We still have a long way to go in such a misogynistic industry.

Hear now the words of Natasia Demetriou, a voice forged in both struggle and laughter, who declared: “We still have a long way to go in such a misogynistic industry. But the discussions that we are having on social media and in politics, about the equal representation of women, which wasn't happening when I started out, is definitely changing things.” Her words are like a lamp lit in a dark corridor, showing us both the shadows that remain and the light that grows stronger with each step forward. They speak not of despair, but of endurance; not of defeat, but of progress born of courage.

The origin of this truth lies in the long history of women’s struggle to be seen, to be heard, to be given their rightful place at the table of power and art. The industry she speaks of—entertainment and media—is but one of many, yet it mirrors the world at large. For centuries, the stage and screen, like politics and trade, have been dominated by men, who decided what stories were told, who told them, and how women were portrayed. Too often women were silenced, reduced to ornaments, or pushed aside, no matter their talent or vision. Yet even in the face of this misogyny, women persisted, and each generation carved a little more space for those who would come after.

Consider, O listener, the story of Hattie McDaniel, the first Black woman to win an Academy Award in 1940. She triumphed on the grandest stage of her profession, yet even as she received the honor, she was forced to sit at a segregated table at the back of the banquet hall. Her victory was monumental, but it revealed how far the industry still had to travel. Like Natasia’s words, her story reminds us that change is both visible and incomplete, that every step forward carries with it the weight of battles yet to be fought.

What Demetriou names as a source of hope is the rise of discussions—conversations in politics, in media, and in the vast town square of social media, where once-silenced voices can gather strength. In ancient times, progress often came through the assembly, where free men gathered to debate. Now, in our age, assemblies are formed not only in parliaments but in digital spaces, where the cry for equal representation can no longer be hidden behind closed doors. These discussions are not idle talk; they are sparks that ignite movements, movements that shift laws, reshape industries, and awaken the hearts of men and women alike.

Yet the road remains long, and Demetriou does not shy from this truth. To acknowledge a “long way to go” is not to despair, but to prepare. For every great journey begins with the admission that the destination is not yet reached. Like the suffragettes who chained themselves to gates, who marched, who were imprisoned, so too must our generation labor, protest, and create until equality is not merely spoken of, but lived. Her words carry the heroic spirit of perseverance, reminding us that victory belongs not to the swift, but to the steadfast.

The lesson for us is clear: representation matters. To see women as leaders, creators, directors, and decision-makers is to reshape what future generations believe is possible. Without equal voices, the stories of humanity are incomplete, the songs half-sung, the vision half-blinded. Each of us, whether within the industry or outside it, has a role to play: to listen to women, to amplify their voices, to challenge structures that exclude them, and to demand fairness wherever we find its absence.

And so, what must we do in our daily lives? Support the work of women in every field. Share their voices on platforms where silence once reigned. Vote for leaders who prioritize equality. Call out injustice not only in the grand arenas but in everyday moments—in conversations, in workplaces, in our own families. For the world changes not only through laws and policies, but through countless small acts of courage multiplied across generations.

Thus, remember the teaching of Natasia Demetriou: though we still have a long way to go, we are walking the road together, and the voices once silenced now rise in chorus. The journey is not yet done, but the path is lit, and the end is nearer because we dare to speak, to fight, and to believe in a future where equal representation is not a hope, but a living reality.