The Atlantic spoke to Marian Cannon Schlesinger, author of five children’s books, a memoir, and the wife of Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. (a special adviser to President Kennedy). In addition to reminiscing about the Kennedy White House days — an era of “parties every night,” she reports — Schlesinger offered some advice for the young ladies of 2013:
Just go ahead and do your thing no matter what.
It is truly a talent to be able to give advice that everyone wants to hear, but make it sound authoritative.
Also, Schlesinger wants some respect for the women of yesteryear:
There have always been strong women. This idea that feminism was created in the last twenty years is ridiculous. When you think of all the women that went across the continent in covered wagons. Really. It’s ridiculous. It’s a lot of baloney. If they’d read a little history, they’d find out that women have been powerful characters all through the history of the United States.
Just read a little women’s history and do your thing no matter what. It is the life-plan backed by the wisdom of 101 years.
