IWD 2017: That Moment When...

That moment when…..Princess Leia kills Jabba the Hut, the monster that imprisoned her. 

That moment when…Just weeks after having our first child, my wife set up her own business #legend.

That moment when…..My friend, a 70-year old former Iranian hostage, asked me to join her in praying for the future and forgiveness of a young man. He had raped her and fled just before I arrived at her home.

For International Women’s Day this year we at J. Walter Thompson London wanted to shine a light on those women – real or imagined – who have inspired us, because we believe that everyone has a female role model who has shaped who they are today, or who they could be tomorrow. 

We wanted to give these amazing women the credit they deserve by celebrating their achievements, because our Female Tribes Women’s Index research shows that 60% of women (from a sample of 17 countries) feel that female achievement has been airbrushed from the history books, whilst 72% said that there weren’t enough role models for inspiration. 

But despite the precious few we see and read about in the media, we also learnt just how powerful female role models can be. Purely through seeing an on screen role model, 58% of women were inspired to be more assertive or ambitious, and even 1 in 4 Brazilian women said they had been inspired to leave an abusive relationship. Role models really do matter. 

‘That Moment When…’ is a rallying cry for J. Walter Thompson employees around the world to salute the women who move us, make us and change us by writing a short note logging a moment when they were truly inspired by a woman. 

And, as you can see from the small selection above, the responses to the initiative have been powerful, moving, enlightening and often very funny. You can see some of them by clicking here. 

The source of people’s inspirational moments have also been remarkably diverse:

• Almost 32% cited inspirational family and friends 

• More than 16% of women chosen were on screen role models

• Fictional characters and authors made up 10% of the votes 

• Musicians came in at 10%

• Political figureheads, sportswomen, scientists and colleagues also featured 

It’s clear that role models touch us across every aspect of our lives. The interactions we have in our homes, school and at work; the movies we watch and the books we read; the news we consume; and even the people we pass in the street. They all contribute to making us who we are today. And it seems only logical that the more exposure we have to positive female role models, the faster we can arrive at true gender equality. As our partner Geena Davis says: “if she can see it, she can be it”.  

So whether it’s a grandmother’s unexpected strength, Patti Smith’s incredible Glastonbury performance, or a random woman on a bicycle who stood up to a catcalling van driver, why not take a moment to salute a great woman who’s inspired you this International Women’s Day? Tell us about your ‘Moment When…’ in the comment box below.