Women Worth Celebrating

You might be wondering why I have devoted a list specifically to women worth celebrating. After all, we make up around half of the population, why do we need to be singled out for recognition?

There have been huge successes within gender equality, but despite that, misogyny is still a significant issue. After all, the internet allowed Andrew Tate to become some sort of ‘idol’. This not only damaging to young women, but even the vulnerable men susceptible to his ridiculous ideas.

Around the world, women are still prone to violence, sexual assault, prohibited from accessing education, harassed in professional environments and face gender discrimination consistently. We are paid less than our male counterparts, studies showing that we are 14% less likely to be considered for leadership roles.

This showing how sexism is embedded within society, women consistently judged as inferior to men.

Because of this, we must celebrate women and their achievements every single day. Innovators. Leaders. Entrepreneurs. Scientists. Women are deserving of appreciations, continuously contributing to society. Without them, the world wouldn’t look like how it does now.

Openly discussing the achievements of women will continue to promote gender equality, transforming the world into one where young girls feel proud of their identity, where they are aware of their ability to accomplish whatever their heart desires. If we can break down stereotypes and foster an inclusive, respecting environment where women are valued, we will further dismiss sexist agendas trying to prohibit our success.

You’ve felt overwhelmed when looking at the news, right?

Most of us have. Global pandemics, wars and deaths of long – reigning monarchs are hard to avoid. In fact, the Mental Health Foundation’s 2018 study showed that around 74% of people feel so stressed when consuming the news, they feel unable to cope.

There is a real lack of positivity within the media and as humans, we tend to focus on the negatives. In the first year of COVID alone, we saw a rise in anxiety / depression by 25%. Yet again, this justifies why we need to celebrate success, helping to combat these negative feelings.

Positive news is beyond beneficial for not only our mental wellbeing, but even our physical health.

Celebrating success releases dopamine, a neuro-happy chemical that further benefits our mental health and promotes an optimistic outlook,.uUltimately making us feel good. Studies showed that those with highly optimistic attitudes had a 30% lower risk of developing heart disease and a significantly lower risk of deaths from heart attacks and strokes.

Believe me yet?

Now, this was originally supposed to be a list of 50 inspirational women, but I was physically incapable of narrowing down my list. This shows just how many incredible women are out there, many I didn’t even know about, but are so worthy of celebrating.

Come back to this list as you please. Sometimes we need a little ‘pick me up’, needing to remind ourselves of uplifting stories. Feel free to leave a comment below, telling us a woman worth celebrating, that we may have missed, but you believe are worthy of recognition.

1. Gloria Steinem – A political activist, known for her work within the Women’s Liberation Movement. She created the first feminist magazine, ‘Ms.’, launching groups dedicated to progressing civil rights.

2. Millicent Fawcett – The leader of the constitutional faction of the British Women’s Suffrage Movement. She fought for women’s education, campaigning for equality and achieving the vote. The Fawcett Society continues campaigning in her legacy.

3. Ada Lovelace – The world’s first computer programmer. During 1843, women couldn’t access proper education, let alone scientific, yet she managed to pioneer the development of computer science.

4. Naomi Parker – An American war worker, best known as the model for the infamous ‘We Can Do It!’ poster. Inspiring endless women to join the WW2 workforce when men went to war. A symbol that changed the way women were seen.

5. Olive Morris – An organiser and fighter against racism, gender injustice and oppression. She campaigned vigorously for access to education, improved living conditions for Black communities and fought against police repression.

6. Ashley Graham – An activist, empowering millions of women to love their bodies. She became the first plus size model on the cover of Vogue in 2017. She presents TEDx Talks and founded a brand advocating for non-conventional models.

7. Bell Hooks – An activist who influenced generations of individuals. She fought to abolish gender-based violence, misogyny and discrimination. She helped to integrate intersectionality into society, changing the experience of womanhood.

