Carrie Fisher was an icon in her own right, and it is terrible that 2016 ends not only with ehr death, but with that of her mother's as well. This year has taken many wonderful and talented people, but this death has hit me the hardest. I was eating lunch with my sister when a friend sent me a message with the news of Carrie Fisher’s death. I was shocked. Disbelief was present between the both of us. I instantly Googled it, hoping that maybe it was just a hoax, but after seeing where several outlets confirmed the news, I was just sad. It did not hit till I was in the theater watching the end of Rogue One how much her death hurt.
Rogue One is sad for many reasons, but seeing Princess Leia on the screen made me cry harder than I thought I would. It was not until I was home that I realized why I was upset. The world lost a wonderful woman, but I lost an idol.
Princess Leia is important, but not as important as the woman who played her.
Carrie Fisher was a tremendous woman, and will always be.
But, she gave other people hope by bringing to light the issues faced by those with mental illness and addiction. She was so candid with her struggles and so outspoken that it made her normal. She was human and she never pretended to be anything other than that. Carrie Fisher was Princess Leia and Princess Leia was Carrie Fisher. Without her portrayal, women in science fiction would be nothing more than pretty faces for the heroes to save. Generations of self-sufficient women would probably cease to exist.
She was more than just a pretty face and a sex icon. She was feminist princess that saved the day. Princess Leia’s courage was life-changing. She was feisty and strong, and she never gave up. What girl did not want to embody that? From the moment I could comprehend anything, I knew who Princess Leia was. I grew up watching her defeat the Empire after suffering the loss of her entire world. She was the embodiment of everything I wanted to be and do. I wanted to go on adventures and be the one saving myself.
And in real life, Fisher did that for herself too. She used her tumultuous past to inspire others, and even on social media, makes jokes about it. The world lost a beacon, someone who existed in many different roles. She fought for not only women’s rights, detailing the sexism she experienced in her lifetime, including the constant harassment for her looks later in life.
She also fought for people with mental illness, being vocal about her own experiences and fight with bipolar disorder.
What can we say to appease the loss of a woman like her?
We can say thank you for redefining what it meant to be a princess and a leader. We can thank you for being unapologetic about your life and who you were. We can say thank you changing the lives of millions and inspiring people from all walks of life.
But, would it be enough? We can only hope.
