On the eighth day of Perezmas, pop culture gave to us… EIGHT powerful moments for women!!!
With way too many moments to choose from, it’s safe to say 2018 has been quite a year for women. In no particular order, let’s look back at eight times women stepped up, showed out and made history:
Aly Raisman and the Larry Nassar Case
After bravely opening up about the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of USA Gymnastics‘s longtime team physician, Larry Nassar, Aly Raisman took her case to court. The Olympian and 140 other brave girls and women including two of her Fierce Five teammates shared their testimonies against Nassar; while also shedding light on the grave misconduct happening behind closed doors at USA Gymnastics. In the end, the defamed 54-year-old was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison for multiple sex crimes.
Naomi Osaka Defeats Serena Williams In The U.S. Open Final
Half-Japanese, half-Haitian rising tennis star Naomi Osaka defeats Serena Williams in the U.S. Open final, becoming the first athlete representing Japan to win a Grand Slam Final. Though the historic night was overshadowed by a heated exchange between the match’s umpire and Williams, the 37-year old supported and congratulated Osaka while reminding us that she’s a true competitor when she told the umpire: “I don’t cheat to win. I’d rather lose.”
Cardi B Breaks A Guinness World Record & Dominates The Billboard U.S. Hot 100 Chart!
Cardi B‘s superstardom reached new heights this year by breaking a Guinness world record! The Bronx native had the most Billboard U.S. Hot 100 entries by a woman by having 13 tracks on the list at once, following the release of her album Invasion of Privacy. The album also debuted at number one, making her the fifth female rapper in history to top the famed chart.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Is Elected To The U.S. House Of Representatives
A 29-year-old running her first campaign, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ousted 10-term incumbent representative Joe Crowley in New York’s Democratic primary on November 6, 2018. AOC credited the history upset-victory as a grassroots effort largely supported by people of color and the LGBT community. On January 3, 2019, the Bronx native will officially become the youngest woman to serve in Congress in the history of the United States!
Taylor Swift & Rihanna Get Political When It Matters Most During 2018 Midterm Elections
Taylor Swift urged her 112 million Instagram followers to register to vote, as did Rihanna two days later to her 65 million followers; more than 434,000 people register in the next five days, 65 percent of whom are under age 30. Way to use your platform for the greater good, ladies!
Christine Blasey Ford Takes On Brett Kavanaugh
Dr. Christine Blasey Ford bravely testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, alleging then–Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh groped and attempted to sexually assault her in high school, setting off a national firestorm. Although Kavanaugh was later confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court in a narrow 50-48 victory, Ford’s testimony leaves a lasting impact and look into how women are treated when they speak up against men in positions of power. The hearings also sparked a social media movement with the Twitter hashtag #WhyIDidntReport, which saw a multitude of women who had previously been silent come forward with their own stories of sexual assault.
Beychella: Beyonce Is The First Black Woman To Headline Coachella
Leave it to Queen Beyonce to become the first black woman to headline Coachella, and do so in such an unforgettable way! The performance — which featured a Destiny’s Child reunion, a full HBCU band, 100 backup dancers, and multiple tributes to Black activists — is widely considered to be the singer’s best live set of her career. The show’s livestream drew in 498,000 viewers from around the world, making it the most viewed live music festival on YouTube as well as the most viewed Coachella performance ever.
Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund
Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Shonda Rhimes and over 300 other prominent and powerful women in the entertainment industry kicked off 2018 with a new initiative called Time’s Up. With a pledge to help protect women from sexual harassment, the plan includes a multi-million dollar legal defense fund made largely by donations from the rich and powerful women of Hollywood. Funds are allocated to match women across the country who lack resources with defense lawyers, and fight against any claims of sexual harassment or discrimination. So timely, and needed! TIME. IS. UP!
[Image via Adriana M. Barraza/Brian Doherty/ CBS Evening News/YouTube/ESPN/YouTube/Spectrum News NY 1/Guardian News/YouTube/CBC News/YouTube/Mario Mitsis/Dave Bedrosian/Future Image/Adriana M. Barraza/Derrick Salters/WENN]
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