Southern women are different. That’s a fact. They’re natural caretakers, sweet with a hint of innocence, polite, lovable, and not afraid to get crazy when the time is right. They listen, talk and laugh without apology and are seldom shocked. Sex in the City may have been revolutionary for the rest of America, but not for Southern women. They have been bonding and discussing all topics savory and otherwise for centuries. When a Southerner responds to terms of endearment, it does not reflect insecurity, narcissism, or some arrested form of antifeminism that holds back the sisterhood. They understand that staying sweet is about the most radical thing you can do. The bottom line is a real Southern Belle is not afraid to be exactly who she is.
I met Leigh when I was 15. She was the type of friend who quietly corrected me the first time I misread “jalapeno” off a menu and educated me on sushi and sex appeal. There was Sally, her quick-witted little sister, her unimpressionable mother who once grounded Leigh for arriving 5 min post curfew after being stuck at a railroad intersection (“You should have planned for the train” is still a phrase I use), and her grandparents Nancy Baba and Papa. Nancy was the larger than life matriarch who spoke with a 2 pack-a-day voice, wore red lipstick to bed, and knew the value of a stiff drink. Nancy’s first words to me were “can I fix you a Fuzzy Navel.” Southern women like men and allow them to stay men, and Papa was a talented, gentleman who fiercely loved these self-assured women without hesitation.
The Jacksons were a refreshing change of pace from women who act like everything is a popularity contest. Their mantra was don’t devalue your true character and don’t change who you are. They respected quirkiness and Southern DNA. Fuzzy Navels were a popular drink in the ’80s; ripe wipe sexual innuendo and one of Nancy’s favorites. Southern twang may not be everyone’s cup of sweet tea, but the confidence of a Southern woman should be. Self-acceptance, now that’s hot. Nancy is no longer with us, but I’ll bet she’s holding court in Heaven asking every newcomer if she can fix them a drink.
