https://www.glamour.com/story/reese-witherspoon-women-of-the-year-speech
Came across part of this speech by Reese Witherspoon recently on Facebook, and thought it was worth finding the full speech. Turns out that it is a couple of years old – but well worth highlighting. I’ve always appreciated the effort she puts into promoting strong female characters, and this highlights her efforts to promote strong women in leadership, and with ambition, in all aspects of life.
Here are a couple of quotes:
“I dread reading scripts that have no women involved in their creation
because inevitably I get to that part where the girl turns to the guy,
and she says, “What do we do now?!” Do you know any woman in any
crisis situation who has absolutely no idea what to do? I mean, don’t
they tell people in crisis, even children, “If you’re in trouble, talk
to a woman.” It’s ridiculous that a woman wouldn’t know what to do.”
“I think we are in a culture crisis in every field. In every industry,
women are underrepresented and underpaid in leadership positions.
Under 5 percent of CEOs of fortune 500 companies are women. Only 19
percent of Congress is women. No wonder we don’t have the health care
we deserve or paid family leave or public access to early childhood
education. That really worries me. How can we expect legislation or
our needs to be served if we don’t have equal representation? So
here’s my hope: If you’re in politics, media, the tech industry, or
working as an entrepreneur or a teacher or a construction worker or a
caregiver, you know the problems we are all facing.I urge each one of you to ask yourselves: What do we do now? That’s a
big question. What is it in life that you think you can’t accomplish?
Or what is it that people have said that you cannot do? Wouldn’t it
feel really good to prove them all wrong? Because I believe ambition
is not a dirty word. It’s just believing in yourself and your
abilities. Imagine this: What would happen if we were all brave enough
to be a little bit more ambitious? I think the world would change.”
