It is said that actions speak louder than words, and this is especially true for the women's movement.
Women have always influenced history, and it is time to acknowledge their achievements and celebrate those who spoke louder and made themselves heard, not through violence but through their wits and courage to stand up for all others who will come. Here are some of the women who influenced history, broke down barriers, and helped change our society.
1. Hypatia
Hypatia of Alexandria is considered the first female mathematician, but most people are unaware of her. She was the daughter of Theon, a well-known Greek astronomer and mathematician, and was taught by her father. She excelled in philosophy and astronomy and dedicated her life to learning and teaching about these disciplines. She was a Neoplatonist who was lynched and burned to death due to her pagan views.
2. Simone de Beauvoir
Simone de Beauvoir, popularly regarded as the "Mother of Feminism," was the first woman to "shout" about women's rights. She sparked many debates over time precisely because she was not hesitant to discuss her opinions and confront many taboos at the time. She was frequently labeled as a woman who thinks like a man, which referred to a woman who thinks freely. She won the admiration of women all over the world with the book "The Second Sex" through which she managed to give them a voice.
Photo credit: Wikipedia
3. Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher, also known as the "Iron Lady," is a political icon. She took over the leadership of the Conservative Party and defeated the Labour Party in 1979, becoming the first female Prime Minister. Margaret was not a popular or even well-liked woman, but she stood out for her devotion and strength of character, which demonstrated a woman's ability to hold a position hitherto held for men.
4. Jane Austen
One of the most influential women in the literature world, and possibly the bravest. Her writings sparked scandals and debates, as she created unforgettable characters such as Emma, Elisabeta, and Elinor. What distinguishes her from her iâcolleagues is the indifference with which she wrote and the themes she addressed; one could even argue that she had the bravery to write what no one had dared before.
5. Marie Curie
She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, as well as the first person to win it twice (in Physics in 1903 and Chemistry in 1911), and she is still the only scientist to have received two. Her contributions as a major researcher laid the ground for the progress of contemporary physics. Despite the discrimination of the time, she fulfilled her aim of studying and developing her gift, and she later advocated for women's access to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programs.
Photo credit: Wikipedia
6. Rosa Parks
Her imprisonment in 1955 for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger helped put an end to racial segregation. This incident transformed her into a symbol of the fight against racism in the United States. She is regarded as the originator of the civil rights movement because of her struggle for equality.
7. Elisa Leonida Zamfirescu
Elisa Leonida Zamfirescu, the world's first female engineer, graduated from the Royal Technical Academy in Berlin in 1912 after being denied admission to the National School of Bridges and Roads in Bucharest owing to gender restrictions. Her contributions to Romanian science were recognized in 1997 with the establishment of the Eliza Leonida-Zamfirescu Award.
Photo credit: Wikipedia
8. Sofia Ionescu
Sofia Ionescu-Ogrezeanu was the world’s first female neurosurgeon. During her fifth year of college, the young woman performed the first brain operation on a child who had been bombed. He joined the first neurosurgical team, which included Professor Dimitrie Bagdasar, the creator of Romanian neurosurgery.
9. Ana Aslan
Ana Aslan developed vitamin H3, a miraculous medication aimed to counteract aging, which was patented in 30 countries. She conducts studies in a nursing home and emphasizes the role of procaine in treating age-related dystrophic diseases. She achieves remarkable achievements, which are reported to the Romanian Academy.
Photo credit: Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
10. Maria Virginia Andreescu
Maria Virginia Andreescu was born in Bucharest in the year 1894. In 1912, at the age of 18, she acquired a special license at Bucharest's Higher School of Architecture, thanks to the Minister of Education, Spiru C. Haret. She was the first woman in the world to hold the position of architect - general inspector. Maria Haret, who married Spiru Haret's son, signed an astounding number of Romanian buildings.
