On a Tuesday night in February, President Trump delivered the State of the Union address at the front of the House Chamber.
By Emma Norodom
He was supposed to be the centre of attention following the chaotic government shutdown to fund his wall, but the real star of the night was Nancy Pelosi. The House Speaker stole the show when she stood up and clapped back at the president with a smirk on her face in front of the whole country.
For so long, women past a certain age were invisible. Men, of course, could remain powerful even in their 70s and 80s, while older women were considered useless, especially to the workplace and businesses. But what if they are actually the groundbreakers we should all have our eyes on?
Nancy Pelosi, 78, might be the most powerful woman elected in the country. In fact, she seems to be one of the only people that Trump has not come out against or attributed a nickname to. In other words, she rules.
But she’s not the only woman to experience a rise to power. There’s Maxine Waters, who at 80 became the first woman and African American to chair the Financial Services Committee. Susan Zirinsky, 66, is now in charge of CBS news following the departure of Les Moonves due to allegations of sexual misconduct. And Glenn Close, 71, who dedicated her Golden Globe to her mother who felt in her 80s that “she hasn’t accomplished anything”.
Women who have long been shunned are now being given the opportunity to show they still have a lot to give. Thanks to the #MeToo movement, they are finally seen.
There may still be a long way to go, but the revolution is on its way.