8. Alicia Garza – A writer and advocate known for co-founding the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement. Her initial post on Facebook sparked the notorious hashtag, facilitating the integration of racial justice into the mainstream media.

9. Virginia Woolf – A writer who destroyed gender stereotypes through her work. She sowed the seeds for the feminist movement as we know it, writing ground – breaking books, articles and giving lectures on gender equality throughout her life.

10. Beulah Louise Henry – An inventor and entrepreneur who worked hard to create and improve over 100 inventions used within daily life. These prolific inventions include the can opener, typewriter, umbrella and bobbin – free sewing machine.

11. Mary Wollstonecraft – A writer creating one of the first texts within modern feminism, ‘A Vindication of the Rights of Women’. She linked the idea of women as inferior to their inability of having an education. She is also Mary Shelley’s mother.

12. Chloé Zhao – A Chinese-born Academy – Award filmmaker, Chloé was the first Asian woman, second woman overall, to win the Golden Globe for best director. She created films like Nomadland (2020) and Eternals (2021).

13. Florence Nightingale – A front line nurse during the Crimean War, she worked to ensure sanitary conditions. She made handwashing, asepsis / infection control and bathing mandatory. Her work reduced the death rate by two-thirds.

14. Kamala Harris – The first woman, first Black American and first Asian American vice president. She has increased government diversity, appointing many women and people of colour to key positions, and been an outspoken voice for women’s rights.

15. Rosalind Franklin – A scientist, known for her notable work in X-ray diffraction imagery. She discovered the double helix in DNA, her effort ultimately unlocking the mystery of how life is passed through generations.

16. Sally Ride – An astronaut, known as the first American woman in space. She fought for diversity and equity within scientific education. When in space, she worked with robotic arms, using them to help send satellites out.

17. Audrey Hepburn – A renowned actress and huge activist for children’s rights. She became a UNICEF Ambassador, travelling to Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam and Sudan. She worked tirelessly and used her platform to spread awareness.

18. Althea Gibson – The first African American tennis player to win a Grand Slam event. Her impact inspiring many prominent black players, like Arthur Ashe, Zina Garrison and the infamous Williams sisters.

19. Junko Tabei – The first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest. In 1992, she had climbed all Seven Summits, the highest mountain on each continent. This includes Kilimanjaro, Mount Vinson and Denali.

20. Rihanna – A singer and social justice activist, she donated $15 million to fight climate change. She advocates against domestic violence, for systemic change and was the first Global Ambassador for education. Her accomplishments endless.

21. Ruth Bader Ginsburg – A U.S Supreme Court Justice and lawyer. She was a trailblazing advocate for women’s rights, even working as an honorary chair of the World Justice Project. She helped to inspire the rule of law movement.

22. Jane Austen – An author who used her novels, like ‘Pride and Prejudice’, to criticise society’s stereotypes surrounding social class and gender. Her protagonists often defy gender norms, her work exposing inequality faced by women within Regency society.

23. Aretha Franklin – A legendary singer, the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She provided money for civil rights groups supporting protests surrounding injustice. Aretha also won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

24. Arooj Aftab – A presenter and fashion creative who fights to break down barriers within the fashion industry in the aims of inclusivity. Her brand, #donewithdiversity encourages brands and platforms to ensure they are genuinely inclusive.

25. Princess Diana – A powerful activist, known for using her royal platform to support philanthropic matters. She dedicated time and kindness, helping the homeless, disabled, children in need and de-stigmatising HIV/AIDS.

26. Mary Perkins – The founder of Specsavers, Britain’s first female self-made billionaire. Rated, one of the 100 most powerful women in the UK by BBC Radio 4, she was honoured with an EY Entrepreneur of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award.

27. Angela Davis – The writer of ‘Women, Race and Class’, she is known for her tireless involvement within civil rights, black liberation movement and police abolition. She has aided the fight against racism, gender oppression, war and the death penalty.

