Upon their childhood, young girls are faced with the hard truth that they may be treated differently than their male counterparts. As they grow up, they discover how to navigate the world and prosper as mature women. Historically, many women have believed they should settle for a life or career they do not want simply because “that’s the way things are”, while others have fought for their birthright of a valuable position in society. After centuries of suffering gender inequalities, women who were part of the Suffrage movement introduced the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. Women’s Equality Day, Saturday, August 26, celebrates the accomplishments of all women who have fought for equal opportunities and continue to do so. To honor their work and pave the way for future generations, it is critical to represent women’s different experiences in all aspects of life. Whether that is in literature, film, business, or motherhood, everyone’s voices deserve to be heard.
A remarkable example of a woman who has earned her rightful position in the workplace is Mrs. Sims. She is a biology teacher for the AP and Honors sections at ACP. In the 1990s, she experienced many struggles while being part of a research community in graduate school. As a woman in STEM, she was not taken seriously by older male scientists who did not have experience working with female colleagues. Being in a male-dominated field, she also felt isolated from the camaraderie of the social groups. However, the biggest struggle for Mrs. Sims was motherhood in the workplace. She stated, “While most women in research that I came across were childless, most men had children. The women who opted to have children did not achieve the same level of success as the men who did because more of the child-rearing duties fell to them no matter how progressive their husbands tried to be. The demands of research combined with motherhood caused many of the female researchers I knew (including myself) to ultimately back out of time-consuming research altogether in order to focus on their children more.” I had the chance to ask Mrs. Sims what advice she wished another woman had told her, and she said, “Advice I would give would be to not judge yourself according to other people’s ideas of what a woman or mother should be. Just be your best self, not a compromised version of what you think someone else wants you to be.”
Over time, we have evolved into a more just society that allows all people to receive equal and fair opportunities. It is astonishing to look back and compare the circumstances of women a century ago, which inspire women all around the world to break stereotypes and reach their full potential. People like Mrs. Sims and their experiences evoke change and better the world. Thank you, Mrs. Sims, and all female students, teachers, and staff at ACP for inspiring everyone!
Author: María Tapia, Staff Writer
