Even in 2016, being a woman in a professional setting is not easy. But fortunately, a lot of inspirational women are fighting for things to improve, and we have plenty of feminist quotes for working women to prove it. Sexism at work, the challenges of balancing work with parenting, and other work-related issues faced by women have been the topic of many feminist books, interviews, and articles. And while they shouldn't have to exist, these resources are important in helping us understand we're not alone and we're not the problem.
Thanks to the efforts of the feminist movement over the past several years, the term "working woman" is rarely heard because a woman who works is nothing unusual. But that doesn't mean working women have it easy. Things are still pretty bad for women in the workplace, whether that place is an office, a store or restaurant, or an apartment where you sit with your laptop. Women face condescending bosses and clients, sexual harassment, and unfair pay every day. And when they try to stand up for ourselves, they're often accused of being too aggressive or sensitive.
Here are a few quotes that might help you get through these hard times and inspire you to achieve your career goals, even when circumstances are stacked against you:
1. "When looking for a life partner, my advice to women is date all of them: the bad boys, the cool boys, the commitment-phobic boys, the crazy boys. But do not marry them. The things that make the bad boys sexy do not make them good husbands. When it comes time to settle down, find someone who wants an equal partner. Someone who thinks women should be smart, opinionated and ambitious. Someone who values fairness and expects or, even better, wants to do his share in the home. These men exist and, trust me, over time, nothing is sexier."
— Sheryl Sandberg, Author, COO of Facebook
2. "There is an enormous amount of good advice — much of it directed to women — about what they can do to achieve. There are terrific best-selling books on it. There is another avenue for us to explore. Because if we take that to an extreme, we have to remember that the positive part — the benefit of diversity — is diversity."
— Sallie Krawcheck, CEO and Co-Founder of Ellevest
3. "You don't have to be perfect. Most men never think like that. They're just trying to figure out what's the opening and how they can seize it."
— Hillary Clinton, Former Secretary of State
4. "I have from the very beginning listened to my instincts. All of my best decisions in life have come because I was attuned to what really felt like the next right move for me."
— Oprah Winfrey, Media Proprietor
5. "Whether it's salary or a promotion or a job, I think it's important for women to ask for what they think they deserve. ... If you have some people who are reminding you all the time about how they want that next job or promotion and you have other people who don't remind you, it's hard to keep those always at the same level."
— Susan Wojcicki, CEO of Youtube
6. "You have to imagine it possible before you can see something. You can have the evidence right in front of you, but if you can’t imagine something that has never existed before, it’s impossible."
— Rita Dove, First African American Poet Laureate
