While there are infinite ways for a woman to contribute, these women found their avenues and made major changes to society and the world. Not only that, but these women fought and succeeded on their own. They forged their own path and have left their mark in History. (Frida Kahlo, woman in the middle, greets Leon Trotsky after he arrives in Mexico) |
Frida Kahlo was a disabled Mexican communist, feminist, and heart breaker who hated the capitalist bourgeoisie. Frida was was close friends with Leon Trotsky, had many affairs with men and women alike, dressed in masculine/feminine clothing whenever it suited her, darkened her facial hair, and painted extremely subversive pieces. Frida was a revolutionary by almost all regards. She was a strong woman who forged her own path and never abandoned her ideals while creating incredible pieces of art. She is an extremely powerful icon to men and women alike. (The January 2017 cover of National Geographic's special issue "Gender Revolution") The January 2017 issue of National Geographic chose to focus on the gender revolution happening all over the world. Avery Jackson, a nine-year-old girl from Kansas City was the first transgender person to appear on the cover of National Geographic. Avery was given the assigned gender of male at birth, but has since found her true gender. Avery being on the cover of National Geographic highlights the fact that not every female has a vagina. Being female and femininity itself is too great and broad to just be narrowed down to sexual organs.  (Hillary Rodham Clinton with her Husband, former president Bill Clinton, after she accepted the Democratic presidential nomination) Hillary Clinton is an American politician who was the 67th United States Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013, U.S. Senator from New York from 2001 to 2009, First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001, and the Democratic Party's nominee for President of the United States in the 2016 election. Hillary Clinton was the first female Presidential candidate to be nominated by a major political party in the United States. Clinton has been involved in the political world for nearly four decades and has been an important female icon in a male-dominated U.S. political sphere.  (A group of Kurdish women, The YPJ, who are currently fighting against ISIS in Iraq and Syria) The women of the YPJ, an all-female Kurdish militant branch, strike fear into the heart of ISIS. They fear these women so much because ISIS believes that if a female kills them in battle, it will be a disgrace and dishonor, and will prohibit them from entering paradise. These Kurdish women have been instrumental in the fight against ISIS and have even reclaimed cities such as Kobani. These women fighters know that, if captured, they will be raped and killed; therefore they fight knowing that they must succeed in battle or become a suicide warrior to avoid being captured. These women are true freedom fighters.  (Khadija Gbla during her TEDX presentation on the issue of female circumcision and genital mutilation) On October 29th, 2014, Khadija Gbla gave a powerful presentation during her Ted Talk about female circumcision and genital mutilation. As a victim of female circumcision and genital mutilation herself, she has been very involved in international discussion about this practice. Khadjia uses her voice to offer advice on policy through South Australian Government Minister’s Youth Council, to organize camps and activities for newly-arrived refugees, and to raise awareness about both sexual and mental health issues among her peers. She has represented Australia in the international arena at the Harvard National Model United Nations, Commonwealth Youth Forum and Australian and Africa Dialogue, and speaks regularly at a wide variety of events to make sure that her perspective is heard.  (Lady GaGa with the Dalai Lama promoting The "Born This Way Foundation") Lady GaGa is one of the most well-known musicians in the entire world and is a pop-culture icon. Lady GaGa has also been a huge advocate for the LGBTQ community. Lady GaGa started the "Born This Way Foundation," an anti-bullying nonprofit that has helped thousands on LGBTQ children and teens. Lady GaGa continues to be one of the biggest LGBTQ advocates to this day. She has used her talent and music as a platform for equality. You can also find her music blaring in every gay club across the world.  (A bust of Hatshepsut, the first female pharaoh of Egypt) A daughter of King Thutmose I, Hatshepsut became queen of Egypt when she married her half-brother, Thutmose II, around the age of 12. Upon his death, she began acting as regent for her stepson, the infant Thutmose III, but later took on the full powers of a pharaoh, becoming the first female ruler of Egypt around 1473 B.C. Previous pharaohs focused on expanding military efforts. However, as pharaoh, Hatshepsut extended Egyptian trade and oversaw ambitious building projects, most notably the Temple of Deir el-Bahri, located in western Thebes, where she would buried.  (A painting of spiritual leader Ellen G. White , 1827-1915) Ellen G. White was one of the key contributors to the founding of the Seventh-day Adventist religious movement and church. she wrote more than 5,000 periodical articles and 40 books; but today, including compilations from her 50,000 pages of manuscript, more than 100 titles are available in English. Ellen G. White is also the most translated American author to this day. Seventh-day Adventists believe that she was more than a gifted writer; they believe she was appointed by God as a special messenger to draw the world's attention to the Holy Scriptures and help prepare people for Christ's second advent. According to Seventh-day Adventists, Ellen received 2000 revelations from God from ages 17 to 70. Ellen G. White is considered to be one of the most prominent religious and spiritual figures in American history.  (Rosa Parks in 1955, with Martin Luther King Jr. in the background) Rosa Parks is one of the main icons from the Civil Rights Movement, often being called its first lady. On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Parks refused to obey bus driver James F. Blake's order to give up her seat in the "colored section" to a white passenger, after the whites-only section was filled. While Rosa Parks was not the first person to resist bus segregation, the NAACP organizers believed that Parks was the best candidate for seeing through a court challenge after her arrest for civil disobedience in violating Alabama segregation laws. Rosa Parks stayed involved in the Civil Rights Movement after the bus incident and is still remembered to this day for her act of defiance in the face of oppression.  (A close-up photo of Malala Yousafzai) Malala Yousafzai was born in Mingora, Pakistan, located in the country's Swat Valley. In her early years, the town was a tourist spot for its summer festivals, but that all changed when the Taliban took control of the region. Outraged that she was no longer allowed to attend school, Malala took action. in September 2008 when she gave the speech, "How dare the Taliban take away my basic right to education?" In early 2009, Yousafzai began blogging for the BBC about living under the Taliban's threats to deny her an education. After a failed assassination attempt in which a bullet entered the left side of her head and traveled down her neck, her tenacity only increased. Despite the Taliban's threats, Yousafzai remains a staunch advocate for the power of education. In October 2014, Yousafzai received the Nobel Peace Prize. At age 17, she became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.  (Serena Williams, the greatest female tennis player in history) Serena Williams is considered the one of the greatest tennis players in history. Serena has won 23 Grand Slam titles and has accumulated over eighty-four million dollars in prize money over her career. Williams is also sponsored by some of the wealthiest companies in the world including; Chase, Beats Electronics, Wilson Sporting Goods, Gatorade, Audemars Piguet, Intel, and Nike. Williams has also taken up the cause of closing the gender wage gap. Serena Williams is using her platform to push for equal pay for black women, her motto being "let's get back those 37 cents."  (American journalist Lisa Ling) Lisa Ling is one of the most recognizable American journalists. Ling was a successful host on The View, was the host of National Geographic Explorer, and is currently a special correspondent for The Oprah Winfrey Show. Ling has spent a large portion of her career as a global news reporter. She has reported from as many as two dozen countries, including Russia, Cambodia, Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, China, Japan, India, Albania, where she covered the bitter civil war and the Kosovo refugee crisis, and the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Ling's success also includes her having a net worth of $10 million. Lisa Ling has spent most of her career being the voice for the voiceless and continues to contribute meaningfully to U.S and global media. Sources presented in order of the pictures: |
Friday, September 15, 2017
The Power and Influence of Women
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