28. Elizabeth Taylor – The Co-Founder of the American Foundation for AIDS Research, she used her platform to aid in the de-stigmatisation of HIV / AIDS. She worked to provide direct care, support and love to vulnerable patients.

29. Malala Yousafzai – An advocate for human rights, education and abolishing gender oppression. She survived a gunshot wound to the face after she stood up for her beliefs, speaking against the Taliban in her country.

30. Angela Rayner – A politician with an unconventional background. She worked hard to escape her difficult past, leaving school at 16, pregnant and without qualifications. She fights for gender and social class justice, refusing to back down from the fight.

31. Katherine Johnson – An African – American mathematician who worked for NASA. When starting her career in the 1950s she was subject to gender and racial injustice, yet proved her value with major contributions to the industry and first moon landing.

32. Amika George MBE – An activist who campaigns vigorously against period poverty within the UK. She noticed the sigma around menstruation and the inability to afford sanitary products, inspiring her to take action and give vulnerable women a voice.

33. Jane Addams – The first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize for her advancements within pacifism. Her opposition of US involvement during WW1 caused her to be labelled a ‘threat to national security’ yet she continued to advocate for her beliefs.

34. Adèle Haenel – An advocate for injustice within the film industry, left her career in acting as a form of protest. She openly spoke about the capitalist, patriarchal, racist and sexist structure seen within the field, using her platform to spread awareness.

35. Katherine Heigl – An actress who has won awards for her dedication to philanthropy: founding anti – kill charities, working with adoption charities after adopting two children herself and advocating for countless matters. A warrior for all things justice.

36. Irena Sendler – A nurse during WW2. She smuggled thousands of children out of Warsaw, to reach safety, providing them with false identity papers. She was arrested and tortured, eventually sentenced to death without ever revealing the truth.

37. Margaret Sanger – The founder of the birth control movement. She fought against illegal abortions, ultimately opening the first birth control clinic in the US. She was arrested for this yet lobbied consistently for legalisation of contraception.

38. Amber Heard – An extensive ambassador for human rights. She fights tirelessly against domestic violence, poverty, social justice and gender equality, travelling around the world to lend a helping hand.

39. Phillis Wheatley – A poet who used her art to fight against inequality and slavery. One of her notable poems, ‘On Being Brought from Africa to America’. Initially, seen as a threat to society, over time becoming a prominent figure for justice.

40. Benazir Bhutto – The first woman to be elected as Prime Minister in Pakistan, leading a democratic government in a Muslim – majority country. She was seen as a liberal and secularist, chairing the Pakistan People’s party until her assassination.

41. Miriam Makeba – An advocate for liberation, defending the integrity of African identity. When she was exiled from South African, she used her success to spread awareness for the truth behind the government, even delivering UN speeches.

42. Dolly Parton – A singer who rose from poverty, using her platform to provide 850,000 children with free books every month. She donated $1 million towards COVID vaccine research, always using her fame to provide inspirational support.

43. Jane Goodall – A pioneer within the study of chimpanzees, observing their behaviour to further benefit research. Her discoveries within their traits allowing us to understand not only animals, but ourselves.

44. Betty Friedan – An activist for equality, seen at the forefront of American Feminism. Throughout the second wave, she campaigned for equal pay, legalisation of abortion and the ending of sexual harassment within the workplace.

45. Maya Angelou – A transformative visionary, using her poetry to fight for matters important to her. A proclaimed literary revolutionary, she used her talent to discuss the struggles within freedom, justice and equality.

46. Shamsa Araweelo – A survivor of FGM, involuntary marriage and domestic violence, who uses her experiences to educate and share her story. She avidly seeks change, an influencer who organises services for survivors of gender – based abuse.

47. Melinda Gates – A philanthropist known for fighting for empowerment and equality. She has worked to advocate for paid leave, inequity, poverty, disease access to mental support for LGBTQ and POC youth and advocates for more women in politics.

