Currently, I am immersed in the unabridged journals of Sylvia Plath, one of America’s most gifted writers and poets. Tragically, she took her own life at the tender age of 30 after battling years of clinical depression. Plath possessed a remarkable ability to observe the intricate details of everyday life, translating her experiences into powerful prose and challenging societal norms. Though often associated with themes of depression and death, she adeptly illustrated the social constraints imposed on individuals in post-war America. One of her key themes was the stifling moral and societal expectations that constricted young women. She articulated female rage and grief in ways not done before.
I first read The Bell Jar in high school, and from that moment, I was captivated by Plath’s work. As I delved deeper into her reflections on the societal expectations and limitations she faced, I became increasingly aware of my own experience as a young woman in today’s world. I felt grateful that, as a young woman, I enjoyed greater freedoms in how I navigated my life, including the autonomy to make choices about education, work, sexuality, and what we now term reproductive rights. I could do things my mother was denied, like open my own bank account and work after marriage.
Plath’s portrayal of the era in which she came into her own as a woman encapsulates a crucial chapter in women’s history during the 20th century. This century sparked a movement for women’s rights that included the suffrage movement, employment rights, reproductive rights, and the quest for equal pay—a fight that continues today. Women began to define themselves on their own terms, free from societal dictates.
The 21st century promised a further evolution of women’s rights, alongside the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals and other marginalized groups often overlooked by legislation shaped predominantly by straight white men. We saw significant progress with increasing acceptance of same-sex marriage, advancements in the legal recognition of transgender rights, and the right of same-sex couples to adopt. Women in the public eye—whether CEOs, entrepreneurs, or multimillionaire performers—became more visible and empowered, proudly owning their femininity while breaking barriers. Female leadership in politics gained momentum, with more women stepping into roles as ministers and prime ministers, and the contributions of female economists, environmentalists, and scientists gradually receiving the acknowledgment they deserve.
Yet, now it feels as though these hard-won rights are crumbling at an alarming pace. The overturning of Roe v. Wade marked a significant setback for women’s rights. Not only are our choices regarding reproduction at risk, but access to birth control is increasingly compromised in more states across the U.S. Under the Trump administration, the rights of women and members of the LGBTQIA+ community have been severely undermined, often with a literal stroke of a pen. Commentary on social media has begun to draw comparisons to a dystopian reality akin to The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.
When people used to ask me how I felt about issues like affirmative action and women’s rights, I would reply, “As long as we’re still talking about it, we’re not there yet.” Now, not only are we still “not there yet,” but we seem to be regressing to the days of Sylvia Plath. It is my heartfelt hope that we collectively recognize the impending danger. Let us not raise our daughters to believe they lack the right to choose, to desire, or to aspire. May the world be their oyster, and let us embed those possibilities in robust legislation.
“When they asked me what I wanted to be I said I didn’t know.
‘Oh, sure you know,’ the photographer said.
‘She wants,’ said Jay Cee wittily, ‘to be everything.’”
— Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
RosieGlobal 