Fearless Girl
NYC’s Famed
Heroine Gets a
New Home —
And, Takes on All
of Business
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She stands all but four feet tall and weighs 250 pounds, but she’s fierce, formidable, and unforgettable. “Fearless Girl” - the beautiful, bronze sculpture of a young girl sporting the stare of daring defiance and a stance of unabashed audacity and who has captured the hearts of working women everywhere – has fittingly made her debut directly in front of the New York Stock Exchange in Lower Manhattan late last year.
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Originally erected and unveiled on the eve of International Women’s Day in March 2017 just a short walking distance from the New York Stock Exchange at Bowling Green in Manhattan’s Financial District, Fearless Girl stood firm in an attention-grabbing face off against the equally iconic, bronzed Chasing Bull sculpture on Wall Street to boldly advocate for the power of women in leadership roles.
Commissioned by Boston-based financial firm State Street Global Advisors, Fearless Girl has now been placed in front of the New York Stock Exchange building so “She can have an even bigger stage to make an even bigger impact,” said Cyrus Taraporevala, the firm’s top exec, on December 10th, the day the sculpture’s new home unveiling took place.
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Earlier this year, the firm’s parent company, State Street Corporation, agreed to pay $5 million to settle cases of discrimination against 305 top female employees for paying them less than their male counterparts in the same roles. But, as with most powerful females, Fearless Girl isn’t without her critics. Many have publicly denounced the statue, proclaiming it was an obvious depiction of “corporate feminism” and gave the Charging Bull sculpture a negative connotation.
Since her move to Lower Manhattan last year, tourists and native New Yorkers alike have flocked to get a glimpse of the newest star on Wall Street, snapping selfies, while mimicking that beguiling, no- B.S. stance that has made Fearless Girl so famous. “I am thrilled Fearless Girl will remain in New York,” says Kristen Visbal, the statue’s sculptor.
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Bronzed and brazen with her hands on her hips and donning that indelible, indomitable glare, Fearless Girl was originally created to be only a temporary exhibit, with a steadfast goal to draw attention to the endemic lack of gender diversity on boards of the country’s major financial institutions, and to inspire companies that more gender diverse boards are best for business.
But, she quickly resonated with the public, sparking global recognition, and soon became an icon for empowerment of the woman in the workplace, earning a permanent place on Wall Street. Representing progress, prosperity, possibility, hope, and equality, Fearless Girl and her flowing ponytail and billowing dress will remain standing strong – and staring down all of business in New York City’s Lower Manhattan.
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State Street Global Advisors, recently announced that more than 300 companies have added a female to their board of directors since Fearless Girl’s original debut on the eve of International Women’s Day in 2017 – all without her uttering a single word!