48. Emmeline Pankhurst – A suffragette who played a huge part in the gaining of the women’s right to vote. She campaigned for 40 years, eventually achieving success and aiding British women to further gain freedom and equality.

49. Jacinda Arden – The Prime Minister of New Zealand, her kindness evident within her leadership, her successes endless. She put free period products in schools, marched in a pride parade and launched a wellbeing budget, consistently fighting for justice.

50. Margaret Sanger – The founder of the American Birth Control League, she influenced planned parenthood for how we know it today. She spent decades campaigning for safe birth control, her concerns poverty and childbirth influencing her success.

51. Marie Curie – A physicist and chemist who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. She discovered radium and polonium, aiding the research for cancer. When working on the WW1 frontlines, she created a portable X-ray machine to treat soldiers.

52. Émilie du Châtelet – A philosopher, author, physicist and mathematician who promoted Newton’s theory of gravity to those who were sceptical. She was even rejected from a male only scientific gathering, so left, returning dressed as a man.

53. Wangari Maathai – An activist who pushed for tree planting, environmental conservation and women’s rights. She became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace prize, aiding the development of sustainability and democracy.

54. Harriet Tubman – A nurse during the Civil War, who helped hundreds of enslaved people to gain freedom. She worked as a spy, showing immense courage, persistence and discipline throughout her lifetime, the ‘Moses of her people.’

55. Nellie Bly – A star journalist who piloted the age of investigative journalism. She put her life in danger, going undercover as a patient in a mental health asylum, allowing her to expose the terrible treatment experienced – this improving conditions.

56. Kathryn Bigelow – The first woman to win the Academy Award for best Director, the Directors Guild of America for Outstanding Directing and the BAFTA for Best Direction. She made history within filmmaking, inspiring her fellow female directors.

57. Carol Moseley Braun – The first African – American woman elected in the US Senate and the Democratic Party. Her being elected made history for women of colour, even becoming the first female US Senator from Illinois.

58. Frida Kahlo – An artist who used her talent to de-stigmatise miscarriage, politics, disability, gender norms and sexuality. My personal biggest influence, Frida was openly bisexual, protesting gender norms, paving feminism for how we see it today.

It is so incredibly important to recognise and appreciate the success of not only those around us, but ourselves too. We can advocate for policies that continue supporting women, working towards gender equality within society. Personally, I didn’t know many of the wonderful individuals on this list, but they are so worthy of acknowledgement.

So, how can we continue celebrating women’s achievements?

Acknowledging Workplace Gender Bias

Whether it be subtle micro-aggressions or harmful comments, discrimination can present itself in many ways. Providing training to colleagues helps foster an inclusive environment that supports women.

Promoting Women to Leadership Roles

When we promote a world where women are just as capable of leadership positions as men, we are creating more role models for young girls. Young girls that need the positive representation to benefit their growth. It also inspires us to be better, knowing we are worthy of the same success. Leadership Circle’s study showed that female leaders show up more effectively than their male counterparts within all levels and ages.

Discussing the Achievements of our Peers

When we avidly celebrate the accomplishments of our fellow colleagues, family and friends, we are further de-stigmatising the ideas around success. This continues to make us feel good, promoting better mental wellbeing. When we recognise achievement, we are also able to feel inspired, seeing that progression is possible, and we can follow in our peer’s footsteps.

Encouraging Men to Become Allies

When we involve men in speaking out against gender biases and celebrating female victory, we include them, allowing them to experience some of that dopamine. This inspires them to join us in encouraging success, cultivating a world where the workplace can be inclusive and value all individuals as equal. After all, men are not the enemy – they deserve celebration and education, especially the younger, vulnerable ones.

Oh, also, another one for the list… Yourself. You are just as worthy of celebration as everyone else on this list. Remember to acknowledge the wins in your life, allowing yourself some positivity. Even if it’s the little things, like getting out of bed when you’re struggling – you are worthy of celebration!