Everything was so new - the whole idea of going into space was new and daring. There were no textbooks, so we had to write them.
Katherine JohnsonRead
Girls are capable of doing everything men are capable of doing. Sometimes they have more imagination than men.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes that girls can achieve anything that boys can, often with greater creativity.
Katherine Johnson's quote champions the idea of gender equality in capabilities, asserting that girls have the same potential as boys in all aspects of life, including academic and creative pursuits. She further highlights that women may possess even greater imaginative skills, challenging the stereotypes that often limit their roles and contributions in various fields.
In practice
During a women's empowerment event, you could share this quote to inspire girls.
Everything was so new - the whole idea of going into space was new and daring. There were no textbooks, so we had to write them.
I don't have a feeling of inferiority. Never had. I'm as good as anybody, but no better.
I was excited at something new, always liked something new, but give credit to everybody who helped. I didn't do anything alone but try to go to the root of the question and succeeded there.
In swimming, especially training out in the ocean and open water, you got fogged-over goggles, you're stuck with your own thoughts - there's great benefits to that, deep thinking like that after many hours, but there's also tremendous loneliness. You burn out. You want to run, jump, ski, do anything. So at age 30, I was finished.
Put yourself out on a limb, sucka, like me! - young Cassius Clay to heavily favored thug Sonny Liston during the weigh in before Cassius wins his first title and changes his name to Muhammad Ali.
In war you're either a collaborator or you're a resistor. I mean you don't get to be neutral.
Anyone can see the adversity in a difficult situation, but it takes a stronger person to see the opportunity.
There is no need to give in to the compromise that totalitarian regimes always count on.
In so many places in the world, women have been prisoners for so long that they feel they have to scream about their rights. But when you scream, nobody listens to you. Real authority comes when you no longer need to scream - and that's something we women still need to learn.
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