March is Women’s History Month and March 8 was International Women’s Day. The theme of this year's International Women's Day was #BreaktheBias, and how timely of a topic it was. The last month has been the perfect opportunity to reflect on the contributions of well- known women who have shaped our history, the challenges still facing women in the
workplace, and tips for taking action to #BreaktheBias.
Here's a quick look back at the collective wisdom of the notable female leaders includes:
Susan B. Anthony – Suffragette: “Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less.”
Anne Frank – Diarist, Holocaust victim: “I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I've never met. I want to go on living even after my death!”
Rosa Parks – Civil Rights Icon: “You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.”
Sally Ride – First American astronaut in space: “I would like to be remembered as someone who was not afraid to do what she wanted to do, and as someone who took risks along the way in order to achieve her goals.”
Mulala Yousafzia – Fighting for women’s access to education: “Even if they come to kill me, I will tell them what they are trying to do is wrong, that education is our basic right.”
Harriet Tubman – African-American abolitionist: “I had reasoned this out in my mind, there was one of two things that I had a right to, liberty or death. If I could not have one, I would have the other.”
Amelia Earhart – American aviation pioneer: “Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be as a challenge to others.”
The collective wisdom from these incredible women is a call to action, and yet, the struggle
continues:
Susan B. Anthony advocated for gender equality and equal pay over a century ago, but women currently earn 83 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Black women earn less than men despite their position, college degrees or years of experience. (Source: The Root).
Women hold only about 10% of the top executive positions at U.S. companies (Pew Research Center).
In a white paper on the topic of gender equity, the Center for Creative Leadership said, “Our
research suggests two types of factors combine in subtle ways to create roadblocks for women leaders: pull factors and push factors. Pull factors are internally driven – the limitations women place on themselves, pulling them away from leadership roles or actions. Push factors are externally driven – the limitations placed on women by others in their network, their organization, and the society or culture. And the two are intertwined, as women respond to and shape their context.” For the full report, click HERE
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