(Clears throat and steps on soapbox)
Glass Ceilings are by definition the invisible, but unreachable barrier of professional advancement of women and minorities. Currently, due to the USA’s Presidential Election results, we are hearing increased discussion surrounding this topic. Today, in particular, I feel an overwhelming need to bring some pieces of this discussion presently being overlooked and/or buried to light.
When it comes to breaking down barriers, those of us fighting for progress, must acknowledge each and every advancement. In the days following our election results, I’ve read countless posts about the lack of advancement and how Clinton not winning is proof that females are ultimately pulling each other back. When I’ve pointed out the following, my responses have been deleted. Therefore, I’m posting this article which I’ll share on my social media outlets to ensure the females screaming injustice are not the only voices being heard.
Whether or not your candidate of choice won this election, history was made and a glass ceiling was broken by a female. Clinton did not gain the seat of highest office in our country, but a female did lead a successful, presidential campaign. I’m talking about Kellyanne Conway, Trump’s campaign manager. Never before has this happened, yet there’s hardly any talk or coverage of this huge win for ALL females. You see, it does not matter if you supported Trump’s message or not, if you point out glass ceilings and scream injustice, then you must take note when a female plows right through one. There can be no cherry picking here. To do so boldly states that some glass ceilings are acceptable. In other words, the glass ceilings that prevent a female from succeeding when it’s a topic, candidate, or simply anything else that you don’t personally like is tolerable, but ladies, that sentiment goes against the core of equality.
We must be better! There is no choice here if we truly want to remove all glass ceilings.
We cannot loudly demand equality and then crouch down and whisper or outright ignore when equality is achieved. We must emphatically celebrate all wins! We must not make excuses when a female succeeds and claim that particular female has so much self-hatred deeply ingrained that she does not even realize her success was wrong. We cannot claim the 42% of women who voted for Trump must also be pitied as they, too, are full of self-hatred and fear. We cannot claim these things because they are inaccurate. We have polls that prove women (and men) feel that it is time for a female leader, but they did not feel Clinton should be that leader. We have statistics proving many educated women and minorities did not trust Clinton. To ignore those statistics and claim those educated and informed females should have gone against their doubts and distrust of Clinton is an insult to those women. To claim “oh their self-hatred is so deep, they aren’t even aware” is not only false, it’s a miscategorization and an injustice. I’m sorry ladies, but that is comparable to claiming a rape victim asked for it! Kellyanne does not hate herself. She isn’t conditioned by society to lack self-love or respect and to claim that for her, or any female that made a decision not to vote for Clinton, is not only done in gross ignorance, it is the epitome of hypocrisy.
This week, whether or not you are saddened by Clinton’s loss, whether or not you are peacefully protesting, and whether or not you are looking ahead to the day a female FINALLY does claim the title of President of the United States, if you truly want equality you must acknowledge and celebrate the glass ceiling Kellyanne Conway shattered into millions of pieces.
I see you Kellyanne! I am celebrating your victory! I won’t cherry pick the victories I celebrate, especially one of this magnitude. You, Kellyanne, are proof that intelligent women are rising up and outperforming others. I’m loudly celebrating your victory because it does not matter if I supported Trump or Clinton, your win was a first of its kind for women and I will not cower in a corner and pretend I’m ashamed of your accomplishments. Your success does not represent Trump, but rather a job well done!
I love successful, intelligent, hardworking, passionate, and driven women. I like to consider myself one of those women. And I will not be belittled or take part in the belittling of another woman by claiming “ingrained self hatred” because we may or may not have voted differently. I support every, single, woman and minority out here hammering hard away at the glass ceiling and blowing it to pieces.
#kellyanneconway #glassceilingbreaker #strongwomenunite #nocherrypicking #selfloveandrespectdoesnotmeanwehavetoagree #celebratesuccess