Happy International Women’s Day! This year’s United Nations theme is “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality” and I really hope that we can meet that goal as a global community.

Sadly, we’re not there yet. This morning, I woke up to an email from a badass data lady who I see as a role model who was feeling really broken and tired of fighting for a seat at the table and staying there. It made me mad that someone who has worked crazy hard to get to where she is and is super talented was feeling so dejected.

So I spent a good chunk of today digging up inspirational and motivational quotes by badass ladies of the past and present to send her. Some of my favorites:

Eleanor Roosevelt:

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Maya Angelou:

I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.

Ruth Bader Ginsberg:

People ask me sometimes, when — when do you think it will be enough? When will there be enough women on the court? And my answer is when there are nine.

Charlotte Whitton:

What women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.

Alice Walker:

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.

Grace Hopper:

If it’s a good idea, go ahead and do it. It’s much easier to apologize than it is to get permission.

Humans are allergic to change. They love to say, ‘We’ve always done it this way.’ I try to fight that. That’s why I have a clock on my wall that runs counter-clockwise.

Beyonce Knowles:

Power is not given to you. You have to take it.

Tina Fey:

Say yes, and you’ll figure it out afterwards.

Know what? Bitches get stuff done.

Amy Poehler:

I just love bossy women. I could be around them all day. To me, bossy is not a pejorative term at all. It means somebody’s passionate and engaged and ambitious and doesn’t mind leading.

Madonna:

I’m tough, I’m ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay.

Unknown:

Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.

 

Slice of Life is a daily writing challenge during the month of March hosted by Two Writing Teachers. Visit their blog for more information about the challenge and for advice and ideas about how to participate.