When women 60 years ago pictured 2017 they probably pictured flying cars, robots and futuristic clothing-- something like a modern-day version of The Jetsons.
What they probably didn’t bargain for were iPhones, Uber, and an obnoxious amount of contouring videos on YouTube.
Oh, and that the many societal problems for women they thought would be fixed - are still big, big problems.
Here comes the heavy stuff: In the United States, domestic violence is running rampant, the pay gap remains unchanged, and reproductive rights are being stripped from women as if a fun game for politicians.
Though we’ve come a long way on the backs of the bold women before us, we still have a long way to go.
There are the naysayers that claim “everything is fine” for women. And that feminism is nothing but modern-day misandry. “Not all women are stuck at home with the kids,” they say. “Hey, a woman ran for president! How bad could it be?” There are even women that say feminism doesn’t matter because life is pretty good for them, so how could it be tough for anyone else?
It seems that when the power of women rises, so do the voices against it. It’s the blind comments above (and the locker room talkers and comment trollers) that prove being a bold woman is more important now, than ever.
When many of us think of “bold women” we imagine Gloria Steinem yelling into a megaphone, Audre Lorde writing feminist manifestos, Sheryl Sandberg climbing the corporate ladder, Serena Williams shutting down sexist reporters, or Laverne Cox getting real about trans rights. Hey, it may even be your Aunt Linda who’s known for convincing every sales associate in Target to give her a discount. These are the type of women that stand up, speak up, and make the world work for them- and take absolute no sass while doing it.
But here’s a little secret: Bold doesn’t mean intimidating or extreme, or even loud. Bold means being brave and confident in your own way.
Maybe it’s standing up against your school’s dress code, staying on the phone to voice your concerns to your senator, joining the rec volleyball team even though you’ll be the only girl, saying “no” when you’re overbooked, ending a relationship that is dragging you down, applying for a job you know you’re totally “not qualified” for, speaking up in political discussions even if it scares you, maybe it’s as simple as being a “girl’s girl” and cheering for another woman’s success instead of putting her down.
Bold may look different for everyone-- but what we do know is that bold can be big or it can be little, and when we string it together, we make serious change. You may not be forming marches or writing feminists manifestos yet-- but it doesn’t mean you won’t be in the future.
