I don’t mean to sound like a commercial for Pantene, but I’m just speaking the truth from a woman’s perspective. In today’s society, a female being a real contender for the presidency, music artists highlighting the power of females, and females all across the globe taking a stand and proving they can be equals of men in the workforce was something unforeseen in years past. Historically, a powerful or strong woman earned her reputation either as a threat to society or a temptress, and even some men today are turned off by the idea of a strong woman, still on board with the notion that “a woman’s place is in the home.”
Newsflash: If everyone stayed in “their place,” the world would never change or grow. People who are unwilling to continue settling for the way things are and going out and actively working to change them have sparked major events in history, from reinventing the world of technology as we know it to promoting equality for everyone to love who they choose. Women have been fighting this “double standard” between men and women for decades, and while the modern world is much different from the troubled times of yesteryear, women still face discrimination for being women in person and on social media.
I’d like to share some quotes from a few strong women whose words have resonated with me and inspired me to be strong. These quotes are by women, for women.
"One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals. And so when I hear about negative and false attacks, I really don’t invest any energy in them, because I know who I am." –Michelle Obama
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” –Eleanor Roosevelt
"It is time that we all see gender as a spectrum instead of two sets of opposing ideals." –Emma Watson
"I felt like it was time to set up my future, so I set a goal. My goal was independence." –Beyoncé
“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” –Oprah Winfrey
Now, these quotes aren’t directly about feminism, and I personally hate throwing that word around, but these quotes have given me courage to stand up for my beliefs and do what I want to do for myself. These women are some of the most powerful and inspirational women I have ever seen, and I use their example to further me into the woman I am destined to be. Their upstanding reputations as women who never back down from a challenge and possess unparalleled courage and confidence give me hope that women can be strong and beautiful at the same time.
This was a quote from actress Jennifer Morrison of the TV show “Once Upon a Time” from the Comic Con panel that she attended last weekend as she was discussing her character, Emma Swan, who is considered one of the best “strong female characters” on TV right now.
“I think it’s really important to try and bring this wholeness to these characters. ‘Cause otherwise, you’re setting young girls to have unrealistic expectations of what it means to be strong. And I think it takes an incredible strength to be vulnerable. So, see vulnerability as a strength, next to the strength of being able to take care of yourself.”
She uses this example and relates it to her own life as well and makes the point that both fictional characters and real people have depth and are multi-faceted people, and that is perfectly okay.
There is beauty in strength and confidence in yourself and the person that you are. Harness that power every day, and work to be the best version of yourself that you can. We all have untapped power inside of us, and unleashing that power will make us both strong and beautiful.
Be strong, everyone, because strong is beautiful.
