Who’s Wild?

My name is Lyn. I was born in the 50’s and I’m a Baby Boomer. Not only a baby boomer, I am BOOMACIOUS woman of color! In naming this blog, I chose one that depicted the wild times I grew up in-Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, Viet Nam, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Patty Hearst, Angela Davis, The Kennedys, a prominent drug culture, public protests and demonstrations. The truth is, the Wild Child is none of us so much as it is a generation wrought with troubling and vexing events. From the very beginning, didn’t the devil’s music, as recorded by hip swiveling Elvis Presley, and guitar playing Chuck Berry, brand us.

In the 60’s many African American girls burned their bras right alongside every one else. Our generation embraced free love; vehemently protested war; and openly smoked drugs. Youths were curious and driven by the need for something more. Was it Freedom! Was it Everything the world had to offer!

History and the world’s tragedies have followed Baby Boomers no matter which decade we’re from. Who else could have handled the explosion of the AIDS epidemic except a Baby Boomer who had already been tried by fire? We’d seen a president assassinated and his brother killed; two prominent civil rights leaders slain, and our troops come home from a war that cost America thousands and thousands of lives.

Baby Boomers are a tough, sarcastic, Saturday Night Live bunch. Yet, we’re sweet, sensitive, and hopeful as influenced by the Flower Child side of our era. And through it all, we held fast to the dream that we could be anything we wanted to be and look at us now. Yes, the former President smoked pot, but he still became the president. Two women have been Secretary of State, three women sit on the Supreme Court, a black man is President, and a Black Panther has been an Illinois Congressman for a decade.

Women of color can’t be ignored! I may be 60 but I feel 25, and I want to look like 40. The marketplace needs to recognize and respect me. This all started because I couldn’t find comfortable shoes that were as asthetically pleasing as the 4 inch heels down the row. I know these shoes can be made in two–two and a half inch styles. I run this country! I vote, spend money, and according to doctors and research scientists, I have a lot of years to live! I want to spend them looking good! So, I guess this makes me WILD!

While looking for trends in almost everything that pertains to Baby Boomer Women, I will keep an eye open to celebrate those moments that impacted our lives, formed our philosophies, and opened our eyes. Love you to death, Boomer Women!

lyn@boomacious.com