Last summer, record-breaking events like the “Barbie” movie and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour took over mainstream media, showing that female empowerment and sisterhood are stronger than ever.
While the mainstream may have recently embraced female-empowered camaraderie, Flintridge Sacred Heart has been living it since its inception in 1931.
Fueled by the power of sisterhood, “Barbie” broke down barriers and encouraged women to feel free and accepted. According to the Los Angeles Times, “Barbie” is the world’s highest-grossing film of 2023. Critics and fans alike have praised it for being more than just a movie about a toy as it explores the universal struggles people experience.
“The Barbie movie is a movie that I had been searching for for a long time, and I’m happy it was finally made,” Addison Chun ‘26 said.
Barbie fever even made its way to the Hill; earlier this year at a school assembly, the ASB decked out in pink and danced to the “Barbie” soundtrack. This phenomenon has found a home on the Hill because it reinforces Flintridge Sacred Heart’s core messages and nurtures female empowerment as Tologs grow older and mature.
The concept of sisterhood has not only dominated movie theaters but also conquered the music charts, with Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour taking the world by storm. According to Evie Magazine, the Eras Tour is estimated to be the highest-grossing tour of all time and has broken several ticket sales and attendance records. Furthermore, the tour documentary, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” has become the highest-grossing concert movie of all time, breaking records with its $123 million opening weekend.
The success of her tour is greatly driven by Taylor Swift’s predominantly female fanbase, who are deeply moved by the artist.
“It’s this beautiful community unified by one artist who makes songs that feel tailored to us,” Chun said.
The tour’s atmosphere is also oriented towards a primarily female audience.
“The Eras Tour was attended by a predominantly female group, and it was such a safe environment for me,” Chun said. “[It] was the most welcomed I think I’ve ever felt.”
Attendees have embraced traditions like making friendship bracelets for one another and dressing up in the style of various Taylor Swift albums.
“I tried to go all out. I made about 40 bracelets and I traded out all of them,” Chun said. “[I think something] impressive is the amount of people there who made bracelets, dressed for a specific song or album and knew all of the words.”
Chun feels that her experiences at the Eras Tour are similar to her everyday experiences of being at Flintridge Sacred Heart.
“I used to go to a co-ed school, and the difference here is overwhelmingly positive … being in a community that is so supportive and understanding of your struggles is refreshing,” Chun said.
Like the Eras Tour, Flintridge Sacred Heart has many women-led traditions, including the Big Sister and Little Sister program, the Junior Ring Ceremony and the Candle and Rose ceremony.
“One of my favorite things [traditions] is the Pillar Assemblies,” Chun said. “If it was a co-ed school I would be too scared to even think about presenting in an assembly, [but] everyone at [Flintridge Sacred Heart] has built such a supportive environment and it puts everyone at ease.”
The academics at Flintridge Sacred Heart empower students as well. Courses like Women and Gender Studies tackle the topic of feminism and educate Tologs on the history of oppression, particularly against women, which helps Tologs express and cherish womanhood more.
“We talk about a lot of sensitive issues… [and] create this open space where we can engage students… [on] different ideas of what gender expression looks like, why these ideas formed, and how we can break free from society’s expectations and stereotypes,” Ms. Gonzales Doo said.
Even after they graduate from the Hill, alumnae carry the empowerment they gained with them to college and beyond. Ms. Caitlin Bury ‘18, who attended the Eras Tour and saw “Barbie,” enjoyed both events and the inclusive environment they created.
“Sisterhood has always been important to me, especially because of FSHA,” Ms. Bury said.
Flintridge Sacred Heart’s strong bond nurtured in an all-girls environment has a lasting impact on Tologs, encouraging self-exploration and support for one another. Alumnae like Ms. Bury are an example of this bond.
“Female empowerment is definitely baked into the ethos of [Flintridge Sacred Heart’s] curriculum and culture. It encouraged me to be confident in myself and other women and non-binary folks, especially in a world that degrades both,” Ms. Bury said.
While “Barbie” and the Eras Tour are paving the way for women’s empowerment, they are also a reflection of the timeless values upheld by our school. As women face new challenges and overcome existing ones, it’s crucial for them to embody the idea of sisterhood, supporting one another and standing together amid these trials.
Hopefully, others will draw inspiration from the example of “Barbie” and the Eras Tour and bring about a change in the representation of women.
