Its story has been broadcasted across nearly all news publications online so if you have not yet heard word of the “Fearless Girl” statue near Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, you are most likely living under a rock. Designed by artist Kristen Visbal, the 50-inch tall bronze statue of a little girl with her chest out and hands on her hips confidently faces toward the illustrious Charging Bull statue, a symbol of brilliance permanently implemented in 1989 after the 1987 stock market crash. The new statue has sent the world into a state of intrigue, curiosity, and admiration – with a side of controversy, of course. When does a nonconventional event not instigate societal debate?
The State Street Corporation brought “Fearless Girl” to the city’s financial district upon the eve of International Women’s Day, March 8, with the intent to honor women and to represent the resilience of females in the workplace. The statue has attracted floods of both men and women eager to take pictures, and as someone who just recently paid a visit to New York City over spring break, I am witness to the fact that it has rarely seen a moment without a crowd.
Reading about the statue in articles once the news broke out gave me great satisfaction and hope for the stigmas associated with female leadership, but seeing the figure in person was even more extraordinary and unlike any other feeling. Once I fought through the aggressive swarm of tourists and city locals to pose with the statue, I could not help but feel a similar pride as the bronze little girl. Engraved in a plaque at her feet was a quote that read, “Know the power of women in leadership. SHE makes a difference.”
While in the financial district, I asked both male and female visitors of the statue how they felt about the project in order to receive insight from both perspectives. An anonymous local man said, “I work in business and to see something like this is really important. I’m a guy but I think this field could use some more female energy.”
An anonymous female tourist said, “Not only as a woman but as a mom, I think this statue is just really great. I want my daughter to know that she can conquer anything she puts her mind to, and that she can do anything that a man can do.”
But the question is, how truly progressive was this project? The statue was reported as a temporary installment scheduled to be removed April 2, which has frustrated activists and lawmakers pushing for a different fate. Many are viewing this plan as a counteractive and an ironic “slap in the face,” as the removal of the statue would be going against what its original message communicates. Female empowerment is too important to be represented in a structure that will remain in the public eye for less than a month; while it has certainly increased awareness for the benefits of women in business and other esteemed fields, there is much more work to be done. Statistics demonstrate that 25% of the United States’ largest companies have no female positions, while 60% have less than 15% of their boards as females.
To briefly exhibit the statue serves as somewhat of a tease, and undermines the significance of its purpose while failing to provide women with the representation that they deserve. Our country needs to know a she-wolf of Wall Street as well.