I Hope There Are More Movies With Female Heroes

Dear Editor,

I was deeply intrigued by Peter Hauer’s letter titled, “Hollywood Ignores Human Nature”; he possessed divine-like insight into women’s fantasies and desires. How many women did he interview to confidently state, “most women do not fantasize about being strong, brave, athletic, and resourceful”? When I read Peter’s article to my wife she replied, “We don’t fantasize about those things; we are those things.” She’s right. Women must be strong and brave to work, play, and live in a country that, only within the last 50 years, declared they had equal rights to men and continues to pay them less than men for the same job.

Peter also spoke in broad brush strokes about men and their desires. His comments do not represent “most” men as he believes. I am attracted to my wife precisely because she is stronger and smarter than me. She has a graduate degree, is a thriving small business owner, and the breadwinner for our family. She also formed a human person inside her body, pushed said human out of her body, then kept said human alive with her body. If that is not strength, I’m not sure what is.

If Peter doesn’t like movies with female heroes, that’s fine. Don’t watch them. Just don’t assume that your preference is somehow indicative of all human nature. As for me, I hope there are more movies with female heroes so my daughters know that women can be, and are, heroes.

–Calvin Sodestrom, Castro Valley