As you may know, every march we celebrate women's international history month. Women's history month is a great time to sit back and reflect on all the women of our past that have helped affect and influence where women are now in society. I knew I wanted to write some kind of tribute for this, speaking about the suffrage and courageous acts of these women because without them women everywhere may not have even been granted what seems like the most basic human rights, such as voting, education and making the dollar. I decided I would take the time and think about 10 women who have really influenced and created a society for women that is more than work mentioning.
1. Alice Paul
"I never doubted that equal rights was the right direction. Most reforms, most problems are complicated. But to me, there is nothing complicated about ordinary equality."
Like a majority of the women that are so important to our history, Alice Paul was suffragist that not only dedicated her time, but dedicated her life to fighting for the 19th amendment. After women gained the right to vote Alice dedicated herself to fighting for more empowerment movements.
2. Sojourner Truth
"If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down, these women together ought to be able to turn it right again."
Sojourner Truth, born in 1789 was most famous for her speech on racial inequalities, called "Aint I a Woman?" Also a huge woman's rights activist, and born into slavery. Truth was able to escape from slavery with her daughter in 1826, and continued to devote her life to the abolition of slavery.
3. Malala Yousafzai
"I don't mind if I have to sit on the floor at school. All I want is an education. And I'm afraid of no one."
Malala might be someone that's a little bit different than the average advocate for women and human rights. When Malala was a young girl she demanded that she be granted the right to education. When Malala tried to stand up to the Taliban in Pakistan, she was shot in the head, but was able to survive. Malala's courageous act gained her the winning of the noble piece prize in 2014, she was the youngest to receive it. Malala an advocate for female education and rights, now speaks at various places around the country and wrote a book called, "I am Malala." She continues to tell her story.
4. Susan B. Anthony
"No man is good enough to to govern any women without her consent."
Susan B. Anthony, President of the National American Women Suffrage Association, speaker, author and suffrage abolitionist, is a women more than worth mentioning. Susan devoted her life to working on social issues, and more specifically working with the 19th amendment with partnership of her friend, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Anthony worked day and night for women's rights, creating committee's and writing books about issues. Women did not receive the right until over 14 years after her death, but I know she was rolling around in her grave when it was finally achieved.
5. Rosa Parks
"People always say that I didn't give my seat because I was tired, but that isn't true...No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in."
Parks, an African-American Civil Rights activist refused to give up her seat in a colored section to a white passenger. Parks was then arrested. But, her efforts allowed for a huge jump in the Civil Rights Movement, at that time. The people of this time referred to her as, the "First Lady of Civil Rights."
These are just a few of the women I like to think about every year when Women's International History month comes along. Without them, I'm not too sure where we would be...
