The Desert Queen Inspired Me

As a strong woman I look up to other strong women who inspire me. My whole life I have been searching for a female role model who represented my rebellious and adventurous spirit and I finally found her. A woman who is both feminine, brave, strong and resilient, who doesn't fit in the boxes that society has created. saw myself through her spirit in life - Gertrude Bell.

For those of you who don't know her, Gertrude is a historical figure, an inspiration and symbol of power. She worked as a traveler, archeologist, writer and politician in the early 1900s. She was from British descent and is best known for her rebellious, courageous spirit and for leaving Britain to find herself. She leaves for Tehran where she falls in love with Henry and even though their love doesn't last ending tragically, she finds the strength to keep going and lives a solitary life in the Arabian desert. Fighting against men and oppression, she ends up in places no one has been able to before her and makes friends with men many were afraid of.

What makes her story remarkable to me is how she had the courage to express her opinions and fight for what she believed in standing up to powerful men. Every man she had a contact with fell in love with her. She made many friends with powerful people leaving her mark in history. She didn’t marry but she loved and fought for what she believed in.

In that sense Gertrude resembles me and my virtues in life. I have always been a rebel and someone who was never constrained to rules and regulations. Like her I left my country young at 15 for America all by myself. I never wanted to be domesticated. I dreamed of writing, adventures and travels. I fought my father and his oppression and any men who tried to oppress my free spirit.

I was brave enough to love and have lost, to travel and leave my country of birth. Gertrude’s adventurous spirit and thirst to conquer the impossible left a mark in history crowning her as the Queen of the Desert. She left a mark in me as someone whom I will always admire.

I also never dreamed of marriage. I dreamed of seeing countries, writing and conquering mountains. I stood up to powerful men including my own father and fought for my beliefs and dreams. I made it alone in the US at 15, made it to the Oscars twice, I won many awards for my writing, worked with men who tried to oppress me and I am a single mother who fights for her daughter everyday.

My heart has been broken many times but each time my resilience persevered and I made it again and again. I have been through divorce and break ups but my passion and thirst for life doesn’t stop me from conquering more lands and adventurous.

I have traveled all by myself and lived in Sweden, South Africa, America and Bulgaria. As a journalist I covered stories that made a difference for many and left a mark in history. As a writer I am sharing my stories to the world so I can inspire others, especially women to make a change and be themselves and speak up against oppression, racism, discrimination and abuse. Gertrude was that power house woman for me!

Her story inspires me to be me and be a strong woman that fights for what I believe in and regardless of the heartaches along the way - I succeeded in writing my own story as a powerful and heroic woman and a mother!

No one can stop you! Be strong and be a brave woman who follows her heart. Many men will try to stop you and not like the power in you but just like Gertrude you don’t have to listen - just act in your power and stand on your own two feet. We are worth it and when you believe it that's how you leave a mark in the world.