Womenharriet tubmanwoman on currency$20 bill

14 Perfect Responses To People Who Want Harriet Tubman To Smile

Even being on the $20 posthumously doesn't stop men from telling you to smile.
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By 

Culture & Parenting Reporter, HuffPost

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Apparently women can't ever escape commentary on their facial expressions -- even when they've been dead for more than a century. 

Yesterday, it was announced that Harriet Tubman, an iconic "conductor" on the Underground Railroad who helped lead hundreds of other slaves to freedom, would replace former President Andrew Jackson on the front of the $20 bill. Though it's been reported that the change may not go into effect until 2030, the idea of having a woman, especially a woman of color, on the bill sparked celebration for many people. But others weren't so happy with -- wait for it -- the way Tubman's face looked.

A quick scan on Facebook or Twitter turns up several posts from people who want Tubman to look more cheerful on the $20 bill and to smile (you know, because women should smile all the time).

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Star Tribune on Facebook
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Star Tribune on Facebook
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Star Tribune on Facebook

On Wednesday, Courtney Sinner of the Star Tribune in Minnesota tweeted that a man asked for a picture where Tubman "looks happier."

The original tweet about Tubman that Sinner referenced has since been deleted, but that didn't stop Twitter from coming up with some spot-on responses to anyone who thinks Tubman should crack a smile on the $20 bill. 

Many compared the request for a more cheerful photo of Tubman to the annoying trend of men telling women to smile more.

Others made the (obvious) argument that Tubman was dealing with some not-so-smiley stuff as a black woman in the 1800s.

A few people pointed out that taking photos centuries ago required people to stay still for long periods of time, so pretty much no one smiled in photographs.

And some wonderful humans relied on humor to get their point across.

Of, course, there's also the fact that Tubman's facial expression looks exactly the same as that of other (male) people whose faces are on our currency. 

And social media strategist Erin Ruberry tweeted a stark, visual reminder of that double standard...

We think you look fierce AF, Harriet. 

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Before You Go

11 Women Blazing A New Trail In American Politics
U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch(01 of11)
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Lynch became the nation's top cop last April after a lengthy confirmation hold-up, and is the first black woman to hold the post. Almost immediately, Lynch assured that criminal justice reform would be a top priority for her Justice Department. She's pressed for police reform in Baltimore, Ferguson, Chicago and other cities, and launched a $53 million program to reduce recidivism.

"America is a land of second chances -- but it must also be a land where we give opportunities to young people who haven't gotten a chance at all," Lynch said last year. (credit:Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.)(02 of11)
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Baldwin was the first openly gay person elected to the Senate and has emerged as one of the upper chamber's leading proponents of LGBT rights. In 2013, Baldwin lobbied her Republican colleagues to support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would prevent employers from discriminating against workers because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. That same year, she co-sponsored a bill to ensure the same-sex partners of federal workers received equal benefits to heterosexual partners. And in 2014, she pressed the federal government to end its ban on gay men donating blood. (credit:Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images)
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D)(03 of11)
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Since taking office in 2015, Brown has signed bills addressing several key progressive issues, including background checks on guns, paid sick leave, making voter registration automatic and expanding access to birth control. In early March, she signed a landmark minimum wage bill, raising Oregon's wage floor to as high as $14.75 in some parts of the state. Brown has also broken a key barrier for LGBT Americans: She's the country's first openly bisexual governor. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah)(04 of11)
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Long seen as a rising star among GOP insiders, Love captured the national spotlight with her speech at the 2012 Republican National Convention. While she lost her House bid that same year, Love went on to become Congress' first black female Republican with her victory in 2014. The child of Haitian immigrants, Love has taken a notably more compassionate view of immigration reform than many of her GOP colleagues.

"The reason why there are so many people that are here illegally is because it’s easier to be here illegally than it is to be here legally," Love said last year. "We have to allow people the honor of experiencing what my parents experienced years ago and what these people are experiencing today." (credit:Bill Clark via Getty Images)
Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.)(05 of11)
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Duckworth, along with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), is one of the first female Iraq War veterans to serve in Congress, as well as the first Asian-American woman to represent Illinois. Duckworth lost both her legs in combat, and has championed the rights of individuals with disabilities throughout her time in Congress. She also introduced a bill that would require airports to provide private space for breastfeeding mothers in each terminal.

First elected to the House in 2012, she's now challenging Illinois Republican Mark Kirk for his Senate seat. (credit:Bill Clark via Getty Images)
Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby(06 of11)
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Shortly after her election as the youngest chief prosecutor in any major city, Mosby was assigned to investigate the death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died while in Baltimore police custody. Mosby announced charges for six police officers in May, marking a dramatic change from how similar cases had been handled in other cities. While the legal proceedings are still ongoing, Mosby has become a folk hero of sorts, impressing the country with her tough, straightforward approach to the case. (credit:Baltimore Sun via Getty Images)
Fed Chair Janet Yellen(07 of11)
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The first woman to lead the Federal Reserve Board is also one of the most powerful people in the world. Last year, Yellen oversaw the Fed's decision to raise interest rates for the first time in nearly a decade -- a pivotal decision that highlighted just how important she is in the world economy. She's also no stranger to breaking barriers: She started her career as the only woman in her Ph.D. class, and continued to take on traditionally male-dominated centers of power like Berkeley's Haas School of Business, the White House Council of Economic Advisers and the San Francisco Fed. (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Seattle City Council Member Kshama Sawant(08 of11)
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Before Bernie Sanders brought his brand of democratic socialism to the national stage, Kshama Sawant made headlines as the first socialist in more than a century to sit on Seattle's city council. Sawant played a critical role in the city's successful fight for a $15 minimum wage, and is now pushing for increased funding for affordable housing.

"This did not happen because the government suddenly decided to care about workers," Sawant told The Huffington Post last year about the wage push. "We made it happen. We left them with no choice. They could either support us or be swept aside into the dustbin of history. That is how it's going to be." (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez (R)(09 of11)
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Martinez, a lawyer and former district attorney, became the nation's first female Hispanic governor in 2011. She's also the first woman to ever hold the post in New Mexico. In 2013, she signed the Fair Pay for Women Act, which makes it easier for New Mexico women to challenge their employers on pay discrimination. She's also stood up to GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump on his anti-immigrant rhetoric, calling his comments "horrible" and "uncalled for." (credit:MCT via Getty Images)
Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.)(10 of11)
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Meng, long an equal pay advocate, has recently taken on a less publicized issue of equality: the "tampon tax." In February, she introduced a bill that would allow women to purchase feminine hygiene products with funds in their untaxed health care spending accounts, making the necessary products more affordable for all women. She's also called on New York lawmakers to eliminate the sales tax on these products. (credit:Bill Clark via Getty Images)
California State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D)(11 of11)
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Jackson has served in the state Senate for less than four years, but in that time has introduced a slew of progressive bills geared at advancing women's equality and opportunities. She's championed paid family leave, child care programs and stronger responses to sexual assaults on community college campuses. And thanks to Jackson, California now has one of the toughest equal pay laws in the nation.

"We need more women to run for office and more women to serve in the legislature," she said in an interview last year. "I believe our state will be stronger and better for it." (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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