Among all the gender bias, inequality, harassment and other delicate issues – 2018 was indeed a Year of the Women around the world. Hash tags such as #MeToo and #TimesUp, record number of women entering politics – all together a global call for action that signalled women were tired of not being heard. It’s been a year that’s left many asking how women got to come so far and how they can make sure they’ll never give up. A big reason for this is because of what the Internet helps to do. It comes as a helping hand to reach further, speak louder, and come together like never before. 2018 projects women and how they are using it to collaborate, coordinate, and unite to make change happen.

The basic cause for the year to be defined so is that it witnessed historic political victories in the United States, #MeToo-fuelled uprisings around the world, and women, like Christine Blasey-Ford, who pushed fear aside to be heard. To sum up few stories to prove the statement ‘2018 - The Year of Women’, could be seen in the quotations told through the voices of the women.

2018 - The year feminism fought back (CNN)

A year of political firsts

“We can’t knock on anybody’s doors; we have to build our own house.” - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. There is a clear record of 36 new women winning House seats in politics in the last month’s midterm elections.  It is also believed there will probably be a minimum of 102 girls in the House subsequent year, for the first time in history. Haley Stevens, an American politician says “We just elected the first woman to Congress in Michigan’s 11th district,” she said to massive applause in a hotel ballroom in Birmingham, MI. “I am the daughter of a fabulous mother,” she said. “And make no mistake about it; we are the defenders of our democracy.”

Echoes of Anita Hill

“I am an independent person, and I am no one’s pawn.” - Christine Blasey Ford, testifying earlier than the Senate Judiciary Committee about what she mentioned was abuse at the arms of Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh. The first Year of a Woman, since 1992, adopting to the affirmation of Justice Clarence Thomas regardless of evidence from Anita Hill, who mentioned she had been sexually harassed by him when he was her boss earlier.  The issue had come to spotlight when Hill revealed in September, as of being a professor, confronted off in a public listening in opposition to Justice Kavanaugh, whom she accused of sexually assaulting her in the 1980s. He denied it and was quickly confirmed as a Supreme Court justice, by one of the slimmest margins in American historical past.

The motherhood penalty

“It was like they assumed my brain had totally changed overnight. I was seen as having no more potential.” - Erin Murphy, when mentioned she was handed over for promotions as a result of her maternity. It is that discrimination that new moms and pregnant girls who go through with investigations of maternal well being and denial of those pregnant girls at the workplace. It was that time when the report was revealed about how girls in strenuous jobs miscarried after employers denied their requests for mild responsibility, even ignoring docs’ notes.

Ripple results of #MeToo

“Are you a dog? No? Then why are you urinating in the street?” - Protest stickers positioned on avenue urinals in Paris, put in to unravel the drawback of males peeing in the avenue. Over the last year, so much attention has been captivated by the #MeToo movement and its consequences - a cultural shift led by survivors telling their stories of sexual harassment and assault. Amna Nawaz sits down with Katherine Kendall, Lili Bernard and Abby Bolt to discuss what the past year has meant for them. It is realized that girls changed almost half of some of the strongest fallen males. There are a minimum number of males already who have changed with one single hash tag. Other small ripples were seen when - N.F.L. cheerleaders who fought for equal pay; South Korean girls smashing their make-up; and in Paris, feminist protesters who vandalized open-air urinals that many felt served as an emblem of sexism. As they put it: “Women who expose their breasts to breast-feed are asked to hide themselves. Men who take out their genitals to urinate are subsidized by city hall.”

Who runs the world? (Girls)

“I will fight for us, all of us. It is a big charge and a big responsibility for our generation.” - Sage Grace Dolan-Sandrino, an 18-year-old transgender lady and a pupil at Bard College in New York. It is when Sandrino interviews her Trans people about recent news that the Trump administration plans to rescind any acknowledgement of transgender identity. “This memo from the Trump administration pushes to erase our identity from public documents, from birth certificates, from driver’s licenses," says 20-year-old Trans Owen Logios. “When we can’t exist in public, our Trans youth cannot either, and they become more likely to experience insecurity and self-esteem issues, shame, and may push away their Trans identity. Youth should not have to worry about merely existing in public while still in elementary school.”

If ever there was a time to celebrate, support and applaud our girls, it is now! Let’s thank The New York Times for giving us a glimpse of what 2018 was all made up of!