WOMEN with a VISION By: Madison Sloan
v Although everyone has their own dreams and goals they hope to achieve, a true visionary is one who follows their intuition and uses their skills to overcome obstacles. These visionaries often inspire us to think beyond what we could ever imagine. If this past year has taught us anything, it’s that struggles often inspire triumphs. When looking throughout history, women have been faced with some of the biggest adversities. Despite living in a world where men are often seen as superior, women visionaries have been able to push past sexist stereotypes. Women in all fields, whether it be fashion, journalism, or even business, have paved the way for a future where all girls can dream of becoming trailblazers. Despite the industry being mainly feminized, fashion has a long history of being run by men due to women being forced to choose a family life over a career. However, for female fashion trailblazer Coco Chanel, defying the standard for women during her time was an easy choice to make. Growing up in an impoverished family, Chanel was no stranger to adversity, with her mother dying at a young age and her father abandoning Chanel along with her six siblings. After learning how to sew in the orphanage, Chanel realized her talent and set out to establish herself in the fashion world. From rags-to-riches, Chanel became one of the biggest names in the fashion industry, and to this day, we can still thank her for bringing us the little black dress. By turning her struggles into an empire, Chanel perfectly embodies what it means to be a female visionary. “A girl should be two things: who and what she wants,” states Chanel. Women visionaries were not only secluded to the realm of fashion as many dominated the business field, breaking down
sexist barriers and toppling patriarchal norms. For Barbara Proctor, being a female wasn’t the only obstacle she had to overcome. As an African American woman, Proctor entered into a career that, at the time, was only run by white males. “Back then, the only things black girls could aspire to be was a hairdresser, a teacher, or a nurse,” Proctor told the Chicago Tribune in 1981. After working for several advertising agencies over the years, Proctor decided to create her own firm, becoming the first African American woman to own her own advertising agency. “I worked for several advertising agencies and got fired twice before deciding to start my own. Having a lot of guts and no brains, I did exactly that,” said Proctor. Today, Barbara’s resilience to turn her visions into a reality continues to inspire women of all colors to defy gender norms and follow their intuition. When thinking about women visionaries who have inspired me to follow my intuition and not let any obstacles hold me back from accomplishing my goals, I immediately think of Annie Leibovitz, one of the most famous photographers who just so happened to be a female trailblazer. Many people could argue that the photography world has often been dominated by men. However, Leibovitz changed the game by becoming the first female lead photographer for the Rolling Stones. Since the 1970s, her iconic images have given people a hidden glimpse to the rock-and-roll world and photographed dozens of celebrities. Leibovitz continues to inspire girls all over with her new series of portraits highlighting women trailblazers in all fields. Women visionaries such as these have inspired a new generation of female trailblazers who refuse to be held down by gender stereotypes. As we look toward the future, it is clear to see that women will no longer be left in the shadows of the patriarchy, which leaves the question, what will women accomplish next?