I don't know if it's requisite or trite to write a story about Amelia Earhart on a woman's blog - what could possibly be said or revealed that hasn't been written before? Ah, I guess there could be at least one major revelation in regard to her that hasn't been made before, but aside from knowing that, it's probably all been said, written, and filmed many times over. Even young girls know who she was, what she looked like, and that even if they don't want to be an "aviatrix," they want at least a dash of Amelia in them.

That's the thing. Amelia Earhart is still a different kind of inspirational woman. We may admire women like Susan B. Anthony, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Gloria Steinem, Sally Ride, Oprah, etc. but there isn't another woman who still captures our sense of adventure the way that the spirit of Amelia does. For a woman who has been missing for more than seventy years, that's something. Since her birthday was this week, why not add a YoLadies tribute to a woman who continues to inspire through her intelligent, tough, glamorous, and adventurous life.

Rather than writing a bio, which you can find anywhere, here is a little something on how she influenced women back in the 20's and 30's, and why she still influences us today.

In Amelia's day, female pilots were relatively rare, compared to today's numbers. Not only were their numbers few, but they had to suffer the fools who denigrated their talents by calling their air races "powder puff derbies" and who waited like told-you-so vultures for the need of a man's help. These bad-ass women wouldn't stand for it, and when Amelia came along, they had just the queen they needed to help pave the way.

Amelia and ninety eight other female pilots formed a group called The Ninety Nines (still going strong), aimed at support and at aviation education for women. Amelia's talent, will, celebrity and access to money and equipment set her as the first president, and she strove not only to do what she loved and was good at, but to help other women do the same thing.

Today, not only does her story and her hard work and love for aviation live on, but her refusal to fall into the stereotypes of her time influences and inspires us all. Looking at pictures of her, she could be someone we might pass on the street at lunch - she is someone we can still identify with. When we are feeling beat up in whatever it is we're doing, whether it's trying to be taken seriously in a still male dominated corporate environment, starting a female-run auto repair shop, a clothing line, or insert anything else here, we can think of Amelia and her hard won fight for the career that she wanted more than anything else.

Happy belated birthday, Amelia - thanks for all you still do for women, and may you be kicking Lindbergh's ass in whatever afterlife flying you continue to do.

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