovaries, to go against popular opinion? Unapologetically? I like people who are not afraid to speak their truths and my goodness do I adore how she does that. She is so funny, and whip-smart intelligent. She created the smart pop-culture site MamaPop and also BlogHer's annual best party, Sparklecorn. (Sparklecorn is the best party of all time. OF ALL TIME.) Sweetney also does the non-smile.

Sweetney almost invented bad-assery. When I meet her, I'll want to impress her so bad. Maybe with my mad num-chucking skills.

Lastly, there is Australia's own badass. Which means she is a badarse.

CATE BOLT

She's a fearless warrior who will tell you she's not. A swearing, grumpy humanitarian. You know what she built out of thin air? ONLY AN ORPHANAGE. I could not do what she does. I aspire to be more like her ... she's a voice of reason and truth, stands up for what she believes in, and her own children are starting to kick arse too. I'm proud to have her as a friend, this once-homeless ex-music journo tough cookie. Here's a post she wrote about Sarah - a fifteen year old girl she talked to on the streets of Denpasar, selling her body. You know, the usual mumblogging post.

Cate is the founder of Project 18  .. and her newest site, the Giving Bowl is PERFECT for your Mother's Day presents.

In conclusion, I obviously look up to women who don't smile. And I believe women are stronger than men .. sorry fellas, but I really do. (Especially in Niger.)

Last month, after the Digital Parents Conference in Melbourne, I sat talking to a bloggy friend Deb from Bright and Precious. She is another smart, amazing woman. She remarked on the language many women have used to define their blogs. "Meaningless thoughts ... scattered random nothings." And how this was not true, that what women are doing now, in this present day, with their writing on the internet .. it can really hold a lot of power and strength, if we let it.

I admire the women who let it.


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