WOMEN WHO HAVE CHANGED THE WORLD
Women from all over the world have been fighting for equal rights for themselves since the beginning of time. Yes, we're still often faced with disgusting discrimination on the basis of sex. But real progress has been made. Women have made extraordinary contributions to their societies. These women who broke all gender stereotypes are taking to move beyond the domination ideology of patriarchy.
Here is the list of Women in History who brought the revolution in the women rights:
Joan of Arc (c.1412-1431)
Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans," was born in 1412, in Domremy, France. The daughter of poor tenant farmers Jacques d’ Arc and his wife, Isabelle, also known as Romée, Joan learned piety and domestic skills from her mother. Never venturing far from home, Joan took care of the animals and became quite skilled as a seamstress.
In April 1429, Charles allowed the 17 years old Joan to accompany the French army to Orléans, which was under siege from the English. Martyr, saint and military leader Joan of Arc, acting under divine guidance, led the French army to victory over the English during the Hundred Years' War.
On May 29, 1431, the tribunal announced Joan of Arc was guilty of heresy. Following a trial in Rouen, Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake on 30 May 1431. Charles VII later ordered an investigation into her death, and in 1456, she was declared innocent of all charges and designated a martyr.
Princess Pingyang (590s-623)
Were it not for Princess Pingyang, there would have been no Tang Dynasty, remembered as the golden age of imperial China. Pingyang was one of 18 daughters of Li Yuan, a nobleman in the short-lived Sui Dynasty. Together with her father, Pingyang fought to overthrow the ineffectual Sui.
She herself fought in many of the battles and was hugely instrumental in their ultimate victory. Li Yuan declared the Tang Dynasty with himself as its first emperor and made Pingyang his princess, the only one of his daughters to receive that title. Though a woman, she was honored with a grand military funeral upon her death, much to the disgust of the Ministry of Rites, who said that women’s funerals were not supposed to have bands. She was no ordinary woman, her father argued.
Emmeline Pankhurst (1858-1928)
Emmeline Pankhurst was a founding member of a group of women called the Suffragettes, who fought incredibly hard to get women the right to vote in the UK.They often used violent and extreme tactics to do this, and Emmeline was no stranger to a prison cell because of this.
When World War One broke out, however, she recognised that she should help with the war effort, and she encouraged other Suffragettes to do the same.
While the men were away fighting in the war, many women like Emmeline took on jobs that men would traditionally do. They earned lots of respect doing this and it showed just how much women contributed to society - and, therefore, deserved the vote.
In 1918, a law was passed which allowed certain women the right to vote. This was a big step in equality between men and women - and many would argue that, for a large part of this, we have Emmeline to thank.
Ching Shih (1775–1844)
Not only was Ching Shih a pirate, she is considered to be the most successful pirate in history. At the peak of her reign, she commanded a fleet of over 300 ships, manned by 20,000-40,000 pirates. Her rise began with her marriage to notorious pirate Cheng I. Six years after their marriage, Cheng I died, and Ching Shih really began to command power. Through a series of political maneuvers, she entered into conflict with the British and Portuguese empires as well as the reigning Qing Dynasty, out of all of which she exited triumphant. She has been portrayed several times in pop culture, including in the blockbuster film Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.
Marie Curie (1867–1934)
Marie Skłodowska Curie changed the world not once but twice. She founded the new science of radioactivity – even the word was invented by her – and her discoveries launched effective cures for cancer.
“Curie boasts an extraordinary array of achievements,” says Patricia Fara, president of the British Society for the History of Science, who nominated the Polish-born French scientist. “She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, first female professor at the University of Paris, and the first person – note the use of person there, not woman – to win a second Nobel Prize.”
Despite becoming ill from the radioactive materials she constantly handled, Curie never lost her determination to excel in the scientific career that she loved. Her memory is preserved by the cancer society that bears her name and continues to help terminally ill patients all over the world.
Coco Chanel (1883-1971)
From science to one of the most iconic brands in the fashion world - Coco Chanel was a woman who changed the face of fashion forever. She was born in France and taught herself to sew at a young age - something that would certainly come in handy later on!
She opened her first shop in the early 1900s, starting off by designing hats. She soon turned her attention to clothes too and, by the 1920s, launched her first perfume.
Ever heard of the saying the 'little black dress', also known as the LBD? Yep, you have Coco Chanel to thank for that.
She led the way in luxury fashion and today her brand - led by its creative director Karl Lagerfeld - sells clothes, perfume, handbags and watches. Almost 100 years after it was first created, Chanel No 5 is still probably the world's most famous perfume!
Amelia Bloomer (1818-1894)All from one hat shop, Chanel is now worth billions of pounds, so it's safe to say she had one heck of an impact!
Bloomerism - fashion not only changes lives, it changes history. Library of Congress.
Bloomers became popular because Bloomer and her friends (whom she had met at the Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848) started wearing them. Bloomers were more practical than the fashion of the time: heavy skirts, petticoats and whalebone corsets. Also, it’s much easier to ride a bicycle and keep your modesty with pants underneath your multiple skirts.
Bloomer became known as an advocate for rational dress reform and is proof that fashion not only changes lives, it also changes history.
Toshiko Kishida (1863–1901)
In September 2016, it was announced that Mother Teresa was being named as a Saint - so she is certainly deserving of a place on this list. At the age of 12, Teresa - who was a Roman Catholic - decided that she wanted to go to India to spread the Christian message and help people.So this she did.
In 1929, she travelled to India and she ended up dedicating her life to helping poor people, particularly in the Indian city of Kolkata. She described her work as God's work. While she was there, she started something called the Missionaries of Charity. This group now has thousands of people in almost 90 countries helping people living in poverty all over the world.
In 1979 she received the Nobel Peace Prize for her work. She asked that the big dinner to mark this was cancelled and all of the money given to the poor people of Kolkata.It is said that she only had two possessions of her own - a bucket and two saris. To this day, she is remembered by how much she loved and cared for people, and praised as a Saint.
Hillary Clinton: (1947 - present day)
One woman whose name you will probably have heard many times over the last couple of years is Hillary Clinton.
That's because she made history back in July 2016 when she became the first woman from one of America's two main political parties to be chosen to run for the job of president. She was representing the Democrats - the same party as the president at the time, Barack Obama.
While she did not win the presidential race - the Republican candidate Donald Trump got the top job - she inspired millions of girls and women all over the world.
At the end of 2017, she sat down with a group of young girls for Teen Vogue. She told the group that she did not plan to go for the job again, but that she would be supporting other people who wanted to do it - especially young women.
So it sounds like she has ambitions to leave her mark on the future too.
Oprah Winfrey (1954 - present day)
One woman who is rarely away from the headlines is media legend Oprah Winfrey.
She started off her TV career when she was just a teenager, becoming the youngest person - and first African-America woman - to read the main news on a channel in the city of Nashville in America at the age of 19.
Now, she is the one of the world's most famous and most-loved interviewers.
She first became famous in 1986 with the Oprah Winfrey Show. It ran for 25 years before she turned her success into her own TV channel - the Oprah Winfrey Network.
She has also done a huge amount of charity work, including setting up two of her own foundations and donating millions of her own money.
Some people think that after giving a powerful speech at an awards ceremony in America recently that she should run to be the next US president. Whether or not she will do that, only Oprah knows.
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