Role model

A person’s role model’s gender usually matches their own (not all cases but most cases) and it’s perfectly acceptable to have their gender as one of the factors of choice. But what if we base our choice on nationality as well as gender? For a Mongolian woman, it becomes so limiting that I fail to pick one person that I admire and want as my role model.  In an age where internet, movies, music, sports and fashion has penetrated to the deep fabric of a Mongolian young generation, it’s much easier to look up to, admire, copy and aspire to be a foreign successful woman. The reason being that they are much more accessible and in many cases more glamorous to admire than, say, a female Mongolian politician or an actress. The most famous politician in Mongolia being Oyun Sanjaasuren and actress is…whoever’s dating the whoever at the moment.

Over exposure in the media is not a good thing of course and many critics have said that ‘knowing’ too much about people with public profiles (celebrities) affects us negatively because we start to believe that the extraordinary things in their lives are ordinary and we start to expect the same from our everyday lives, and only end up disillusioned and disappointed  in ‘them’.

But the problem in Mongolia is that there isn’t enough exposure about some of the most extraordinary women in Mongolia today. I’m afraid I can’t give a list of these great women for us to look up to and follow their careers-if anyone can suggest please do so! I just want to understand why this is the case and why the only great figures that many and most Mongolians look up to end up being either the warrior king that we’ve named our airport, vodkas and hotels after, or great sporting heroes like Tuvshinbayar, with his two Olympic medals. Nothing wrong with the above examples I say, but what else is there for a young woman in today’s world who needs an inspirational figure that will lift her up in her dark days and teach her a few things too? Not just a celebrity but someone with staying power and substance.

I suppose the sense of being untouchable is why women, from all over the world, wants to look up to the super famous types of women who are glamorous and successful. Is there a Mongolian equivalent? A sense of patriotism is brewing here but I’m sure there are amazing women out there in Mongolia, and we (I alone maybe) don’t know here. There are times when you just need a Mongolian woman’s inspiration to help you because it’s closer to home.

I don’t know my Mongolian history much but reading books like The Secret History of the Mongol Queens: How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire by Jack Weatherford certainly makes one feel closer to a great woman.  But these figures are just too abstract for a modern woman to think: ‘What would…..do?’ in a time of crisis? But have there been a female historical figure in the past that would inspire us today? Is there one Mongolian woman in a leadership role today, who would inspire thousands of us out there?

The USA has their Oprah Winfrey, the UK has the Queen, Anita Roddick, Vivienne Westwood, Australia has their Cate Blanchett, Jordan has their Queen Noor and Iceland has their Thóra Arnórsdóttir.These are internationally recognized and admired women (ok, and a roundup of my personal isnpirational women but I chose them because I admire their personal lives as well as their professional acheivements), and I’m sure there are hundreds more that people from each of these countries would also suggest. (I chose to list people with more visually public profiles because it's as close as you can get to 'knowing' someone and admiring them-it allows people to be able to learn more about someone who you've seena t least once and heard about rather than admiring a person for just one aspect of their lives. But nowadays we can all Google whomever we like and learn more. I just thought these were the most accessible for now.) And of course everyone has their own criteria for why someone would be their role model and inspire them, but most of us usually agree on a truly inspirational person anyway.

The search for the inspirational woman of today’s Mongolia should start here…who inspires you and why?

Oyun Sanjaasuren

Thóra Arnórsdóttir

Queen Noor

Anita Roddick

Tuvshinbayar Naidan