If you have a Netflix account or you’ve been a living human being for the past few months, you’ve probably seen some of Tina Fey’s new show, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. It’s funny, smart and incredibly empowering for women, with a theme song that states “females are strong as hell.” In today’s society, women, and especially female college students, are realizing more and more how true that statement is. Here are 15 reasons from female college students why females are as fierce as Queen B herself.
Because girls go to college to get more knowledge
“The women I’ve met at college are anything but simple. Never before have I met so many women who want to go out and change the world. I have friends who are going to become CEOs, surgeons, politicians, teachers, lawyers, writers and yes, wonderful wives and mothers. The difference is that they possess an incredible awareness of their own power.” – Jennifer Heine, Boston College 2016
Because even our footwear requires some strength
“We can do everything men can do, but backwards and in heels.” –Elizabeth Valentine, Boston College 2016
Because we won’t pretend we’re just objects
“Females are strong as hell because they get catcalled on a daily basis, are treated differently in the workforce, and yet they fight for their equality and are responsible for bringing life into this world. Pretty damn cool.” –Julianne Mason, Boston College 2017
Because sometimes people seem to forget we’re kind of… um… necessary
“If men were chiefly responsible for the biological imperative and childbirth, our species wouldn’t have lasted more than a day.” –Heather Roman-Stork, Boston College 2016
Because not only is it necessary, but it’s damn painful
“Giving birth isn’t a walk in the park.” –Kate Weidenman, Boston College 2016
Because we don’t see limits
“We live in a world that undervalues and tries to place limits on women, yet we continue to push boundaries. From women like Malala who stands up for the right to education to Laverne Cox who redefines and recontextualizes feminine beauty, women are fighting to create a world that recognizes the power of the female spirit.” –Amanda Melvin, Boston College 2017
Because even our personality itself is a struggle to maintain
“When a girl decides she wants to try out for the football team or buy the non-princess print backpack she is faced with a hundred ‘whys?’ that boys never have to face.” –Mallory Cotter, Boston College 2016
Because princesses can be the heroes, too
“As little girls, we read and see stories of princesses being rescued by the princes, of heroes winning the heart of the beautiful lady, of the damsel in distress guarded by the dragon. But I never felt like a damsel, and I was surely never in distress. Despite the stories and the media and the magazines, I wasn’t raised to be a damsel. I was raised to face my own dragons, not wait for a man to come and slay it for me. I can damn well kill that dragon myself, thank you very much!” –Aryn Pryor, Boston College 2016
Because we use the million no’s to make ourselves better
“Females get told no a lot, yet we have this amazing resilience that allows us to come back stronger and better than ever before. Our setbacks make us tougher, revealing us as the fearless creatures of strength and beauty we are.” –Maisie Laud, Boston College 2016
Because literally a millennia of oppression can’t stop us
“In a world in which the odds have historically been stacked against them, they have not only survived, but thrived.” –Michaela Dolishny, Boston College 2017
Because we hardly mention what women in other countries go through
“Women in developing countries withstand incredible rates of rape, domestic violence, sexual slavery and other gender crimes, and yet studies show that they are most often the primary or sole caregivers for children.” –Ariel Yang, Stony Brook University 2015
Because we get back on the horse
“We have every reason to give up, settle for mediocrity and live quiet lives and yet we continue to create, to write, to think, to love, to make mistakes, to educate and to demand more. We have every reason to fade into the background, but we continue to shine.” –Anne Williams, Boston College 2017
Because we’re damn Renaissance Women
“We’re resourceful. We come into the professional world knowing the stereotypes and prejudices that exist and prevail anyway. Women are breaking down barriers in every field and not apologizing for it.” –Sarah Barnitt, University of Michigan 2017
Because to thrive, and even survive, strength is the only option
“When everyone around us gives us hell for our choices, we give it right back.” –Danielle Wehner, Boston College 2016
Because we still have a long way to go, but we don’t let that stop us
“Many people in America today claim that feminism is unnecessary because men and women are now equal. Take a look at some other countries and you might change your mind. In Africa, many women undergo female circumcision without giving consent. In rural India, five women were beaten to death after being accused of witchcraft. Women have made immense progress, but there is so much more to be done.” –Julia James, Boston College 2017
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