Let’s start with the definition of women’s empowerment given to us by this article here. Woman empowerment is the “process by which women gain power and control over their own lives and acquire the ability to make strategic choices.” I also love how this article breaks women empowerment down into five categories. If you would like to read more on it, please visit the article I have already linked above.
The first thing I want to mention are a couple of quotes that I have kept near and dear when it comes to being a women in power.
Kathrine Johnson said, “Girls are capable of doing everything men are capable of doing. Sometimes they have more imagination than men.” I just did an article mentioning Kathrine Johnson seeing as she is known for the work she did for NASA. This quote reminds me that grades aren’t everything but having a different mindset than the normal could save you.
Maya Angelou said, “We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.” Miss. Maya Angelou has always been a role model of mine and this is one of the many reasons. This quote is for everyone but when mentioning women, we are going to go through a lot more ups and downs than this world knows and I’m glad she highlights that.
“Women, whether subtly or vociferously, have always been a tremendous power in the destiny of the world,” said Eleanor Roosevelt, “It’s up to the women.” Even though this society began unfairly, women have always been a force to be reckoned with and that’s why I love this quote.
Melinda Gates said, “A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman.” Now I did look this one up and I have traits of a strong woman, but women who are not soft spoken did come up so Melinda Gates speaks the truth.
Oprah Winfrey said, “Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” If you know me, you know I love Oprah Winfrey. This quote is actually very similar to what one of my older co-workers says to me. It’s a great quote and just in life, you may have a bad job now, but it’s a stepping stone to get where you want to be.
Rihanna said, “There’s something so special about a woman who dominates in a man’s world. It takes a certain grace, strength, intelligence, fearlessness and the nerve to never take no for an answer.” I also love any and all of Rihanna. Rihanna being in an industry I want to somewhat be in is so inspiring. Today it seems she is untouchable so this quote really keeps its everlasting impact on me.
In “Little Women,” Louisa May Alcott wrote, “Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as just beauty. I’m so sick of people saying that love is all a woman is fit for.” Now one thing about me is I don’t need a significant other to love. The love of my family and friends is enough to keep me going and I am so proud that Louisa Alcott saw that love was not the only path for women.
Eleanor Roosevelt also said, “A woman is like a tea bag — you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” Just like the last quote, I can only speak to what I know and have lived through, but when women come under pressure, they make it seem like a walk in the park. I have never seen anyone snap into go-mode faster than a woman in a high energy situation. My mother included and that’s where I get my fire from, so thank you Elenor Roosevelt once again.
Malala Yousafzai said, “I raise up my voice — not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard … we cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.” This quote simply resonates with me because it is the truth. It seems like a lot of women are out of the mindset of all I am supposed to do is cook, clean and have kids without a word of disagreement. Although we all have to remember, a lot is not enough. We as women have to have a stronger barricade because it continues to go under fire. It’s visible at all times. So the rest of us need to step to the forefront so we continue to see change in the women community, just like Malala Yousafzai did.
“I have chosen to no longer be apologetic for my femaleness and my femininity. And I want to be respected in all of my femaleness because I deserve to be,” said Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, “We Should All Be Feminists.” I wanted to close the article on this quote because being a female is hard. Being a female of color is even harder, but we all have to remember the reason the world has a problem is because we are girls. We have a different private part that we get shamed for, we are supposed to be weak and scrawny, and we are also supposed to allow men to walk all over us. When we finally proved we were so much more than just the help, a change was made. We got more respect, but the only way people are going to respect you is if you respect yourself first.
I hope you all enjoyed today’s article and have the greatest of day knowing that you learned just a little more about women empowerment.