I Am Woman

History was made last night when Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee for the presidency of the United States, claimed an unprecedented victory. I am excited for her and for women in this country. It’s a huge step forward. After all, it was less than one hundred years ago that women finally were granted the right to vote with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution. Hillary made it a point to applaud the suffragettes who bravely began the movement by marching in Seneca Falls, New York more than a century and a half ago. They stood up for their rights and for what was right. They made a difference.

I realize that not everyone is a Hillary Clinton supporter politically, but one surely must appreciate what she has accomplished through tenacity and sheer grit. She has cracked the proverbial “glass ceiling” and I would hope all women are able to appreciate that feat. The very fact that she is the first woman to become the nominee of a major political party in the United States is inspiring, to say the least, and, I believe, will open doors for women in multiple aspects of their lives. A simple example of this is that perhaps, at last, women in all types of businesses will receive equal pay for equal work. It’s time.

One need not be in the limelight to be a strong woman; the world is full of them. I’ll speak for myself. I put myself through college and earned AA, BA, and MA degrees along with two teaching credentials. I spent twenty-seven years teaching high school, raised a family, made mistakes, suffered loss, and carried on. Now I am an author, having written three novels and a memoir. And I’m not finished yet!

When I look around at women I know - teachers, administrators, firefighters, real estate professionals, sportscasters, artists, and writers – I want to stand up and applaud. They are amazing. Yet, we all can use role models if only as reminders of our inner strengths. Certainly our daughters can use mentors or role models to emulate, inspire, and admire.

 I was compelled to write this morning after yesterday’s historic victory for a very strong woman named Hillary Clinton. It made me consider the notion that today, of all days, women everywhere should stop for a moment, take stock, celebrate a bit, and say, “You go, girl!”