Let me start by telling all my women, happy international women’s month! WE are strong, WE are intelligent, and WE are beautiful. These women that I am about to talk about paved the way for us women and are continuing to pave the way. Yet, let it be known that there are many more women, including you; the one reading this, are also influential and are continuing to pave the way for those little girls who look up to you and me. I would also like to note that this list is in no order.
1. Vice President Kamala Harris
Mrs. Kamala Devi Harris made history on January 20, 2021, as the first, but not last female Vice President of the United States. Vice President Kamala Harris made women all around feel like we can do everything, at least I can say for myself. I remember getting texts, and calls from my sister, mother, and even family in Italy with pure happiness celebrating that now in America we finally have a female in one of the highest places in the office. Not only did Mrs. Harris make history in 2021, but she also made history in 2004 when she served six years (until 2010) as the first woman District Attorney in San Francisco history. She then continued to become the first woman to serve as California’s Attorney General.
Vice President Kamala Harris is showing every woman in the world that we are capable of any, and everything. To never allow fear or negative opinions to defer you from your dreams. I vividly remember myself, as a little girl telling my family that I will one day become either VP or President of the United States; that I would be the first female to hold one of those ranks. But I always would say that no one would vote for me though because of my gender. Though, here we are in 2021 and an amazing woman of culture has shown me that that dream is possible, and not simply just a fantasy anymore.
2. Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was known as a feminist icon. On August 3, 1993, she was confirmed by the Senate to be the second woman appointed as Supreme Court Justice, the vote was 96- 3. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a part of the founding counsel for the American zCivil Liberties Union’s Women Rights Project. The American Civil Liberties Union’s Women Rights Project focuses its work on four main areas: employment, violence against women, criminal justice, and education for women. It is all based on creating safe, and equal opportunities and environments for women; just as men normally would have. Throughout her years as Supreme Court Justice, Mrs. Ginsburg continuously fought for the rights of women, regardless of what her colleagues would argue against her. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg fought for our rights as women and made sure that in her high position that she was heard. She made sure that every man and woman in that courtroom knew that men and women are equal and should be treated as such.
3. Michelle Obama
Michelle La Vaughn Robinson Obama was not only the first African- American first lady; she is also an author, university administrator, wellness advocate, and lawyer who is a graduate from both Harvard and Princeton University. Mrs. Obama made sure to use her power for the greater good of the community, but before joining former President Barack Obama at the White House she was Associate Dean of Student Services where she led and inspired others to volunteer in their community. In 2015 she joined her husband in launching “Let Girls Learn” which is a United States government-wide initiative that will help girls around the world go to school and continue to stay in school.
4. Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony is known worldwide as a social reformer and a women’s rights activist during the women’s suffrage movement. Before women were even thought of as actual women; Ms. Anthony and her friend, Elizabeth Cady Stanton worked together to get enough attention for women’s rights. In 1863 they both created and founded the Women’s Loyal National League and three years later initiated the American Equal Rights Association. Then a few years later in 1878, both women presented to Congress; what is now the 19th Amendment. The 19th Amendment is giving women the right to vote, which was ratified in 1920. Just think of how much she and Ms. Stanton worked to give women the simple right to vote. The simple appreciation to just be a woman and not just a laborer to the man’s eye.
5. Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo who is also known as a worldwide feminist icon broke all of society’s walls that “defines” a woman, a woman. Mrs. Kahlo would always defy gender stereotypes. We can all think of Frida Kahlo’s. beautiful and famous “mono-brow.” As an example of so she would purposely dress like a man in the family portraits. It was not so accepted during these years, as it was back then but Frida Kahlo was openly bisexual. Throughout her marriage to Diego Rivera, she was open with other women. Again, going against what others thought of how a woman should be and act. She did not care and continued to be bold, creative, and open with herself because all you have at the end of the day is yourself.
As a painter, she painted and created art that would be from her real-life experiences. Frida Kahlo would paint real women that she had seen or been around. She took real-life, raw experiences from unfortunate such as miscarriages, to beautiful moments like birth, and breastfeeding. Others would find this art as too honest, too raw, or too taboo but she did not care. Frida Kahlo ignored all the negative thoughts and created art to make other women comfortable with being who they naturally are, and not what they are falsely painted to be perceived as.
Frida Kahlo made no excuses and gave no apologies for being who she was. She made no apologies or excuses to make others happy. This woman made other women feel okay to be themselves and not fit into the box that society has put women in.
Each one of these women serves or has served a purpose in creating a much more equal, and safer world for women to live in. More women in this world have been simply amazing women that have shown everyone that we can do absolutely everything. In conclusion, I would like to end with a happy women’s month.
“At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.” – Frida Kahlo