100 Powerful Women...

... were ranked by Forbes Magazine today on just how powerful they are. The most powerful woman in the world is, according to Forbes, Angela Merkel. The write-up about each woman is brief, but perusing the list is rather telling about how power is perceived in our culture.

So what is the main factor? Money. Governing a country also helps. But, really, it seems to be mostly about money. Yet, while reading through this list of rich and influential ladies didn't change my life, it did introduce me to some prominent women that I never knew existed. I was relieved, at least, to see that it wasn't a list of actresses (although Oprah was ranked #21, beating Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi alike).

Yet, I'm not sure that Forbes (which is a business publication, after all) got the markers of what denotes real power and influence right. I was surprised to see that certain influential women, some evil, did not make the list. For example, Donna Kalajian Lagani, the Senior VP and Publishing Directory of Cosmopolitan Magazine and Cosmo Girl, publications that sell sexist stereotypes to millions of young women and tell them that there is such a thing as "grey rape", was not mentioned. Surely she is powerful, and uses her power irresponsibly, for she is selling a perception of what women are that impacts us all. Obviously, prime ministers and presidents are important and powerful and these women should be acknowledged as such. And I am sure the executives with all their cash hold great sway. But there are no writers on the list and no real activists and I can't help but feel that women who have a real international impact have been overlooked.

But really, I am just looking to post about Angel Merkel so that I can once again snicker about the famous massage. Considered the most powerful woman in the world, and our president thinks it is okay to... no, it is just too embarrassing to go on...