The day doesn’t always make the headlines, but it’s one we all need to pay more attention to: March 8 is International Women’s Day, a day that recognizes how far we’ve come and how far we still need to go.
Since the United Nations launched International Women’s Day in 1975 — more than 40 years ago — we’ve made huge advances in how women are treated and portrayed. Yet, too many women across the world continue to be oppressed and victimized. That’s why this year’s theme, “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality,” seems so fitting.
As we celebrate the event this year, let’s take a moment to reflect on the remarkable women that have shaped our world. From Oprah to Melinda Gates, it’s just too hard to name them all. So we’ll highlight a few that you know—and some you’ve likely never heard of.
Great on Stage — and Off
Plenty of women make the headlines for their looks and talents. But we need to pay more attention to what so many of these celebrities achieve off stage.
One of the most accomplished actresses of our time, Meryl Streep has won three academy awards, appeared in 42 films and earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom. But few realize her impressive off-screen accomplishments. Streep is the spokeswoman for the National Women’s History Museum and an active crusader for women’s rights.
Vanessa Redgrave, the British actress of slightly less renown, has won acclaim for her performances on both stage and screen. However, she is probably better known for her activism, regularly campaigning for human rights issues and serving as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
Perhaps the celebrity most famous for her community and international service is Angelina Jolie, the movie actress who has served as UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and has worked tirelessly to improve conditions for women, children, animals and the environment throughout the world.
Political Powers and Prowess
Politics, long the most male-dominated profession of all, has produced a number of notable females leaders in the last century.
Margaret Thatcher, prime minister of Britain from 1979 to 1990, was known as the “Iron Lady” for her strong, conservative and, yes, controversial leadership. Though many criticized her for her right-wing politics, she is remembered for stabilizing her country’s economy and for helping other world leaders end the cold war.
Although several countries have had female leaders — Britain, Bangladesh, Germany, just to name a few — the United States still hasn’t. We’ve come close, and may even see history made this year as the Republicans and Democrats battle for the White House in November. At the time of this writing, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders were battling it out in the primaries.
Playing Their Own Tune
The musical world has also created a number of female stars. Dame Margot Fonteyn started ballet dancing in 1934 and rose to become one of the greatest female ballet dancers ever to grace the stage. Instead of retiring in 1962, at the age of 40, she met Rudolph Nureyev and went on to form one of the greatest ballet partnerships of all time. Dame Margot Fonteyn continued to dance until she eventually retired at 58.
More recently, the music industry has seen some incredible female singer/songwriters emerge. One of the most recent artists, Adele, started writing and performing songs at the age of 14. Her first two albums “19” and “21” have endeared her to fans around the world, as well as helping her to win six Grammy Awards and three Brit Awards.
This year, top awards went to Taylor Swift, the first woman to have won the coveted “Album of the Year” twice.
Although there are many talented and publicly recognized female singers, there remain very few famous female composers. Among the most notable, however, is Dame Ethyl Smith who, in the early 20th century, composed “March of the Women.” What makes the piece all the more remarkable is the fact that she composed it from a prison cell: Ethyl tapped the melody on her cell bars with a toothbrush.
Brightest in the Business
The business community has also seen a number of female entrepreneurs rise to the top tiers in their industries.
Women first came to the fore during World War II. Anna Lorraine Pantages was just one of the many women who went out to work for the war effort. Laboring as a draughtswoman in a Californian factory, Anna created many of the designs for war-related materials manufactured at the plant.
Fast forward a few decades to 1976, when businesswoman Anita Roddick started an eco-friendly cosmetics from her garage. From there, her enterprise grew to become the hugely successful The Body Shop, which continues to be at the forefront of eco-friendly business practices.
The technology industry has also seen many women rise to the top. Carly Fiorina, who recently ended her candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination, was the first CEO of HP and the first woman to lead a Fortune 20 company. Today, women are being recognized for their diverse business strengths, getting awards ranging from local cities’ “Women of Influence” awards to Forbes list of “Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs.”
Women are still too often portrayed as insignificant figures that take second place in a man’s world. However, even the most chauvinistic are finally waking up to the fallacy of this thinking. Many women have worked hard at becoming the best in their field. In all walks of life there are women who, with determination and resolve, have made a name for themselves. These women are a true inspiration and make worthy role models for future generations to aspire to.