We can do it: these 35 women helped change the world
No use denying: the world is full of wonderful women who struggle against social impositions, seek to achieve real gender equity and, in a way, help make the planet a better place for all who live on it. And if these women exist, why do we talk so little about them? How about changing this pattern and knowing a little about great real-life heroines?
1 - Sappho: the poet of 570 BC was one of the first women to have her texts published. Plato once placed her among the top 10 poets of all time.
2 - Hildegarda de Bingen: This religious, writer and composer who lived between 1098 and 1179 spent most of her time in prison. Although he had little contact with the outside world, Hildegarda made important remarks about him, especially considering the period in which they were written. She was often consulted by kings, influential people, and even the Pope for advice.
3 - Leonor of Aquitaine: The first French queen drew attention for being extremely well articulated in her political relations, influencing not only her country, but also much of Europe, through the diplomatic relations she maintained during her life.
4 - Joan of Arc: responsible for mobilizing the French population in the fight against the English occupation, Joan of Arc is one of the main heroines of history, having developed her social conscience from a young age. The fact that it was burned alive only helped spread its ideals around the world. Today Joan of Arc is considered a saint of the Catholic Church.
Mary Wollstonecraft: The English writer is one of the first authors of the feminist movement. A strong advocate for women's rights, Mary proposed different, more politicized models of education that valued women's intelligence. If you have the slightest interest in the feminist cause, be sure to study the legacy left by this writer.
6. Jane Austen: In a world that has never given women the same opportunities as men, being a writer and publishing books in the eighteenth century was a daunting task. Still, Jane Austen has written wonderful works such as Pride and Prejudice and Emma.
7 - Margaret Fuller: Another big name for feminism, Margaret Fuller is a well-known author. In her 1845 book Women in the Nineteenth Century, the author proposes a social review of the role of women, which should be more independent.
Harriet Beecher Stowe: One of the leading advocates of the abolition of slavery worldwide, Harriet Beecher was one of Abraham Lincoln's favorite authors.
9 - Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Another women's rights activist and a leading name on the subject, especially in the US.
10 - Queen Victoria: Her reign of almost 64 years was the longest in the history of the United Kingdom. Victoria was undoubtedly of utmost importance to British political formation, and her leadership could not leave her out of this list of great women.
Florence Nightingale: Known for playing a more humanitarian role as a nurse in the Crimean War, Florence has inspired others, and thanks to her, treatments for wounded soldiers around the world have improved considerably.
Susan B. Anthony: Another name linked to social causes, feminist activism, and against slavery, Susan Anthony also advocated labor rights and women's right to vote. Susan became known in the US mainly for giving several lectures on female protagonism - this in the 19th century.
13 - Emily Dickinson: If you like poetry, you've certainly heard about this author, who spent her entire life in seclusion and had her work published only after she died. It is considered a source of inspiration mainly to 20th century poets.
14 - Emmeline Pankhurst: This British suffragette devoted her life to fighting for equal rights, participating in all kinds of protest, even giving public demonstrations and hunger strikes. Emmeline died in 1928, three weeks before the vote for women over 21 was approved in the UK.
Marie Curie: This scientist was the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize and the first person in the world to receive it twice in different categories: she was awarded a degree in physics, for her studies on radioactivity, and in chemistry. As if that weren't enough, Marie Curie helped develop the first X-ray machines.
16 - Emily Murphy: The British Empire's first magistrate joined forces with a group of Canadian women in 1927 to change Canadian law that said "women should not be counted as people." Thank you, Emily Murphy.
17. Rosa Luxemburg: This German activist sought to make a Marxist revolution in her country, always positioning herself against German imperialism and in favor of international socialism. She was brutally murdered in 1919 while trying to leverage a revolution in Germany.
18 - Helena Rubinstein: This woman was responsible for creating the world's first cosmetics company. Business made her rich, and Helena used her fortune to do social work for education, art, and health.
19 - Coco Chanel: One of the biggest names in the fashion world, Coco began her career in a revolutionary way, adapting traditionally male clothing models to the female audience. We thank you.
20 - Eleanor Roosevelt: The wife of President FD Rosevelt, Eleanor also had great political prominence, especially in the field of Human Rights, an area to which she devoted her entire life. Member of the UN, the organization he helped found, is directly involved with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It came to be known as "First Lady of the World."
Annie Besant: An activist in defense of social justice and women's rights, Annie Besant was one of the people who defended India's independence.
22 - Katharine Hepburn: The 12-time Oscar-nominated actress who has brought the statuette home four times has caught the eye for being a woman ahead of her time. Of unconventional behavior, it helped to question the social role of women.
Simone de Beauvoir: It is simply impossible to make a list of the most important women in history without mentioning Simone de Beauvoir, one of the great names of the 20th century, especially with regard to feminist causes.
24 - Mother Teresa: The nun became world-famous thanks to her dedication to the needy population, especially in Calcutta. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
25 - Dorothy Hodgkin: If medicine today has important substances like penicillin and insulin, it is thanks to Dorothy Hodgkin, who won the Nobel Prize in chemistry for her studies. In addition, she devoted much of her life to preaching for peace and nuclear disarmament.
Eva Peron: Idolized by the people of Argentina, Eva Peron is known worldwide for her struggles for the rights of the poor and gender equality.
27 - Anne Frank: When she was just 13 years old, Anne wrote thrilling and profound accounts of the Nazi nightmare faced during World War II. She definitely could not be left out of this list.
28 - Audrey Hepburn: The beautiful actress of hits like "Little Doll Luxury" was known for her beauty and elegance, but proved that what was beautiful went beyond appearance. After ending her acting career, Audrey went on to do humanitarian work alongside UNICEF.
29 - Wangari Maathai: Born in Kenya, Wangari became known worldwide thanks to her environmentalist, pro-democratic and feminist activism. She is one of the Nobel Peace Prize winners.
30 - Billie Jean King: Recognized as one of the best tennis players in the world, the athlete is also a feminist activist and has long struggled for equal pay between men and women. Gender pay inequality is still a reality, including in Brazil.
31 - Shirin Ebadi: This Iranian lawyer is known for fighting for Human Rights in her country. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003.
32 - Benazir Bhutto: The first woman to be prime minister of a Muslim country was responsible for making changes to the political system of Pakistan, which was from dictatorship to democracy in her government. In addition, Benazir is known for her social work, especially with the neediest people and women. She died murdered in 2007.
Princess Diana: Known for her involvement in volunteer work, Diana was never unpopular, not even with the problems she faced in her marriage to Prince Charles. More than any chauvinism that always considers woman responsible for marital failure, Diana's sympathy and the sweetness with which she dealt with the poor ended happily.
34 - Tegla Loroupe: Famous for being the best female marathon runner in the world, Tegla has collected track and field titles and since her retirement has devoted her life to promoting discussions about women's education and rights. A native of Kenya, she has set up a foundation in her country to help victims of conflict.
35 - Malala Yousafzai: Nobel Peace Prize winner is a young Pakistani woman who survived after being shot in the head. The event sealed the beginning of its struggle for women's rights, especially with regard to education.
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The list was long, we know, but we couldn't stop mentioning these women. Have you heard about them all? Remember another important name? Tell us in the comments!
* Posted on 12/12/2016
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