Women are a Force

Mar 8

Official poster of the 2017 Women's March shows raised black fist from which a flame ascends, topped by a white dove, and grasped by brown, tan, and beige hands. — *Image via* Library of Congress

Content warning: some links contain explicit descriptions of misogynistic violence.

A Long + Winding Road

When researching for this piece, it was easy to feel suffocated by the crushing weight of gender inequality. Headlines about misogynoir in the workplace, calls for “saving” [women’s] sports from trans women, and countries abandoning an international treaty protecting women dwarf headlines of women’s successes and achievements.

Women have certainly come a long way, but the road to true gender equality feels never ending. Research shows that the pandemic has set back women in the workforce. Women are still far from having equal representation in U.S. politics. Racist and misogynist violence continues to plague women.

I spend a lot of my personal time trying to convince people to care about women. To care about BIPOC women. To care about trans women, who are women full stop. Today, I chose to not focus on how far we have to go. Instead I am using this platform to celebrate women’s achievements. It is, after all, International Women’s Day!

Who Run the World?

Women are a force. We blur dichotomies. We break records. We have prowess. We are the fruits of this earth; the nutrients in its soil; the strength behind the wind and the waves; the rain you need in times of drought; the warmth of sunshine.

And we are not to be underestimated.

Below is a roundup of women, past and present, thriving in their respective fields. Peruse the links to feel some joy and celebrate these extraordinary women.

Women in the Arts