Strengthening the Women's Movement

Cecile Richards delivers an exceptionally empowering talk on the women's movement that calls for mobilization and community-building. The speaker is an activist who wrote the best-selling 'Make Trouble' book and who has extensive experience in advocating for economic, social and political justice.

In her talk on the women's movement, Richards shares incredibly empowering anecdotes about women around the globe taking a stance for their rights. The speaker shares instances of triumph and what those fights have led to -- the ability to vote, as well as the increasing female representation in the workforce and educational systems. However, there is much work to be done in order to reach "true and full equality." Cecile Richards does a good job in motivating us to do so.

Albeit representation in certain sectors has gotten significantly better, the activist points to the gender imbalance of politics and how that is absolutely crucial to the movement. She focuses on the United States particularly. Globally speaking, America is ranked 104th in the category of female representation in office. This entails immense issues, a disproportionate distribution of power and an unjust delivery of benefits. For example, the United States is "the only developed country with no paid family leave," as well as the leader in maternal mortality rates. Cecile Richards connects this to the overwhelming underrepresentation of women at the table.

The talk on the women's movement advocates for reshaping governments and institutions that were built by men for men. It advocates for the mobilization of a "political revolution of full equality across race, across class, across gender identity, across sexual orientation, and yes, across political labels." Richards believes in the efficiency of this. She even provides research that women in office have a different approach than men. For one, they support open and collaborative environments and are willing to "work across party lines." In addition, women are more likely to "support legislation that improves access to health care, education, [and] civil rights."

By advocating for more women in Congress, Cecile Richards hopes that families will be kept together instead of being torn apart, pregnancies will no longer be a nuisance to businesses, among other things. Closing her talk on the women's movement, the speaker leaves the audience with a few tips on taking action -- standing up "loud and proud" for the values we uphold, persistently pushing until every representative of the group is given equal rights, voting in every single election, not waiting for the green light, and investing in women.