There’s no greater time to be alive and no better time to be a woman than now. Despite the fact that we’re still facing gender bias here and there, along with a plethora of other gender-specific social and political issues, it’s undeniable that there are strong women out there who are fighting for all of womanity to get the treatment and the respect that we deserve.
These ladies are making headlines, bagging titles, and setting the bar high for the next generation of women to walk this earth. They’re trailblazers who are doing things that women in the past have never done before and they’re doing everything that they can to make being a woman something to celebrate and be thankful for instead of it being seen as a disadvantage like how some still see it now.
Read more about their journey and their struggles below.
Kamala Harris
Vice-President Elect Kamala Harris started her career in public service as a deputy district attorney in Oakland back in the 90s. Even back then, Harris was known for being tough on sexual abusers, among others. Later on, she rose through the ranks and made her way through as a district attorney, attorney general, and, eventually, won a seat in the US Senate in 2016 but not without critics and cynics trying to pull her down. As attorney general, many Republican senators criticized her style of questioning during hearings. Many also doubted her ability to properly investigate charges of police misconduct which included a few questionable shootings. Today, Kamala Harris makes women across the world proud as she holds the title of being the first female and the first person of color to be elected as the country’s Vice President.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known to people as AOC, holds the title for being the youngest female ever to serve in the US Congress. She took office at the age of 29 when she beat 10-year incumbent Democratic Caucus Chair Joe Crowley in what people tagged as the biggest upset victory during the 2018 midterm election primaries. She recently won again, this time against John Cummings, during the 2020 elections.
While in college at Boston University, Alexandria started exposing herself to public service by working in the office of the late US Senator Ted Kennedy as an intern. She also had to work as a bartender and a waitress in 2008, when her father died of lung cancer, to help her mother provide for their family. Despite the hardships, Alexandria managed to graduate cum laude in 2011 with a degree in both economics and internal relations.
Larissa Waters
Australian Senator Larissa Waters captured the attention and the hearts of moms all over the world in 2017 when she became the first politician to breastfeed in parliament. Normalizing breastfeeding has been the plight of many mothers since time immemorial and seeing someone in office do it like it’s NBD was a huge leap towards normalizing breastfeeding, especially in public places like the workplace.
Greta Thunberg
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg proves that you don’t need to be a certain age before you can lead and make a difference in the world. In 2018, at only 15 years old, Greta Thunberg became the face of youth activism when she started a protest on climate change outside of the Swedish parliament. This would later on inspire a huge wave of protests around the world, both lead by children and adults, demanding climate action. At 16, Greta lead what is now known as the “largest climate strike in history” and was eventually named as Time Magazine’s (2019) Person of the Year.
Her dialogue with Prince Harry and former President Barack Obama, along with many other high-profile figures regarding the climate crisis has inspired many to open their eyes to the issue and lend their voice to this worthy cause. What a lot of people don’t know, however, is that at age 11, Greta suffered from an eating disorder, selective mutism, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. She was also diagnosed with autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Instead of letting these become an obstacle, she weaponized them and used them for the greater good of the Earth.
Being a woman is never an excuse to just sit back and wait for the men to take charge and make a change. Today’s female leaders from all walks of life are breaking glass ceilings and paving the way for future women leaders despite most of them being in male dominated fields. Be inspired and do what you can today!
