My father inspired his four daughters to be whatever they wanted to be. I found this ironic with his conservative upbringing, but that never made him think that his daughters couldn’t conquer the world — at a minimum. When I was 7 years old eating cereal with my dad, simultaneously watching the morning news and debating the state of the world, my dad didn’t think twice when I talked about wanting to work in government and politics one day: “Yeah, of course you can, Georgia, but you will need to work hard.”
Hard was an understatement. Women have always had to work hard even to get a seat at the table which was discussing women’s issues and rights. Oftentimes what women wanted and needed was forgotten, and it dates back to 1776 when Abigail Adams had to urge her president husband to remember the ladies: “I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.” It was clear, since then, that putting women on the back burner was not going to be an option, at least not without a fight.
But, remember the ladies? How could we forget them? We have always had women pushing the boundaries and making their trails unforgettable with each and every milestone achieved:
Historical Firsts (just a few of many, and many more to come!):
1887: First Female elected Mayor
1917: First Female elected to Congress
1920: Women are granted the Right to Vote
1933: First Female to serve on Presidential Cabinet
1981: First Female to serve on Supreme Court
1993: First Female Attorney General
1997: First Female Secretary of State
2006: First Female Presidential Nominee
2007: First Female Speaker of the House
2021: First Female Vice President
“I can work hard, Dad,” I said. “I will persevere.” And with that, my dad nodded and went back to watching the news, knowing in his heart that I would do nothing short of that.
Women should always know in their hearts that they, too, can persevere and conquer any obstacles that come their way. Women will forever be so relevant that they will never become an afterthought again.
References
Women’s History Milestones: A Timeline - HISTORY
Famous Firsts in Women's History - In Sports, Politics & Health - HISTORY