22 amazing things about being a woman
2015 is a fantastic time to be a woman. There are so many strides we’ve made recently, and while there are still so many we have to make, we’re ready for anything. Women are strong, and smart, and seriously capable of doing just about everything — and here are just a few examples of why.
1. We’re great at school.
There are a ton of studies that back up the fact that women are highly likely to graduate college, have great IQs, and are overall kickass at learning. (Pretty awesome stuff.)
2. There’s never been a better time to be a feminist.
People are finally learning that feminism just means equality — and that there’s absolutely nothing shameful in calling yourself a feminist. Never has the “f word” been so contentious, and yet so empowering. It’s more essential than ever that we stand up for gender equality, and with so many prominent women taking the side of feminism, we’re in great company.
3. We make great multitaskers, according to science.
Studies show that women are awesome at rapidly switching between and prioritizing tasks. So, yes — contrary to popular belief, women are totally capable of being parents and spouses and whatever else they want to be while still hustling at work!
4. Our vote really, truly matters more than ever.
While women make up the majority of the population, we are severely underrepresented in office. Our vote allows our voices to be heard, and it has never been more important than it is today. Women’s rights always seem to be up for debate, and the only way to ensure that’s not the case is to vote. As Hilary Clinton said in 2012, “You might not be able to vote for a woman, but you have to vote. For women.” Here, here!
5. Malala Yousafzai is our present and our future.
If anyone represents “females are strong as hell,” it’s Malala Yousafzai. At just 17 years old, Yousafzai is the youngest person to ever win the Nobel Peace Prize, and it’d be an understatement to say it was well-deserved. She is forever our role model and inspiration, and to know this is just the beginning for her truly gives us hope for the future.
6. We do super well getting our projects funded on Kickstarter — which obviously means we have rad ideas.
Even more excitingly, this especially applied to tech-oriented projects. Yes, it’s a totally random statistic, but also just a sign that women are coming up with awesome stuff that people actually want to see.
7. We’re good with money.
We make smart investments, have high credit scores, and have less debt as a whole (. . . possibly because we still make less money and had to learn how to make due. Yeah, I went there).
8. Professional female athletics are on the rise.
Female athletics are finally getting some of the recognition they deserve! Serena Williams was on the cover of this month’s Vogue for her incredible year in tennis, there’s going to be a (paid!) professional women’s hockey league launching next year, and so much more.
9. We get to be repped by the notorious RBG on the Supreme Court.
Ruth Bader Ginsberg is everything. Champion of women’s rights, vocal supporter of female representation, and all around coolest of the Court, we couldn’t be more grateful to have her representing us. As only the second woman to ever be on the Supreme Court, she has definitely set a precedence for all women to come.
10. There’s a whole field of study dedicated to us.
You can literally major in Women’s Studies if you want to — which just goes to show that there is so much to talk about when it comes to gender, and women’s rights, and women’s history, and equality between all gender identities.
11. We get to experience the joy of female friendships.
Nothing compares to the relationship between girlfriends, and I will stand by that ’til I die. The love I feel for my female friends is infinite, and the importance of surrounding yourself with powerful, successful, funny, and smart women is not to be underestimated.
12. We make effective leaders (again, science).
While we’re extremely underrepresented in management positions, women have actually proven to be very effective leaders overall. Based on a study by leadership consultancy Zenger Folkman, while women make for more nurturing leaders, according to Business Insider, we are equally great at “taking initiative, displaying integrity and honesty, and driving for results.” Business Insider went on to say that this means women were very “effective in getting things done, being role models and delivering results.” (YES!)
13. Some of the most prolific and amazing books of our time were written by women.
And this spans genres — from memoir to YA to everything in between. Let’s just take a moment to acknowledge all the fantastic lady writers out there that are absolutely killing it with their brilliance (shout-out to J.K. Rowling, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, etc forever). We’ve finally made it to a time where women don’t have to write anonymously or under a male pseudonym to be taken seriously — and we couldn’t be more grateful for it.
14. It’s the time of #AskHerMore — and women calling sexism out on the red carpet (HECK YEAH!).
Women are no longer taking terrible, sexist interview questions (figuratively) sitting down. Collectively, we’re demanding to be asked smarter questions — to be treated with the same respect as our male peers — and it’s ridiculously empowering to hear famous women take a stand against the sexist questions of yore.
15. There have never been more female leaders in the world — and there will probably be a female president soon.
Who run the world? Well, mostly men, but we’re certainly getting there, Gigglers — because there have never been more female leaders in the world than in modern times. We don’t want to jump to conclusions, but we think it’s time for a woman in the White House soon, too — and we’re totally ready.
16. The most badass characters on TV right now are women.
Sure, there are still some cool dudes on TV — but when it comes to complex, groundbreaking, kickass characters, we have to give it to the ladies on this one. Olivia Pope! Peggy Carter! Annalise Keating! Sarah Manning (and all her sisters)! And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
17. We make amazing activists, and not just for women’s rights.
It’s no secret that women know how to protest (hello, suffrage) — but we aren’t just awesome at fighting gender inequality. Racism, ableism, classicism, homophobia, and so many other kinds of bigotry affect women; and, therefore, are women’s issues, too. Women were responsible for creating #BlackLivesMatter, were pivotal in Occupy Wall Street, and have been involved in countless other protests throughout history. Our activism is essential.
18. It was totally Emma Watson’s year — for all the best reasons.
After her ridiculously powerful speech for UN Women and the launch of #HeForShe, Emma Watson continued to take this year by storm and stand up for all things equality. It’s all kinds of empowering to see a woman in her position use her voice to bring light to such an awesome and important cause, and we’re so glad she got such positive recognition for doing so.
19. Even at 2 years old, we’re breaking records.
In case you missed it, a 2-year-old broke the record for youngest person to ever score a 388 in archery last week. And if that isn’t proof that girls can do anything, we don’t know what is.
20. We’re responsible for some of the most important inventions of our time.
Windshield wipers, central heating, computers, possibly even beer — women have been contributing to the advancement of society for thousands of years.
21. Doing something “like a girl” doesn’t mean what it used to anymore.
Far from an insult, doing something “like a girl” has officially become a compliment (or, at the very least, an insult worth challenging, which is an important start). And if you needed a reminder that anything men can do, women can do, too, please revisit this gif of Darian Sperry doing a 180-pound snatch lift like it’s nothing.
22. Funny women are finally getting the recognition they deserve.
Who says girls just aren’t as funny as boys? From Bridesmaids to Pitch Perfect and beyond, women have finally been given the chance to show that we can totally hold our own in comedy.
(Image via.)
