The Echo in Every Roar: When “Hear Me” Means “Hear Us Too”
We all have those moments. The ones that make you want to stand tall, throw your head back, and just… roar. It’s that surge of defiance, that declaration of existence, borrowed from the iconic line, “I am woman, hear me roar.” But sometimes, that roar doesn’t echo quite like you hoped. Sometimes, even amidst the loudest declarations, a quieter, persistent thought whispers: “…too. Hear me roar too.”
That little word “too” changes everything. It’s not a correction of the original anthem; it’s an expansion. A recognition that while the collective roar of womanhood is powerful and necessary, the individual voices within it – your voice, my voice – sometimes struggle to pierce through the noise. It’s a call, specifically to our closest confidantes, our best friends, acknowledging the shared journey but also the unique battles fought in silence.
The Resonance of “I Am Woman”
Helen Reddy’s anthem wasn’t just a song; it was a cultural earthquake. “I Am Woman” gave audible, undeniable shape to the burgeoning feminist movement. It was a declaration against centuries of being relegated, silenced, underestimated. “Hear me roar” wasn’t a polite request; it was a statement of arrival, a demand for recognition of inherent strength and capability. It resonated because it spoke a fundamental truth: women are powerful, resilient, and refuse to be confined by outdated expectations.
Where the “Too” Comes In: The Nuance of Individual Experience
Decades later, the roar is undeniably louder. Women lead nations, innovate in labs, dominate stages, and reshape industries. Yet, the lived reality for many women involves navigating spaces where their roar feels muffled, misinterpreted, or simply unheard, even by those closest to them. This is where the heartfelt plea, “Dear best friends, I am woman, hear me roar…too,” finds its profound meaning.
1. The Roar of the “Quiet” Battles: Not every roar is public or dramatic. It’s the roar of:
The woman setting boundaries for the first time with a demanding family member, her voice trembling but firm.
The mother advocating fiercely for her child’s needs in a dismissive system, her exhaustion masked by steely resolve.
The professional stating her value confidently in a negotiation, silencing the internal critic screaming about “being too pushy.”
The survivor sharing her story, reclaiming her narrative piece by painful piece.
The woman simply saying “No,” reclaiming her time and energy, often facing bewildered pushback. This is roaring. It doesn’t always sound like fury; sometimes, it sounds like quiet, unwavering conviction. It needs to be heard, recognized, and validated as the profound act of courage it is.
2. The Roar Against Internalized Whispers: Often, the biggest barrier to being heard is the internal noise. Generations of subtle (and not-so-subtle) messaging can embed doubts: “Am I being too emotional?” “Will they think I’m difficult?” “Do I deserve this?” The “too” is also a plea to ourselves – a reminder that our roar, however it manifests, is valid and deserves its space. It’s silencing the inner critic that tries to qualify our strength or tell us our struggle isn’t “roar-worthy” enough.
3. The Roar in Diverse Voices: The original roar was necessary and unifying, but it didn’t always capture the unique intersections of identity. For women of color, LGBTQ+ women, women with disabilities, women from marginalized backgrounds, the roar often comes layered with additional fights against systemic bias and erasure. “Hear me roar… too” emphasizes that the symphony of womanhood is richer and more powerful when all its distinct voices are amplified, not just the most familiar or dominant ones.
Dear Best Friends: Amplifying the Echo
This is why that phrase often starts with “Dear best friends.” It’s a call to the inner circle, the chosen family, the safe harbor. It’s asking for something vital:
Attentive Listening: Not just hearing the words, but hearing the courage behind the tremor. Recognizing the roar in the quiet “no,” the determined “I need,” the vulnerable “this happened to me.”
Belief: Trusting her assessment of her own experience, her pain, her needs, and her strength. Dismissal (“You’re overreacting,” “It wasn’t that bad”) silences the roar before it can fully form.
Amplification: Using your voice and privilege to echo hers when she’s being talked over, ignored, or underestimated. “She just said…” or “I think her point is crucial…” can be powerful tools.
Celebration of the Roar in All Forms: Cheering her boundary-setting as loudly as her promotion. Honoring her vulnerability as profoundly as her visible triumphs. Seeing the roar in her everyday resilience.
Creating Safe Space: Fostering an environment where she knows her roar, however it sounds, will be met with support, not judgment or minimization.
Roaring Together, Hearing Each Other
“I am woman, hear me roar…too” isn’t a dilution of the original anthem; it’s its evolution. It acknowledges the incredible progress while recognizing the ongoing, deeply personal work of claiming space and being truly heard. It honors the collective power born from individual acts of courage, big and small.
It’s a reminder to ourselves that our roar matters, in whatever form it takes. And it’s a gentle, profound request to our dearest allies: See me. See the struggle, the strength, the defiance that might not look like you expected. Listen closely. My roar is here. Hear it. Hear me roar, too.
Because when we truly hear each other’s unique roars – the thunderous declarations and the quiet, steadfast refusals – that’s when the collective power becomes truly unstoppable. That’s when the world has to listen.
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