The “Fearless Girl” was unveiled at her new permanent home in front of the New York Stock Exchange Monday morning.
The 4-foot bronze sculpture, a symbol for the lack of gender diversity on corporate boards, was first placed across from the “Charging Bull” in Bowling Green by the investment company State Street Global Advisors on the eve of International Women’s Day in March 2017.
“In her first 20 months standing in New York’s Bowling Green, Fearless Girl inspired not only the next generation of women leaders, but also more than 300 companies globally to add a female director to their previously all-male boards,” State Street Global Advisors said in a news release Monday.
When the “Fearless Girl” was first placed in the Financial District, State Street Global Advisors called on 1,200 companies in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia with all-male boards to add women and threatened to vote against companies that didn’t take action. Since then, 301 of those companies have added a female director to their boards, State Street Global Advisors said.
The investment company has extended that call to companies in Japan and Canada, it said Monday.
“This year we are also calling on our portfolio companies to monitor and disclose the level of gender diversity not only on their boards but at all levels of management,” the company added.
State Street Global Advisors was joined by city officials, including Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan) who is the sponsor of the Gender Diversity in Corporate Leadership Act, at the statue’s unveiling at 11 Wall St. Monday. The statue had been moved from Bowling Green in November.
“The Fearless Girl says in one image all that advocates can say in pages and pages of argument — she’s a tangible reminder that it’s time for women to get the recognition and opportunity we have earned,” Maloney said in a statement.
Maloney was among the politicians who had called for a permanent location for the statue, which was sculpted by artist Kristen Visbal.
It was originally only expected to stay for a week, but due to its popularity, Mayor Bill de Blasio extended the permit for more than a year and later announced her permanent location.
