My mother introduced me to the wonderful world of books and the power of words. She made sure we often left the library in a car packed with books about anything and everything.
I soon took an interest in fantasy books, which led me to the Terry Pratchett Discworld series. There, I met Granny Weatherwax and her coven sisters Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick. The three witches represent the ancient triology of the crone, the mother and the virgin.
Granny Weatherwax flies her broomstick far and wide to save kingdoms, tackle prejudice, inequalities and oppression with the aid of her coven sisters. She mostly relies on her knowledge of human nature rather than witchcraft, to help the people.
Granny Weatherwax taught me that women can do everything: care for the sick, fight loneliness in communities, solve murders, overthrow tyrants and follow their callings in life whatever they might be. As a powerful witch she doesn’t follow the norms of society, but instead lives according to her own conviction of what is right and wrong.
As an independent woman, she also has to rely on the help from her coven sisters Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick. Nanny Ogg is a matriarch of a large family with a great skill for caring for others, who lives her life exactly as she pleases. Magrat Garlick is a young insecure witch with a love for everything occult, that quite often ends up saving the day. The coven of Wyrd sisters told me that if women stick together and stand up for each other, we can do anything no matter how different we all are.
I believe that strong female fictional characters can help build the confidence in girls and make it easier for them to relate to other women. What fictional character do you want the young girls in your life to meet?
-Karolina Saxerbo Sjoberg
Junior Girl
Girl Museum Inc.