This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at PSU chapter.
Since 2011, the United Nations has marked October 11th as International Day of the Girl Child. This day was created to “to help galvanize worldwide enthusiasm for goals to better girls’ lives, providing an opportunity for them to show leadership and reach their full potential.” International Day of the Girl is not just a movement on one day – it is advocating for a collective awareness of children’s rights across the world every day. Here are 11 inspirational quotes from female leaders to keep in mind this year and help you remember that girls should be strong not just today, but every day.
1. “Girl power in my mind is to let girls be exactly what they are. Let them be angry. Let them be resentful. And rebellious. Let them be hard and soft and loving and sad and silly. Let them be wrong. Let them be right. Let them be everything, because they are everything.” – Amy Sherman Palladino
2. “Women will only have true equality when men share with them the responsibility of bringing up the next generation.” — Ruth Bader Ginsburg
3. “A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men.” — Gloria Steinem
4. “It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” — Madeleine Albright
5. “Feminism isn’t about making women strong. Women are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.” — G.D. Anderson
6. “The most effective way to do it, is to do it.” — Amelia Earhart
7. “We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.” — Malala Yousafzai
8. “Of course I am not worried about intimidating men. The type of man who will be intimidated by me is exactly the type of man I have no interest in.” — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
9. “Both men and women should feel free to be sensitive. Both men and women should feel free to be strong. It is time that we all perceive gender on a spectrum, instead of two sets of opposing ideals.” — Emma Watson
10. “The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice.” — Peggy O’Mara
11. “When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak.” — Audre Lord