Where would we be without women in STEM?
We have scientists to thank for the vast majority of our daily luxuries. Without scientific innovation, we’d still be chilling like cavemen. It’s no secret that women are undervalued in countless fields, and the wonderful world of science is sadly no exception to patriarchal rule.
Female doctors have played a huge role in my life– I was delivered by one, I see one regularly to deal with a myriad of health conditions, and I have an awesome aunt studying to be a doctor who inspires me to push myself each and every day. Would any of that have been possible without Elizabeth Blackwell? Similar to how VP Harris recently broke the glass ceiling of the executive branch, Blackwell shattered the barrier to women in medicine by becoming America’s first female doctor back in 1849.
Not even the sky could act as the limit for the iconic Mae Jamison. The scientific maven is still alive today, and she made history by being the first Black woman to journey into outer space. She had to combat barriers based on both her race and gender, yet she was still able to have out-of-this-world success– talk about a superstar!
I know firsthand how hard it can be to fight for a spot at a table where you were never invited to sit, but these amazing women in science prove that with hard work, anything is possible.