6 Trailblazing Women Who Signed Their Way to the Top | DrySign
1. How Women are Taking the Lead | DrySign Blog
6 Trailblazing Women Who Signed Their Way to the Top
The higher up the ‘corporate ladder’ you go, the fewer women in leadership roles there are -
Mercer
Women are trailblazers in every field they have chosen to pursue. From engineering to liberal arts, they
have done it all. Enduring hardships, systemic bias, and personal struggles to stand at the top, women
have persevered to become role models for generations to come.
Women are taking center stage and giving younger women just joining the new workforce real role
models to emulate by carving their niche and overcoming many obstacles and hurdles. Today, equality
and diversity in the workplace are common values shared among almost all employers and their staff.
However, this wasn’t the case just a few years back, especially for women. Therefore, by showcasing
the evolution of women’s role in the workforce, we recognize the resilience and perseverance of the
women that came before us and the strength of those who continue to fight today.
It wasn’t until after the 1970s that real changes could be seen in the workplace for women. A male-
dominated job market saw a spike in women taking on new jobs that were once “traditionally male
occupations” - Britannica, 2021.
History of Women’s Rights
A generation of women has suffered and fought for the women of today to enjoy their rights. For example,
the Women's Rights movement that started in 1848 allowed women to ask for their rights from the
government. Started by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, an American writer and activist, it asked for equal
liberties for women. She listed various grievances women faced and how they were treated unjustly.
The second wave of the Women's Rights movement started in the 1960s. The U.S. government decided
to take an active role and established a Commission with Eleanor Roosevelt heading it. The report issued
by the Commission highlighted the various issues of discrimination faced by women. It led to state
governments launching their commissions to research conditions and recommend changes.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was established in 1964 to investigate
discrimination complaints against companies. This ensured that women did not face discrimination
based on color or gender. In addition, the success of the Women's Rights movement led to various
smaller splinter groups that catered to the needs of a specific group of women, like Latinas, Asians,
African-Americans, and others.
2. How Women are Taking the Lead | DrySign Blog
The inclusion of Title IX in the Education Codes of 1972 provided women equal access to higher
education and professional education—this increased participation of women in all significant avenues
of life, from sports to medicine and law. The National Organization for Women (NOW) was responsible
for women employed in sectors ranging from drivers to airline pilots and veterinarians.
Today, women hold 28% of the seats in the U.S. Congress and have successfully signed local, state,
and federal laws that expand women's freedom and rights.
6 Trailblazers Who Signed Their Way to the Top.
Organizations require women who are self-driven and thrive when working with people. They want to
use their talents to contribute positively to the organization and society. Here are some women who have
conquered peaks and climbed the ladder:
Kamala Harris, Vice President of the U.S. – Kamala Harris was an accomplished lawyer and
senator before becoming the Vice President of the U.S. She had resisted pressure from the
Obama administration to settle on a nationwide case against mortgage lenders and their unfair
practices. She won a judgment with a payout five times higher in 2012. As one of the first women
of color in this position, she has pledged to fight for causes plaguing women and pave the path
for future women leaders.
Cynthia Marshall, CEO of Dallas Mavericks – Cynthia Marshall is the first Black female CEO
and takes action to create safe and productive workplaces. Despite being from an underprivileged
background, she battled against the odds to attend UC Berkeley on a scholarship. As a result,
she has elevated diversity and inclusion at numerous organizations and gained recognition for
her leadership skills.
Melanie Perkins, CEO of Canva – Melanie Perkins is one of the most recognizable CEOs in the
technology industry. Canva, her brainchild, is utilized by 85% of Fortune 500 companies. Canva
gained success by helping schools design yearbooks in Australia and eventually gained traction
in the United States.
Indra Nooyi, Former CEO of PepsiCo. – Indra Nooyi is the former decision maker of PepsiCo
and has become a model of exemplary leadership for generations of women. She sits on various
reputed organizations' boards and receives accolades for her initiatives. In addition, she is the
first woman to have endowed a chair at the Yale School of Management.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice – The former associate justice of
the U.S. was a pioneer for gender equality and a strong advocate for woman's rights. She wrote
on landmark cases such as reproductive rights and pay equity and was outspoken against sexist
laws.
Christine Lagarde, President of European Central Bank – Christine Lagarde has spent her
entire career in the banking industry. She helmed the International Monetary Fund at the peak of
the European sovereign debt crisis. She has helped in shattering stereotypes and champions
gender inclusion.
In 2023, we could still say that the movement for women's empowerment, although on its way, still has
a long way to go. Although there have been major breakthroughs for women over the last few centuries,
3. How Women are Taking the Lead | DrySign Blog
there are still mountains to climb with regard to the workplace today, including equal pay, etc. The
workplace needs to transform for women to feel included. People in a position of power need to take
more initiatives to sponsor development programs exclusively for women or comeback programs for new
mothers to create a new pipeline for strong women leaders. Sign your new policies with a trusted e-
signature platform like DrySign. Check out our plans
Sign Your Way to the Top with DrySign.
Sources: catalyst.org | bain.com | pewresearch.org
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