LinkedIn, Oct. 24, 2025 — Fifty years ago, women could not walk into a bank and apply for a mortgage without a man’s permission.
The Equal Credit Opportunity Act was passed in 1974 and took effect in 1975.
That law made it illegal to deny women credit, loans, or mortgages simply because they weren’t married or didn’t have a male co-signer.
That was 1975.
Not ancient history.
Not distant memory.
Just one lifetime ago.
Some of our mothers and many of our grandmothers had to ask before they could own.
Ask before they could sign.
Ask before they could build a life that was truly theirs.
The Equal Credit Opportunity Act changed that.
It said women could no longer be denied financial independence because of their gender or marital status.
But control didn’t vanish. It just evolved.
Now we are told we are too emotional to lead.
Too ambitious to be likable.
Too outspoken to be respected.
Too confident to be a team player.
Too direct to be easy to work with.
Too qualified for the roles they would rather keep for someone else.
We are still questioned when we take up space.
We are still penalized for asking to be paid fairly.
We are still labeled difficult for expecting boundaries.
We are still told to smile through bias and call it grace.
We are still reminded in subtle and public ways that our autonomy makes some people uncomfortable.
Fifty years ago, women fought to sign for a house.
Today, we are still fighting to control what happens inside one.
Our bodies are still debated like policies.
Our health is still politicized.
Our reproductive choices are still being legislated by people who will never experience them.
Our voices are still questioned, interrupted, and minimized in rooms we helped build.
And somehow, the audacity to live freely is still treated like rebellion.
Progress gave us access but not always equality.
It gave us permission but not always power.
It opened the door but still decides who feels welcome inside.
To earn without limits.
To live without surveillance.
To lead without apology.
To speak without restraint.
To exist without asking.
That is the freedom women are still fighting for.
We did not come this far to shrink.
We did not come this far to ask again.
And we will not let anyone rewrite what we already claimed.
Equality is not granted. It is taken, kept, and protected by every woman who refuses to sit quietly.
♻️ Repost for every woman who still has to fight to be heard.
👥 Follow because this conversation is far from over.
Click here to learn more about a film on this topic, The Day Iceland Stood Still.
About Omobolanle “Mo” Kayode: Based in Miami, FL, Omobolanle is a powerhouse sitting at the intersection of healthcare strategy and unapologetic storytelling. She is the Founder and CEO of NovaGold Auth®, and leads a healthcare operations firm transforming how clinics and physicians manage prior authorizations, referrals, and backend coordination. Her company serves as the behind-the-scenes engine that keeps practices running efficiently — reducing denials, improving workflows, and freeing providers to focus on what truly matters: patient care.
Beyond business, Mo is the creator of UnmutedbyMo™, a bold digital platform that amplifies the unfiltered voices and lived experiences of Black women in healthcare, leadership, and corporate spaces. Her writing and advocacy challenge systems that silence truth, celebrate resilience, and redefine what power looks like when women choose to stand unapologetically in it.
Her work lives at the intersection of strategy, equity, and systemic change — where courage meets clarity and purpose becomes power. Connect with her on LinkedIn.