'The Fearless Girl' Statue Takes on Wall Street Charging Bull
Wall Street's famed Charging Bull has company for International Women's Day -- "The Fearless Girl."
Ahead of International Women's Day and planned " A Day Without a Woman" protests, Wall Street firm State Street Global Advisors placed a statue of a small girl in facing the signature bronze bull statue in Manhattan's Financial District on Tuesday, reports Reuters.
The statue is meant to call out corporations' issues regarding gender equality and the pay gap, reports the BBC.
"Today, we are calling on companies to take concrete steps to increase gender diversity on their boards, and have issued clear guidance to help them begin to take action," according to a statement from State Street Global Advisors CEO Ron O'Hanley. The firm is owned by parent company State Street Corp. (STT).
State Street worked with advertising agency McCann New York for the installation of The Fearless Girl statue "in the middle of the night," reports Adweek, much like how the bull was put there nearly 30 years ago. McCann has a permit.
Artist Kristen Visbal made the statue that now faces the Charging Bull created by Arturo Di Modica. The bull originally appeared at the New York Stock Exchange in December 1989. Following public support, it was later given a permanent home five minutes away.
The Fearless Girl could, too, call the spot home.
"We're actively pursuing that it stays for a month," Anne McNally, vice president and head of North American public relations at State Street told Reuters. "If the city decides that it should stay in perpetuity, we're absolutely on board with that."
Timed with International Women's Day, women across the U.S., led by the organizers of January's Women's March, will not head into work Wednesday as a form of protest. Those who cannot take a day off are encouraged to show solidarity in other ways, like by wearing red or shopping exclusively at female-owned businesses, reports Reuters.
Statements praising State Street and accompanying images of the symbolic statue have popped up all over Twitter, where #InternationalWomensDay is trending worldwide. Twitter users are tweeting #FearlessGirl along with the photo.
Loving this new #FearlessGirl statue in front of the bull on Wall Street. What an appropriate symbol of female fortitude and strength. pic.twitter.com/7ue7VFt2pe
-- Lizeth (@LizMaraMedina) March 7, 2017
A determined girl statue meets #WallStreet bull. Hats off to #SSGA. #InternationalWomensDayhttps://t.co/J5s2I1t6jf
-- AlannaN (@AlannaN) March 8, 2017
What a powerful way to land the message! #Fearlessgirl statue at Wall Street unveiled ..facing the Bull. #iconic pic.twitter.com/e8prMcVS99
-- Anshu Mor (@anshuMor) March 8, 2017
Happy #internationalwomensday there's now a little girl statue facing the raging bull on #WallStreet #Ace pic.twitter.com/mRucdpqte2
-- Nathan Amzi (@theamzi) March 8, 2017
Increasing gender diversity on boards increases company performance and shareholder value #InternationalWomensDay https://t.co/6ta5BjlTDY
-- Anjali Kumar (@anjalikumar6) March 8, 2017
#FearlessGirl takes on the bull in #lowerManhattan @NYSE. YOU GO GIRL! pic.twitter.com/pvJnqNGa7G
-- Amy Phillips (@amyphillips94) March 7, 2017
Asset mngr, @StateStreet, installed this statue of a girl to call on companies to deliberately ?? gender diversity #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/8N6tfW01cq
-- P. Coleman (@PhoebeColeman) March 8, 2017
This is pretty incredible. I hope it stays. #InternationalWomensDay. https://t.co/rzS0NbhzPC
-- Stephanie (@Steph_JonesPR) March 7, 2017
11 Great Investing Tips for Women
7 of the Best Socially Responsible Funds
More From US News & World Report
