Last week I had the opportunity to watch someone I have crushed on for decades, Drew Barrymore. As I watched her interview Demi Lovato, I admired the growth, maturity, and just pure, authentic love she has for humans. Although I have never met her, I feel like I was watching someone I knew turn into the person she was meant to be. When did my Woman Crush start? Lol. I’m dating myself here. I remember seeing E.T
in a drive-in theater and feeling some way about her.
I should have known then that I like the ladies. Lol
Drew is about the same age as I am and when she wrote her book as a teenager, I ran out to get it. The strength and courage she had to emancipate herself, go to rehab, and live independently was inspiring. After reading her book, I started following her career and watched all of her movies. From Boys on the Side to Poison Ivy, I wish I had this badass, rebellious side to me. In high school, I followed the rules and played it safe by hiding my sexuality, and seeing her be unapologetic for her actions was beautiful.
As life moved on and I lived my college years, there wasn’t much time to follow her like I used to. If she showed up on TV, I paid attention. If you didn’t know I was gay in college, all you had to do was look at my walls. Pictures of Drew Barrymore and Janet plastered near my bed. Lol.
When I moved to NYC, I remember walking into this frame shop selling prints in the West Village. My ex called me over, “Dawn, check this out.” It was a print of Drew Barrymore in 1920s attire that she did to raise money for AIDS. I had to have it. It was in my possession until last year when I moved abroad. Through the years, she established her own film company. I went from a party girl to a therapist and college professor living around the country and now abroad in Taiwan.
As I watch clips of her show, I saw a different person than the one I used to watch in my younger days. The evolution of Miss Barrymore made me contemplate my growth. Thank you Drew for showing me it was okay to be my authentic self, even when I wasn’t ready to do so. You will always be my number one Woman Crush.
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