Throughout history, the political sphere is one that has been typically dominated by men. Recently, however, the U.S. has seen a swift rise in the number of women involved in politics. With 127 women serving in congress, three women running for the 2020 presidential election, and a myriad of other careers in the political sphere becoming increasingly filled by women, it’s safe to say that the future truly is female.
- Sen. Kamala Harris
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Almost two decades after the historic Brown vs. Board of Education case outlawed school segregation, a young Kamala Harris was bused to school everyday across Berkely, California. She was part of the second ever class to integrate the public schools in California.
Today, she’s a Howard University graduate, lawyer, the first African American, first Asian American, and first woman to become the attorney general of California, California’s first African American woman senator, and is one of three female candidates running for president in 2020.
Harris is not only educated and successful, but she has a strikingly bold persona. She fiercely stood up to Joe Biden during the Democratic debates and refuses to take “no” for an answer. She actively supports the Black Lives Matter movement and is an advocate for gun control. Known for her tough debating skills, compassion for working-class families and driven work ethic, Harris is definitely the kind of woman I aspire to be.
Awesome quote: “I was raised to be an independent woman, not the victim of anything.” - Rep. Lori Trahan
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When Representative Lori Trahan was in high school, she worked a multitude of jobs—from waitressing at a diner to delivering her town’s local newspaper. In an interview with the Boston Herald, she described her family’s financial status as “living paycheck to paycheck.”
Now 45, Trahan is the U.S. Representative for the 3rd congressional district of Massachssetts. What’s more, she’s also the first Portugese-American congresswoman. Before serving in the House of Representatives, Trahan worked in a tech company as the only female executive. Following her work there, she became the cofounder of a consulting firm called Concire, where she aided companies in fostering quality working conditions to cultivate the success of female employees.
As a working mother herself, Trahan is a passionate advocate for working-class families, women’s rights, affordable health care and public education. She’s pretty much the definition of a “girl boss.”
Awesome quote: “It’s not about making sure a woman’s voice is heard; it’s about making sure all women’s voices have a chance to speak.”
- Sen. Tammy Duckworth
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As for women making political history, Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth is leading the way for many. Aside from being the first Thai-American woman elected to Congress, she’s also a veteran of the Iraq War. During the war, she lost both her legs in addition to some mobility in her right arm. However, Duckworth proved to be truly resilient.
After suffering the severe battle wounds, she went on to serve as a lieutenant colonel in the Illinois Army National Guard. Four years later, she became a representative for Illinois in the House from 2013-2017. From there, she was elected to the U.S. Senate, making her the first woman with a disability to be elected to Congress and the first double amputee in the Senate. If that wasn’t enough, she’s also the first Senator to give birth in office.
Duckworth’s perseverance is highly commendable. In her position as a senator, she fights for women’s rights, equality, gun control and immigration rights.
Awesome quote: “I know from personal experience that engaging with your community and helping others helps foster a sense of shared sacrifice and – at a time when our politics seem more focused on tearing us apart than bringing us together – that shared sacrifice will help us rekindle the national unity that has made us the strongest nation in the world.”
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren
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Hailing from humble middle-class beginnings in Oklahoma, Senator Elizabeth Warren started her career as a public school teacher for students with disabilities. She went on to become a professor of law and then a senator for Massachusetts.
As the first female senator from Massachusetts, Warren became focused on securing quality public education and hopes to pursue this endeavor in her race for the 2020 presidency. Warren is an excellent debater and a highly intelligent individual—she’s stood up to Trump on many occasions and has proven her ability to defend her points. She’s a fierce advocate for equality, climate change and better health care. Her campaign has recently been rising at a remarkable rate, proving that she’s a strong contender for president.
Awesome quote: “If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re probably on the menu. And so it is important that we have women in the United States Senate – strong women, women who are there to help advance an agenda that is important to women.” - Ruth Bader Ginsburg
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RBG is basically the queen of politics and feminism. As a college student, she attended Cornell University for undergrad and continued her education at Harvard Law School. At Harvard, Ginsburg was one of nine women in a class of 500 men. Today, she is an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court and the second woman to ever serve on the Supreme Court.
Before her nomination to the Supreme Court, however, she faced a great deal of adversity due to her position of being a woman as well as a mother. Now, she stands up for all women in the U.S. and has been extremely successful in the rulings of cases dealing with gender discrimination.
Awesome quote: “Women belong in all places where decisions are made.
Coming from backgrounds of hardship, gender and race discrimination, these powerful women are all people we can admire.