Break Into That Old Boy’s Club, Tear It Down And Rebuild It Anew

This month we are featuring women who are leading the way in industries dominated by men. We invite you to join them in knocking down the old boy's club.

EDITOR’S NOTE – Happy Women’s History Month everyone! I hope this editor’s note finds you celebrating the tenacity of all the remarkable females who came before us, while also trying to make a bit of history of your own.

This month’s issue of Lioness Magazine celebrates some trailblazers, certainly worthy of their place in the feminine landscape, including the subject of our cover, Sherrie Berry, founder of SkinAgain, who overcame great personal tragedy in order to create her company. A 2006 explosion in her backyard left her face, chest and arm badly burned and she feared permanent disfigurement, however, an experimental cream given to her by an acquaintance started her on the path to creating her own all-natural skincare line in California. SkinAgain has expanded beyond just a cream for burns and boasts more than 20 products and this mother and grandmother of five isn’t planning on slowing down anytime soon!

Also included in this month’s issue is Megan Reitenour, a 23-year-old racecar driver trying to speed her way into NASCAR, a male-dominated sport. She’s won more than 200 races thus far and has moved to Louisiana in order to dedicate each day to proving that she’s capable of racing with the big boys.

Keisha Ashe, 29, of Virginia, is also making her mark in the world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), founding ManyMentors, a nonprofit dedicated to providing resources to young people interested in pursuing STEM careers. Ashe is a STEM student herself, having earned her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering, and is currently working toward her Ph.D. in chemical engineering. ManyMentors has even expanded to include student chapters at Cornell University, Yale University and the University of Connecticut.

Also featured this month is a piece on women breaking gender norms in the construction industry. Connie Leipard, Debbie Speake and Catherine Schoenenberger, all in their 50s, haven’t let gender stereotypes define their roles within their respective trades; rather, they’ve pushed the boundary of what was once deemed an unfashionable or unsafe profession for a woman and carved out niches of their own.

I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we loved creating it. May it provide you with that extra bit of confidence you might need to break into that old boy’s club, tear it down, and rebuild it anew on the foundation of gender equality!

Photo Courtesy of Rikard Elofsson [FLICKR]