Lois Lane Friday: What Does Lois Lane Mean to Me?

This question of some form has been floating around the internet for a while, even the author Gwenda Bond asked fans "what does Lois Lane mean to you?" while she promoted her book Lois Lane: Fallout.

I was thinking about why Lois is one of my favorite characters and why she inspires me?

Lois Lane probably means a lot of different things to me such as a hero without a cape but also as a woman who gets to take pride in her career. I see a strong, independent, opinionated woman who loves her job as a reporter and is great at it. In the past, women didn't have the luxury of pursuing careers that interested them, they were relegated to jobs that were deemed "women's work".

But something I found fascinating about the first issue of Action Comics (published in 1938) was when Lois Lane first appeared on page, she was in a career very few women had. Even in some of those older comics Lois was passed over for assignments or given crappy ones because she was a woman but she didn't let that stop her from doing her best on even the most mundane of stories. That reminds me of something I once read about Gloria Steinem, who said that at one point in her career she was getting assignments such as writing about stockings while her male colleagues were getting a chance to write about hard hitting news. Like Lois, Gloria didn't let that hold her back and she went on to have a legendary career and become an Icon.

I've always seen Lois as the ultimate career woman, she works hard but she also enjoys her achievements. Although, the impact of her words in what she writes is very important to her she still enjoys her success. What fun would life be if we didn't celebrate a little? That doesn't mean turning into a braggart, to me celebrating means taking a moment to enjoy what you accomplished while bragging is telling any and everyone everything you've done or achieved regardless if they want to hear about it or not.

I see nothing wrong with framing your diploma and putting it on the wall or mantle, you earned that. Just as there is nothing wrong with displaying any awards that you've received. Case in point, on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Lois showed off her three Kerth Awards in a display case in her apartment.

I have seen in various articles and books stated that some women experience fraud or impostor syndrome. It's where despite being successful in their careers and jobs some women (and men) constantly feel as if they are frauds and it's only a matter of time before they are found out. They feel as if it's not their skills that got them ahead but luck or other factors.

I mention this because Lois is rarely shown as being anything but confident and she certainly doesn't downplay her success and achievements. She's a great writer and reporter and knows that her hard work, skills and experiences are the reason she's one of the best in journalism. See, this is why Lois is inspiring to me, even if she happens to be fictional.

To answer the question, "what does Lois Lane means to me?" She's a successful career woman who inspires me to pursue my career but also to enjoy my achievements.