Who created the medicine for malaria and epileptic diseases? A woman.
Who created the first modern computer? A woman.
Who …. A woman.
Solely being a woman has been an obstacle for centuries, and for many, it still is today. Men have overshadowed women, ideas have been stolen, and women have been portrayed as incompetent.
Here below, we will raise awareness to women you might know, as well as some you won’t…
Here are significant women A through Z
Asima Chatterjee
Asima Chatterjee was the first woman to graduate with a doctorate in science in India. She was also the first woman to be elected into the Indian Science Congress Association as General President. She managed to create anti-malaria and anti-epileptic medicines as well as figuring out how to slow down cancer cell division.
“You cannot force me to marriage! I want to become a doctor!”
-Balkissa Chaibu
Balkissa Chaibu is a Nigerian activist who, when she was 12, got the news she was to get married to one of her cousins. Chaibu wanted to become a doctor, and if she were to marry, studying would be impossible. She was determined to fight for her rights. Now, Chaibu works with supporting other girls to say “no” and has addressed reducing maternal mortality to the UN.
“I will not be triumphed over”
-Cleopatra
Cleopatra dominated the political scene during her reign in Egypt 51-30 BC. She spoke 8 languages and managed an alliance with Julius Caesar. She was a powerful queen, warrior, and politician while being a woman.
“Anywhere I see suffering, that is where I want to be, doing what I can”
-Princess Diana
Princess Diana, a princess of Wales, used her status to complete charity work all over the world and was beloved by, many say, everyone. She worked hard to support the homeless, the disabled, and people suffering from AIDs. Princess Diana was one of the first public figures to shake hands with an AIDs patient without gloves.
“If I had done this” doesn’t exist. Life is full of surprises and failures; not everything leads you to success; that’s why you need to take the fear in your hands and keep moving,”
-Eufrosina Cruz
Eufrosina Cruz became the first Indigenous woman of Mexico to enter Oaxan politics. She fought for gender equality and justice for the rights of indigenous women. Cruz also managed a reform in her country’s constitution. To do this, she ran away from her family at 11, not wanting to marry a stranger before becoming a teenager.
“When anyone tells me I can’t do anything…I’m just not listening anymore”
-Florence Griffith Joyner, also known as Flo-Jo
Florence Joyner broke the world record for the 100m sprint in 1988, running the distance in 10.49 seconds. She still holds that record today.
“A ship in port is safe, but that is not what ships are for”
-Grace Hopper
Grace Hopper helped create and develop the first modern electrical computer, the Mark I. Along with this, she created the word “bug” to describe a malfunction in electric devices. Hopper also invented the first computer compiler.
“The power to question is the basis of all human progress”
-Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi was the first female prime minister of India. When in office, she was often not given all of the information from her male counterparts, all due to her being a woman. However, she managed to lead the country through the Green Revolution, transforming India into a self-sufficient country and improving its economy.
Jingū Kogo
Jingū Kogo was an empress of Japan, ruling for over 60 years, 201-269 AD. When rebels killed her husband, she dressed up as a man and single-handedly led a battle that defeated them. She is also known to have created the feud between Korea and Japan.
“Do not think your single vote does not matter much. The rain that refreshes the parched ground is made up of single drops”
-Kate Sheppard
Kate Sheppard was a feminist activist who managed to stun a government entirely consisting of men. She did so with parchments of signatures from women demanding voting rights. This invoked voting rights for women for the first time in the world – in New Zealand.
Lella Lombardi
“Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood”
-Marie Curie
Marie Curie was the first woman to win a noble prize and is still the first and only woman to receive two of them. She discovered two elements, radium and polonium, as well as changed our perception of radioactivity forever. Her discoveries had a significant impact on cancer research.
“This is such an important moment for Japanese women, and women around the world; and I hope it’s an inspiration to a young girl with big dreams to know that anything is possible,”
-Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka is currently 26 and is a four-time Grand Slam singles champion, with two Australian Open and two US Open titles. She is also an advocate for all by using her platform on the world stage to bring attention to global issues like gender inequality.
“One shouldn’t be afraid to lose; this is sport. One day you win; another day you lose. Of course, everyone wants to be the best. This is normal. This is what sport is about. This is why I love it.”
– Oksana Baiul
Oksana is a retired competitives professional figure skater. She is the 1993 world champion and the 1994 Olympic champion in ladies’ singles. At only 16 she was the first and only skater to win a gold medal for Ukraine in the winter olympics. Doing all of this while fighting adversity in her life with no family left.
