Watch Shonda Rhimes' Totally Empowering Women In Entertainment Speech

Watch Shonda Rhimes' Totally Empowering Women In Entertainment Speech
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER - Shonda Rhimes accepts the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award at a celebration of The Hollywood Reporter's Power 100 Women in Entertainment breakfast at Milk Studios on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Vince Bucci/Invision for The Hollywood Reporter/AP Images)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER - Shonda Rhimes accepts the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award at a celebration of The Hollywood Reporter's Power 100 Women in Entertainment breakfast at Milk Studios on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Vince Bucci/Invision for The Hollywood Reporter/AP Images)

Shonda Rhimes received the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award at The Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment breakfast on Wednesday, and in a speech that jumped from humility to Beyoncé, she inspired everyone from executives to stars to us teary-eyed reporters.

As the writer and producer of "Grey's Anatomy," "Scandal" and "How To Get Away With Murder," Rhimes told the room, "I haven't broken through any glass ceilings."

She continued and explained why:

This moment right here, me standing up here all brown with my boobs and my Thursday night of network television full of women of color, competitive women, strong women, women who own their bodies and whose lives revolve around their work instead of their men, women who are big dogs, that could only be happening right now.

Think about it.

Look around this room. It’s filled with women of all colors in Hollywood who are executives and heads of studios and VPs and show creators and directors. There are a lot of women in Hollywood in this room who have the game-changing ability to say yes or no to something.

15 years ago, that would not have been as true.

The rest of the speech, which is just as powerful, was posted by Rhimes to Medium. Head there to read it in full, or watch the complete version below:

Before You Go

1. They speak out about domestic violence.
"Financial abuse leaves invisible bruises that can take decades to heal."-- Kerry Washington in a September 2014 PSA on domestic abuse.
2. They challenge racial stereotypes and urge us to do better.
"We're in crisis mode as black actresses. Not only in the sheer number of roles that are offered and that are out there, but the quality of the roles." -- Viola Davis on Oprah's OWN, June 2013.
3. They want TV to reflect what we see in real life.

"Thank god Shonda Rhimes had this agenda to make television look like life, to make it look like the real world." -- Ellen Pompeo in a September 2014 interview with Buzzfeed Brews.
4. They encourage women to be successful.
"I work for a woman [Shonda Rhimes], who, because of her courage to step into her light, and step up and own her voice, has provided an opportunity for so many other women to soar in front of and behind the camera ... When we step up for ourselves, we create opportunity." -- Kerry Washington in her acceptance speech for the 2014 Women in Film Lucy Award for Excellence in Television.
5. They know when they've earned something -- and they're not afraid to say it.

"I want to be number one on the call sheet. I feel that I've worked long enough and hard enough that I deserve that." -- Viola Davis in a September 2014 interview with Buzzfeed Brews.
6. They use their influence to advocate for diversity.

“I’m extremely proud of our very, very diverse cast which represents the world that I walk around in every day.. I didn't see it last night when I watched the Emmys.” -- Ellen Pompeo in a September 2013 interview with the AP.
7. They support a woman's right to choose.
"[Mitt Romney] said he'd overturn Roe v. Wade." -- Kerry Washington in a 2012 political advertisement urging women to vote.
8. They fight for women of color.

"What keeps me in the business is hope. And that's the hope that women of color are also a part of the narrative." -- Viola Davis in her honoree speech for ELLE's 2011 Women In Hollywood event.
And just to get extra excited for Shonda Thursdays, here's a sneak peek of the three leading ladies teasing their new shows with Shonda Rhimes herself.
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