As of: March 8, 2024, 8:00 a.m
By: Andrea Beschorner
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From local councilor to fashion blogger and author who inspires women to lead self-determined lives: Susanne Ackstaller from Kirchdorf.
© Martina Klein
Author Susanne Ackstaller from Kirchdorf likes to spend International Women's Day in female company.
Her new book “On Life” is about 17 very special women.
Kirchdorf
- She was a local councilor in Kirchdorf for years, is a successful fashion blogger, author and is committed to inspiring women to lead a self-determined life: Susanne Ackstaller from Kirchdorf.
In the FT interview she talks about feminism, happiness and the reason why women need encouraging books.
Ms. Ackstaller, today is International Women's Day. What does this day mean to you – why is it fundamentally important?
For me personally, it's a day that I like to spend in female company - today, for example, I'm in Düsseldorf and giving a reading to almost 50 women.
I am really looking forward to this.
I think International Women's Day is fundamentally important because, at least for one day, it focuses our attention on the living conditions of women around the world: on the girls and young women in Afghanistan who are not allowed to attend secondary schools or universities - which really breaks my heart!
- to the women in Iran with their fight for more freedoms and in many other patriarchal countries around the world where women's rights and opportunities are restricted.
So today is less a reason to celebrate than an opportunity to point out grievances? Where are women still left behind?
For me, March 8th is actually more of a day to point out grievances - and there are still enough of them.
In many countries around the world, women are deliberately oppressed, restricted in their lives and confronted with violence.
And there are still a lot of things wrong in Germany too.
But we women can still raise a glass, after all, we have already achieved a lot and we can be proud of that.
You are currently on a reading tour with your second book. Title: “Here’s to life!” A homage not only to life, but above all to women over 50. Why do women need books to encourage them?
For many women, a period of change begins at 50.
Children are fledging, partnerships or marriages are on the rocks, and we often reach a point in our careers where we ask ourselves: Just carry on as before or start something completely new?
Added to this is the menopause, the first health problems, our external attractiveness diminishes, and our finiteness becomes noticeable.
Many women are now looking for inspiration and role models who can show them how they can shape the next decades.
That's exactly what you'll find in my book, which is also read by men who face very similar problems and challenges.
In your book you portray 17 women who couldn't be more different. Nevertheless, everyone is united by the fact that they have found fulfillment. What is your advice to women who are still looking?
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Dare!
Happiness and fulfillment have a lot to do with courage and with courageously and decisively tackling and making the dreams, wishes and plans that have been dormant within us for a long time come true.
One of the protagonists in my book rightly said: “If you want to live your dream, you have to start at some point - otherwise it will always remain a dream.” And of course, women can fail.
But isn't it better to have failed with a project than to never have dared to do it?
I guess so.
After all the conversations with these women - including for your first book - what is your impression: Where are we today in terms of equality?
Well, as long as women continue to earn less than men for the same work and take on the majority of the care work, we still have a ways to go.
But I also see progress: When my children were small, I brought private childcare so that I could work - today women are entitled to a daycare place, and in general they go into gainful employment much more naturally than women did 20 years ago.
At the same time, the pressure has increased because women today have to be everything: good mothers plus successful in their careers.
That's the dark side.
But of course this also applies to young men: Not only do they have to pursue a career, they also have to make sandwiches, pick up the children from daycare and are much more involved in parenting work - and rightly so!
Would you describe yourself as a feminist?
Feminist, hmm.
I come from a generation in which this expression had rather negative connotations.
That's different today.
In any case, such terms are not important to me.
For me it's always about doing. And as a woman who has always stood up for other women - as a networker, as a local councilor and as a blogger and author - I am definitely a feminist.
Her first book is a wonderful love letter to fashion. Her second book is profound and sheds light on women who have found their way after sometimes difficult blows of fate. Do you see the book as a contrast to your first work?
Not at all - it's more of a continuation of the same basic idea: How do we as women want to spend the second half of our lives or the third third?
How do we want to live?
“The Best Time for Good Style” was only ostensibly about fashion and, above all, about courageously wearing the style you like.
“I no longer have to prove anything to anyone and only have to please myself” was one of the core statements.
And that's exactly what I've expanded on in “Here's to Life!”
I wasn't “just” concerned with fashion, but with many of the topics that concern, interest and define us women in our 50s, 60s, 70s and even older.
In the women's movement we are now - opinions differ - in the third or fourth wave. Do you see yourself as part of the women's movement?
It has always been important to me to inspire women to live a good, self-determined life, to encourage them and occasionally to give them a kick.
So: yes, absolutely.
Happiness book for the best years - that's the subtitle. Feminism always has a certain gravity in the external perception because it is characterized by serious topics. How important is it for women to openly and publicly acknowledge their happiness?
Aren’t we all constantly striving for a happy life?
Isn't that the engine that drives the world, both small and large?
It is therefore very important that women show how a good and happy life is possible and achievable, not only at a young age, but also for the older and old among us.
But one thing is also clear: “Happiness is not comfortable.” We have to do something about it.
And: It is a contrasting experience.
We can't always be happy, we also have to be allowed to be unhappy in order to even feel the moments of happiness.
By the way, it's not me saying that, it's Dr.
Annegret Braun, a happiness researcher who I also interviewed for my book.
Please complete the following sentences: Women should finally...
.
.
.
stop making yourself smaller than you are.
Men should finally. . .
.
.
.
stop explaining the world to us women.