“Education has always been very important to me. It means you don’t have to depend on anyone else.”
– Priyanka Chopra
She does it all as an actress, a model, and a national ambassador to UNICEF. Priyanka Chopra is also a huge advocate for women’s rights and gender equality. She is unafraid to voice her opinions and has explored her every passion. Priyanka Chopra is a role model and an inspiration to many.
“When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future.”
– Queen Elizabeth II
The longest and most loved monarch in British history is Queen Elizabeth. Holding a nation together during tough times. Working with over 500 charities worldwide and respected by many. She came into power at only 25, and the first thing she did was have a radio broadcast to inspire the people. Loved by many, she was recognised as a good monarch and the eight queen of England.
“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.”
– Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks’s story is quite well-known by many—just one simple word sparking a civil rights movement. Just a normal woman who was too tired to stand. Most of us don’t go out one day and expect to do something that will be remembered almost 69 years later. But, she just proves that if you are brave and you stand up for what you believe in then you can cause something amazing.
“If you have two friends in your lifetime, you’re lucky. If you have one good friend, you’re more than lucky.”
– Susan Eloise Hinton
Known to many by her pen name, S. E. Hinton wrote a classic young adult novel known by many called The Outsiders. At 15, Susan was frustrated by the social divisions between the rich and the poor in her school, so she decided to write a book that has sold over 15 million copies. Choosing to publish the book under a pen name because people at the time would not read a book written by women she defied those prejudices by writing a book so relevant that it is still read today. “Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold.”
“My greatest beauty secret is being happy with myself. It’s a mistake to think you are what you put on yourself. I believe that a lot of how you look has to do with how you feel about yourself and your life.”
– Tina Turner
Her story is about survival, endurance and perseverance. The Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll and one of the biggest stars of the 1980s Tina Turner, will always be remembered for her amazing music. Never letting her personal and professional struggles define her, Tina rose and became a star. Because of this, she is a huge inspiration for domestic abuse survivors.
“Work for something because it is good, not just because it stands a chance to succeed.”
– Ursula Von Der Leyen
Ursula Von Der Leyen is the 13th president of the European Commission. Also, she held many positions in the German government, making a name for herself as a successful politician. Fighting for democratic reform in the EU, she has made many changes. Also, acquiring a medical license before becoming a politician.
“There is no problem in science that can be solved by a man that cannot be solved by a woman.”
– Vera Rubin
Vera Rubin was an American astronomer who discovered dark matter. She broke many boundaries and had no shame for doing it. She was an inspiration to many women because she started working at a time when women were not welcomed in the sciences. Becoming the first woman to legally use a telescope was a huge thing because it meant she was at the front of any research that could be done. She showed that a woman could do anything that a man could do.
“When we plant trees, we plant the seeds of peace and hope.”
– Wangari Maathai
Wangari Maathai is a Kenyan social activist and starter of the Green Belt Movement. Fighting for women’s rights and the environment, she was the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. Planting trees helped not only the environment but also ended some poverty. Planting over thirty million trees in thirty years, she helped refores Kenya and started a movement that effects seen all around.
“Stubborn optimism really means to not give up. I can tell you that I will never give up because there’s always something to fight for.”
– Xiye Bastida
At only 21, Xiye Bastida is a Chilean-Mexican climate activist. She is a leader in a movement to address the problems of climate change, and she has talked to many world leaders. She drives others to stand and change the world by calling for climate action and seeing the first-hand effects of pollution and climate change.
“I won’t cry, you know. We were trained not to,”
– Yvonne Cormeau
At a time when women were not allowed to fight for their countries, she became a wireless operator for the SOE. The Special Operations Executive, also known as Churchill’s Secret Agents, recruited both women and men to carry out missions and gather intel in Nazi-occupied countries. Yvonne sent messages to the British when she was in France at one point, almost being caught after being shot in the leg. Having one of the most dangerous jobs in the war, she fought for her country, defying any boundaries that ensured she could not.
“Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold.”
– Zelda Fitzgerald
Zelda Fitzgerald is the wife of the author F. Scott Fitzgerald, and she is rumored to have created the content of his books. The most famous book, The Great Gatsby, especially has these rumors surrounding the character Daisy, and that her husband took material from her. However, she never got any credit for this, and when she attempted to write her own books, they didn’t do as well as her husband’s.
– Jia and Elsa
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