Women, throughout history, have always either served in the shadows of men or had their efforts usurped. However, even the strong women who had their merits stripped from them and erased from history books, always remained resilient because they knew that one day, all that work would enable other women to be heard. Arguably, women in the 21st century have it best than at any other point in time, where even though we still haven't fully achieved the entirety of the goals the feminist movement has been fighting for, we've managed to break the glass ceiling pretty often - all while donning our heels and makeup.

I could name beautiful, powerful and inspiring women all day long, but recently one audacious and irreverent one has been gaining my respect and admiration more and more each day. Regardless of what most people and their archaic views might think, Chelsea Handler is currently one of the most iconic women taking the world by storm. After many years working for E! Entertainment Television, Chelsea has finally landed her own talk show on Netflix where her blunt, crude and cunning humor has shown us the fully formed version of who she really is.

Stripped of network restrictions, Chelsea has finally been allowed to be her full self and explore different angles of her skills as a talk show host. Accompanied on stage by her faithful Chunky (the delightful German Shepherd-Chow Chow mix, one of her three pups), Chelsea is now in full-frontal comedic mode. Paving the way for women, especially in the television business, is no easy feat, which says a whole lot about Handler's strong personality where, despite usually being the only woman in a room full of men, she has managed to gain respect, admiration and praise for her work. When asked how difficult it was to achieve the status and esteem she has today, Chelsea talked a lot about how, even though you'll get shut down time and time again, all it takes is one "yes" and someone believing in your potential. “They said no, female late night shows don’t work. I had one person who said they do work, and it was a man. He said 'it’s going to work and she has a different point of view.' I think the most important thing, whatever your profession is, is if you do something really well, people will recognize it," she recounts.

As a millennial woman, I see a lot of myself in Chelsea, even though her humor and lifestyle aren't necessarily everyone's cup of tea. Yet, to me, that's the catch - she is who she is to the very core and doesn't apologize for being true to herself. As any good comedian goes, Chelsea has made her fair share of offensive and rather inappropriate jokes she's had to retract, however, she recognizes and takes responsibility for anything she says - and anything she doesn't apologize for she stands by her opinions diligently. “I come from the school of making fun of as many people as possible all the time, no political correctness, and I think that’s helpful,” Handler claims over a dinner table conversation featured in one of the recent episodes of her documentary series on Netflix Chelsea Does....

Political correctness controversies aside, Chelsea Handler is one of my most esteemed role models because, simply put, she doesn't give a single f*** when it comes to what's expected of her. At this day and age, women have been changing the game and taking charge over the lives they want to live. Unlike most women out there, Chelsea isn't too keen on having children of her own or paying attention to anyone else's children, for that matter, and yet she's been constantly berated for her stance on motherhood and the lifestyle she choses to live. Unafraid of criticism, Chelsea addresses these issues head on; she makes it clear she's not interested in having kids or a family, and that her "modern lifestyle" is no one else's business but her own.

She also remains true to other aspects of her life that most people wouldn't necessarily consider orthodox. Again, she takes accountability for the things she says and does, which comes as no surprise when she openly speaks on her interest in drugs and alcohol. During one of her documentary episodes, Chelsea does a whole plethora of drugs and even goes as far as traveling to Peru to do Ahyuasca with a group of friends. "I know what people think of me. I'm not an idiot. I'm sure they think I drink too much," she says. "People never show you the ugly side of things. ... But I can be myself and have my same personality and explore richer or more interesting topics," she asserts. Handler has never been one to hide anything or be ashamed of who she is, and, despite knowing her life beyond the cameras can get a bit too offbeat at times, she admits to drinking and partying until 4am, but is also the person who will show up to work at 8am ready to get down to business.

Her dysfunctional yet productive and successful life has inspired me in ways I could've never imagined. Handler is a true testament to female empowerment in the media where, despite saying certain things I might not agree with 100%, still acknowledges who she is and takes accountability for everything she's said and done. Her honesty, her sheer passion for comedy and creativity and her true dedication to her craft have made her into the amazing, prowess idol she is today. Chelsea is the epitome of the modern woman who isn't afraid of exposing her vulnerable, raw self and doesn't care whether you like her or not - what she cares about is doing her job and doing it better than anyone else.