http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLV4BBmjnzM

“I Am Woman” by Helen Reddy was recorded in 1970 and became an anthem for women and their liberation movement. The song speaks about how much women have gained, recognizing how far they have come in their fight for freedom and finally how strong they are. There is a line in the song that says “I’m still an embryo with a long long way to go, until I make my brother understand” which acknowledges that there was still work to be done in the world in terms of gender equality even though women had gained the right to vote. It targets the social inequalities that women faced during this time such as sexual freedoms, inequalities in the family and workplace. This song mirrors the fight of the Women’s Liberation movement which took place in the 60s and 70s. However, it is also timeless as it is simply about the celebration of women. There weren’t many songs empowering women during this time so Helen Reddy’s song became extremely popular internationally. Helen Ruddy’s inspiration for the song was women surrounding her who had to deal with alcoholic, abusive husbands, world war and the Depression. The song gives women courage to keep fighting as she says that even though people will try and bring them down, they will only ever get stronger. Helen Ruddy’s message of freedom to women was extremely relevant then and remains so still today.