Has anything changed since the birth of Beatrix Potter in 1866?

Beatrix Potter, a Britain writer and illustrator, was born in London in 1866 and devoted her entire life to drawings of animals and writing stories about them. She was a rebel and transformer of her time. She saw and perceived the world very differently, out of any box and any standards and norms. She became a world-famous children's writer who brought drawn animals to life and made them peoplish. Since childhood, Beatrix was in love with the beauty of nature and communicated with animals like human beings, giving them names, playing with them, bringing them home, and talking to them. She saw what others did not see and lived in her world of fantasies, fairy tales, and magic.

"Miss Potter" a biographical film with Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor as main protagonists revealed the true story of Beatrix and her fantasy characters for children's books like rabbits, pigs, and geese. The film has some divergence with historical facts of her life, but it sticks to the point.

Beatrix dared to write to British publishing houses (six due to historical facts) but was refused and self-published her first book. In a film a well-known London publishing house did it, but the truth was they did it only after her self-publishing and becoming popular with her first book. Even though Beatrix was already quite an adult woman, she was not supposed to leave the house alone, since she was still unmarried. At that time women from wealthy and noble families did not work, they had to organize comfort at home, arrange dinner parties, and give birth to children. When she announced to her mother that she was going to the publishing house, she was shocked, since a decent woman did not behave like that, not to mention the fact that Beatrix controlled the colors of every page and every illustration.

The rich inner world of Beatrix helped her reveal the depth of her illustrated characters and come up with wonderful fairy tales; she continued to live in this fairy tale all her life, despite her age. For many, she was very strange, for some a rebel, for others a recluse with a hint of madness, since she did not fit into the accepted rules and standards, but she did not pay attention to this at all, since she never betrayed the most important person in her life – herself. She sincerely believed in her talent, and never expected anything in return - she simply did what she loved, because she could not help doing it.

Her first creature became very popular from the first days of publication, and this further inspired her to create. While working with the youngest brother of her publisher they became not only close friends but also fell in love. He proposed Beartix to marry him and of course, she agreed, but her parents were categorically against as he did not have the same social position in society - for them it was humiliating to be a simple publisher and deal with books. After long negotiations the parents finally agreed, but with one condition. Unfortunately, while Beatrix was fulfilling her parents' wish, her lover died of blood cancer.

At that time, she had already earned enough money from the sale of her books to be independent and leave her parent’s home, she was nearby fourty. She bought a farm in a village in the north of Britain and moved there, starting her own life from scratch. In the village it became easier for her to breathe, she felt freedom and a lack of pressure. Over time, Beatrix married a local notary, William Heelis. In addition to her love for writing and drawing, she had a new love - a love for the conservation of British lands. She became one of the first who dared to engage in preserving the nature of England, she bought a lot of lands and after her death, all lands were transferred to the National Trust and became part of the national reserve.

Nowadays modern women can of course decide on their own what to do, like for example, study at the university and choose a profession; work, or stay at home, be in a relationship or not, be single or married, etc. We, women, ultimately have our voice and it can be heard. But does it mean modern women are fully free from any prejudice and rules, preferences, and patterns? Despite living in a modern developed and civilized society we are still facing the same problems but with another wrapping. Major top-level positions are fulfilled and managed by men. There are companies where you will not find a woman on a board of directors. Some companies pay men for the same job more than women. There are unfortunately still mothers, sisters, and other women who do not believe in the talents of their children, sisters, and friends laughing at their creative hobbies and dreams. This list can be too long and too painful, but that is sadly truth.

October 2, 2023.