Sharing this post today instead of the next of the series for Matriarchal Leadership (did you start reading that series yet?). We can benefit from a real-life example while learning the benefits of transforming Leadership. —Michele
Jane Fonda has been criticized for decades—by conservatives, by liberals who claim to love justice but only when it’s convenient, and even by people who have no idea what she actually did. Instead, they repeat secondhand stories passed down from their racist uncle, or regurgitate government propaganda that framed her as an “anti-American traitor.”
And now? She’s being misinterpreted again. Recently, she called out white folks in Hollywood for being sheep—but somehow, people thought she was talking about Black folks?
Let’s be very clear: Jane Fonda has been telling white people to do better for decades.
If you don’t know her actual history, let’s break it down.
Jane Fonda & The Black Panthers: Standing with the Revolution
While many white liberals were afraid to get too close to the Black liberation struggle, Jane Fonda showed up.
She:
Spoke out against the targeting and assassination of Black leaders by the U.S. government.
Publicly supported Angela Davis, stating that her imprisonment was politically motivated.
Aligned herself with the Black Panthers, funding survival programs, including the Free Breakfast Program, which the FBI labeled as a “threat” to national security.
Called out economic and racial oppression in ways that made white America deeply uncomfortable.
White people hated her for it. That should tell you everything.
Jane Fonda & Vietnam: She Was Right & The U.S. Lied
The biggest smear against her? “Hanoi Jane.” People still claim she was a traitor for visiting North Vietnam. They say she sided with the enemy. What they don’t say?
The U.S. government was committing war crimes in Vietnam—she exposed them.
She went to see firsthand what was happening to innocent civilians.
She criticized the U.S. government, not the soldiers—but American propaganda twisted her words.
The U.S. fabricated stories that she “spit on POWs” (she didn’t), that she was a “Communist” (she wasn’t), and that she “harmed American soldiers” (also false).
She did what white America never forgives—she told the truth when the truth was inconvenient.
Jane Fonda Today: Still Calling White People In
Fast forward to today. When she told white people in the entertainment industry to stop being sheep, people twisted her words to claim she was talking about Black people.
She wasn’t. She was calling out the way white folks follow power instead of standing up for justice.
She was calling out white silence, which has allowed racism, patriarchy, and capitalism to go unchecked.
She was continuing the same work she’s always done—demanding that white folks stop being complicit.
Why People Still Hate Her
Let’s be real: White America never forgives white people who stand on the right side of history.
They don’t hate Jane Fonda because she was wrong.
They hate her because she was right—and they can’t handle that.
So, before you let someone tell you about "Hanoi Jane" or why she’s “divisive,” ask them where they learned that story. Ask them who benefits from keeping white people ignorant about their own history.
If Jane Fonda makes you uncomfortable, you might want to ask yourself why.
#JaneFonda #BlackLiberation #VietnamWar #WhiteComplicity
Progress comes from answering better questions than before!
What does your reaction to Jane Fonda’s activism reveal about your own biases and conditioning?
Why do we punish white people who challenge white supremacy more than the ones who uphold it?
What would it look like if more people in power used their platform the way Jane Fonda has?
How can you support women who have been committed to this work for a lifetime—beyond just applause?
Are you willing to learn from women who have been doing the work longer than you’ve been paying attention?
Call to Action:
Jane Fonda has consistently stood on the right side of history, even when it cost her. Are you willing to do the same?
If you’re serious about learning, unlearning, and acting in alignment with justice, let's talk.
#Leadership #Accountability #TrustBuilding
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Right now, we are in a global restructuring. Institutions are unstable. Trust is eroding. Leaders who hesitate will get left behind.
If you don’t learn how to make powerful, unshakable decisions now, you will be:
Reacting instead of leading
Questioning yourself while others move forward
Repeating old cycles instead of shaping the future
The difference between leaders who thrive in this shift and those who struggle? They invest in mastering their decision-making.
This is your moment to step into a new way of leading. Are you in?
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