In middle school, I didn’t think much about who was in charge of things. Principals, politicians and CEOs were just people in the distance doing things I honestly couldn’t care less about. But the older I get, the more I notice who’s in those positions. And more importantly, I notice who’s not.
Seeing women in leadership roles — real ones, not token placements or “girlboss” stereotypes — changes something in how we see ourselves. Whether it’s former Vice President Kamala Harris at a global summit or Beyoncé headlining the Super Bowl halftime show, these moments aren’t just cool to witness, they rewrite what we think is possible.
A 2023 study from the Harvard Kennedy School found that girls exposed to women in political leadership positions were significantly more likely to express interest in public service careers themselves. That’s not shocking, but it’s powerful. You can’t be what you can’t see, or at least, it’s a lot harder to believe you can.
Personally, I didn’t start to think seriously about leadership until I saw my mom in a leadership position at work, where she has to manage a lot of people. Up until then, I saw leadership as something loud and extroverted, which didn’t feel like me. But then I watched how my mom led, not by yelling, not by overpowering people, but with calm confidence and strategic ideas. She didn’t try to sound like the most intelligent person in the room — she just was. That moment flipped a switch. I thought, if she can do that, maybe I can too.
The visibility of women in powerful roles isn’t just about jobs — it’s about how girls navigate their own identity. Seeing women take up space unapologetically helps undo the idea that we need to shrink ourselves or fit a certain mold. It’s the kind of subtle shift that changes how you carry yourself in a classroom, how you speak up in meetings or how you apply for things you once assumed were out of reach.
However, it’s not always that simple. In fact, a lot of the pressure that comes with women in leadership is about navigating double standards. The “likeability trap” is real. Research from McKinsey & Company shows that women leaders are more likely to be labeled as “too assertive” or “too emotional” — even when they’re saying the exact same things as their male counterparts.
But the solution isn’t to be quieter. The solution is to keep showing up, keep speaking and keep leading — while making space for others to do the same. Representation isn’t just about one woman climbing to the top of a ladder; it’s about building ladders that other girls can climb too.
Social media has helped here in surprising ways. Seeing young women as CEOs, journalists, politicians and activists on platforms like Instagram and TikTok has broadened my view of leadership. Women like Amanda Gorman, Malala Yousafzai and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are making it clear that you don’t have to be 50 and in a pantsuit to lead. Leadership can be poetic, activist-driven, creative, and yes, emotional.
According to a 2023 Pew Research study, over 53% of Americans now say there are too few women in high political offices. Even though the numbers have substantially grown, it is evident we still have work to do.
Leadership doesn’t have to mean being the boss of a Fortune 500 company (though it can). It can also mean starting a podcast, running for class president or organizing a club. When young girls see women doing all those things and doing them well, it chips away at the invisible walls we all grew up with.
So the next time you see a woman leading a movement, a company, or even a group project, know that she’s doing more than just the job — she’s forging a path. And someone younger is watching and thinking, “If she can do that, maybe I can too.”
