Women are half the population of the world, and yet there are so

Hear the words of Geena Davis, actress and advocate, who gazed upon the glittering screens of cinema and spoke with piercing clarity: “Women are half the population of the world, and yet there are so few female characters on-screen.” These words cut like a blade, exposing the contradiction between reality and representation, between the fullness of humanity and the narrowness of its reflection. They remind us that even in the realms of art and imagination, where all things should be possible, the chains of inequality still bind.

The origin of this truth lies in the long history of storytelling. From the ancient myths to the stages of Shakespeare, from the silent films of the past to the blockbusters of today, stories have shaped how humanity sees itself. Yet too often, the gaze has been narrowed, centered on men, leaving women as shadows, ornaments, or side characters. The screen, which holds the power to inspire generations, has reflected not the true balance of the world, but a distorted vision—half the world silenced, half the truth untold.

Consider the story of 1979’s Alien, where Ellen Ripley, portrayed by Sigourney Weaver, became one of the first women to lead a science fiction film. At first, the role had been written for a man, but when rewritten for a woman, it shattered expectations and revealed the power of representation. Audiences were enthralled not merely because she fought monsters, but because she embodied a new vision of heroism: a woman who was resourceful, strong, and central to the story. This single character opened the door for countless others, yet Geena Davis reminds us that such examples remain the exception, not the rule.

The imbalance is not only injustice, it is blindness. To deny women presence on-screen is to deny their dreams, their stories, their possibilities. A young girl watching a thousand films, and seeing only men as leaders, warriors, or visionaries, may come to believe that such roles are not for her. Representation is not vanity; it is power, for what the screen shows becomes the mirror in which society sees its future.

And yet, there is hope. Geena Davis, through her Institute on Gender in Media, has worked to reveal the numbers, to show the stark truth of inequality, and to inspire change. The conversations her words ignited have spread across Hollywood and beyond, leading creators to rethink how they tell stories, how they cast characters, and how they shape the images that fill the world’s imagination. Like the suffragettes of old, who marched to make women visible in politics, Davis calls for women to be visible in art—and thus visible in the minds of all who dream.

The lesson for us is this: representation matters deeply. Art is not mere entertainment; it is the forge of values, the sculptor of beliefs. To exclude women from stories is to weaken humanity’s imagination itself. Every story without a woman’s voice is a story half-told, every screen without women’s presence is a screen half-dark. True justice requires not only laws and rights, but images, symbols, and stories that honor all.

What actions, then, must we take? Support the films, shows, and plays that place women at their center. Teach children to see value in all voices, not only those long amplified. Demand change from creators, producers, and institutions that still cling to imbalance. And in our daily lives, let us listen to women’s stories with reverence, for they are not additions to humanity’s song—they are half of the melody itself.

Thus, remember Geena Davis’s words: women are half the population of the world, and so they must be half the story, half the vision, half the dream. Until this balance is reached, our art will remain incomplete, our imagination stunted, and our reflection in the mirror of culture distorted. But when it is achieved, the stories of humanity will shine in their fullness, and the world will finally see itself whole.