Jeg var 12 år, da min far sagde, at kvinder ikke kunne blive jagerpiloter på grund af den måde deres hjerner var opbygget på. Jeg kan ikke huske, om det var, fordi jeg havde udtrykt ønske om at blive jagerpilot, men jeg kan huske vreden, der spirede i mig. Vreden over, at andre ville tage muligheder fra mig, uden overhovedet at tage stilling til mig. At nogle ville begrænse mig på grund af fordomme, og vreden over, at jeg skulle have færre muligheder end mænd. Og nu kunne det være starten på en historie om, hvordan jeg siden har været badass og givet no fucks om, hvad andre tænkte om mig. Men jeg har brugt masser af tid på at tænke over, hvad andre tænker og synes –og hvad jeg tænker, at de tænker og synes. Og jeg har skam også begrænset mig selv en hel del på den konto. Men vreden bor der stadig. Og den popper op, når nogen siger, at man kun kan have magt, hvis man er hensynsløs. Eller hvis man går i mørke jakkesæt. For når man har meget magt, bliver man nødt til at have meget empati –ellers bliver man bare et røvhul. Og der er seriøst ingen undskyldning for at være et røvhul. Den, der har den stærkeste position, har det største ansvar for at gøre verden til et bedre sted. Og på den måde er magt en smuk ting. I øvrigt hedder den første danske kvinde, der blev jagerpilot, Line Bonde. Og hun er født året før mig.
I was 12 years old when my father said that women couldn’t become fighter pilots because of the way their brains were built. I don’t remember if it was because I had expressed a desire to become a fighter pilot, but I do remember the anger that welled up inside me. Anger that others would take opportunities away from me without even considering me. That some would limit me because of prejudice, and the anger that I should have fewer opportunities than men. And now it could be the start of a story about how I’ve since been a badass and given no fucks about what others thought of me. But I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what others think and think – and what I think they think and think. And I’ve also limited myself a lot on that account. But the anger is still there. And it pops up when someone says that you can only have power if you are ruthless. Or if you wear dark suits. Because when you have a lot of power, you have to have a lot of empathy – otherwise you’re just an asshole. And there’s seriously no excuse for being an asshole. Whoever is in the most powerful position has the greatest responsibility to make the world a better place. And in that way, power is a beautiful thing. By the way, the first Danish woman to become a fighter pilot is Line Bonde. And she was born the year before me.
