Gen Y Gives Thanks: Shattered glass ceilings

Gen Y women are grateful for the women, and men,
who helped shatter glass ceilings.
(Photo: Photoxpress.com)

Gen Y women have heard the tales of the women’s liberation movement, but haven’t necessarily experienced it for themselves. Instead, they have been blessed to reap the rewards. However, this doesn’t mean Gen Y women aren’t appreciative of those who helped break the glass ceiling.

Ellie Behling, a 24 year-old journalist from Queens, N.Y., reflects on the strong female role models in her family and the opportunities she enjoys now, much different than those for her mother’s generation. 

“This year I am most thankful for the opportunity to have a career as a woman. Going back many generations, my family is full of strong and ambitious women, from my ancestor who came over during the potato famine to my grandmother who had a successful modeling career and raised a family. My mother was the first in her family to get a college degree. I feel thankful there is no longer any question that I could go to college and have a career. My parents pushed me to get an education and supported me as I moved away from home, which many women in my mom's generation would not have really considered. Now the canvas of the world feels much more available for women.”

Twenty-six year old Meghan Skiff, a marketing specialist for Solutions 21 in Pittsburgh, echoes Behling’s appreciation.

“I’m grateful for the many generations of women that broke ceilings and opened doors, so I could stand here today with so many options in front of me. The academic and professional choices I’ve been able to make, and the subsequent opportunities presented to me, would not have occurred if not for these women throughout history, and the men who stood behind them, who made such great strides.”

Since those strides were made long ago, Skiff found herself in a position to capitalize on professional opportunities this year.

“In July, I left an organization where I had interned and then worked as a full-time employee for 4 years. I’m thankful for that experience because I was able to gain valuable insights on a variety of industries, develop a wide range of skills and work for a manager who took personal interest in my professional growth. It prepared me to take the next step--to a new position, working on a project I’m passionate about, in a role that energizes me and will promote continued personal and professional growth. I’m so thankful I’ve joined a dynamic team where I work with highly experienced professionals in an entrepreneurial and energetic team setting. I’m empowered to think creatively every second of the day and I wake up every morning excited to go to work.”

Behling notes that not all women are as blessed as Skiff to be excited to go to work every morning, or to even be able to go to work at all. She is grateful for the opportunity.

“Being a woman and having a career is still challenging; it is naive to think we have completely figured out what it means to be working women, and we may never do so fully. But, I also know this privilege is something some women in the globe do not enjoy, and so I should feel grateful. I am. I feel lucky that I am allowed to go for my dreams, that I am allowed to have a family if I choose to and that I am allowed to travel the world alone if I please. Most of all, I feel lucky that so many women in my family have cheered me on.”

Behling and sKiff are just two Gen Y women trying to navigate their way as women with careers.  Check out some of their endeavors.  Skiff helps with the marketing for the Gen Y Now blog. Behling is the National Social Media Examiner and she also has a blog, Y-rd. 

For more on “Gen Y Gives Thanks”: Click here to read how the series got started and here to read all “Gen Y Gives Thanks” related articles. Join the #GenYGivesThanks conversation on Twitter and check out what the participants in the series are tweeting about with my GenYGivesThanks Twitter list.