Yesterday’s posting, "The Good Wife Guide” has been creating quite a stir among women. It reminded me how many boomer belles were handed their blueprints for life and the roles they were supposed to fulfill.

A few months back, I interviewed a number of southern boomer belles and asked the following questions:

How would you define a southern woman and do you consider yourself one?
Did the “southern belle” label keep you small and if so how?
Has the “southern belle” label expanded your power and if so how?
What guidance would you share with young southern women of today?

Here are a few of the answers to the question, how would you define a southern woman?

She is prissy, graceful, charming and always has to have it together.
She thinks she has a standard to live up to.
She has a powerful soul screaming to get out.
She has inner core strength beyond belief.
She is more global than her roots.
She is an outspoken woman who will speak her mind in a NY minute.
She never understood the rules.
She is well mannered, warm and has skeletons in the closet.
She can smile to your face and cut you behind your back.
She has an innate desire to nourish and care for others.
She is strong, has character and wants to make a difference.
She creates and supports her sisterhood.
She is the queen of rebel belles.
She can stand on her own two feet and take care of herself.
She can step into any role, walk into any situation and adapt.
She is playful and likes to have fun.

Is this defining southern woman or could these be descriptions of all women? I’d love your thoughts!