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Bridget Jones and women in the 90s

August 6, 1999
Web posted at: 2:35 p.m. EDT (1835 GMT)

VIDEO
Helen Fielding on Q&A with Riz Khan

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(CNN) -- Women around the world say they see a bit of themselves in the protagonist of "Bridget Jones's Diary" -- identifying with the insecure woman who resorts to playing down her own intelligence so that she can attract a man.

Helen Fielding first wrote about Bridget in a newspaper column that expanded into a top-selling novel telling the story of a independent young woman obsessed with losing weight and quitting smoking.


"If we can't have comedy books written about aspects of womanhood without going into a panic attack about it, then we haven't got very far at being equal ..."

-- Helen Fielding


While many women may see themselves in Bridget, this late 20th century symbol -- representing a state of gender relations that would make feminists of the 1970s shudder -- is a troubling role model for some. Some fear women are losing ground in their battle to be taken seriously.

As one Brit lady put it: "No one is saying we shouldn't think about makeup or boyfriends, but the balance has gone completely the other way now, and we are presenting ourselves as the airheads they always thought we were."

Author Helen Fielding recently sat down with CNN International for an extensive interview about Bridget, about women, and the casting of an upcoming movie version of her popular book.



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