# @sarablakely on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddm_RKIsGOv
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/70872360-sarablakely-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/1002b5bcb4.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-09-23T00:13:43.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Sara Blakely (@sarablakely) — https://gondola.cc/sarablakely

## Caption

Today is American Business Women’s Day, and I keep thinking about how recently women could be required to have a man’s signature to get a business loan.

Some states still required women to have a husband or other male relative co-sign a business loan until 1988?! What?! That was only 12 years before I started spanx.

The progress came in steps. In 1974, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act made it illegal to deny women credit or require a male co-signer simply because they were women. Then, in 1988, the Women’s Business Ownership Act eliminated state laws requiring a husband or other male relative to co-sign a woman’s business loan - and expanded support for women entrepreneurs.

Not that long ago, a woman’s ability to access credit could depend on a man’s signature instead of her own ambition and ability to build. 🤯

Think of all the businesses, ideas, and inventions that may not have had the chance to exist before then.

I’m a big believer that the more women-owned businesses we have in this world, the better. ❤️

Tag a woman whose business you’re so glad exists. ⬇️ 

#AmericanBusinessWomensDay #WomenOwnedBusiness #FemaleEntrepreneur

## Stats

- **Views:** 200,811
- **Likes:** 7,497
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 618

## Tags

femaleentrepreneur, womenownedbusiness, americanbusinesswomensday

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