Not all heroes wear capes; mine wears long, red, acrylic nails. Many children may have been introduced to Dolly Parton when she played Miley Stewart’s fun aunt on Hannah Montana (fun fact, she is Miley Cyrus’s actual godmother). I was introduced to Dolly at a young age through her music, with songs like Jolene, 9 to 5 and Here You Come Again.
As I’ve gotten older, my admiration for her has only grown. Though now, it is not just because of her music. While Dolly is most known for being a country music legend (maybe the most influential woman of the genre), her philanthropic efforts should not go unnoted. From her humble beginnings to stardom, here is just a brief summary of why I admire Dolly Parton.
Born in 1946, Dolly grew up in the rural Tennessee mountains, along with her eleven siblings. Describing herself as growing up “dirt poor,” her rags-to-riches story is truly remarkable. She never benefited from having rich, influential parents with connections in the industry (no nepotism here). Rather, she paved her own way, driven forward by her unique flair and unwavering tie to herself and her beliefs.
With an estimated net worth of $650 million, Dolly has undeniably worked her way up. Yet, she never forgets about where she came from. She has launched numerous initiatives to support underprivileged children in their education. She founded the Imagination Library, a program that mails children a book a month for free. The Imagination Library was launched in honor of her father, who was unable to read, in an effort to encourage literacy.
She has also established a long list of scholarships and awards. The Dolly Parton Scholarship provides $15,000 to five students each year in Dolly’s home county in Tennessee. She gave college scholarships to students whose houses burned down in wildfires. On top of all of this, she has made numerous large donations to children’s hospitals.
Most recently, Dolly made headlines again for her donation of $1 million to help fund research for the creation of the COVID-19 vaccine. While she claims she gets “a lot more credit than [she] deserves,” such a generous contribution must be acknowledged. While she was not the hero we expected in such a dark time, she was the one we needed.
Though, perhaps what I love about Dolly most of all are her bright attitude and unshakeable confidence. Whenever she cracks a joke, you just can’t help but love her. She never takes herself too seriously, but her humor also isn’t overly self-deprecating. When asked in an interview if she was offended by being called a dumb blonde, she responded by saying she wasn’t because she knows she’s “not dumb” and she also knows she’s “not blonde.”
Her authenticity and comfort in being herself at all stages of success inspire me. I think sometimes, there’s this notion that we must reject stereotypically feminine behaviors and things in order to be taken seriously (cough cough, Legally Blonde). Dolly has managed to climb her way to the top and has done so in high heels and sparkly dresses. Not once has she abandoned her signature style and personality to be taken more seriously. Dolly remains a testament to women that we should not have to alter ourselves to succeed professionally.
From her charitable work to her feminism, Dolly Parton will always be an inspiration to me. In my opinion, she is the quintessential “girl boss.” This International Women’s Day, I am keeping this quote from her in mind. “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.”