Women Change the World

Women change the world “A woman is like a tea bag- you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water”, these were the well said words of former US first lady and leading feminist Eleanor Roosevelt. How many women do our lives comprise of, how many have we thanked. The daughters, the mothers, the sisters, the fribblings – friends like siblings, the wives, the aunts, the nieces, the grand-some things, the young uns, the teens. The women in our lives. Who love, lose, cry. Laugh, heal, thrive. Nurture.

Create. Have we thanked them enough for the great changes they’ve made? History is evident of the fact that its golden pages wouldn’t be as revolutionary as they are without the women that existed, that strived and persisted on for a change, for a difference. A glimpse into these chapters remind us that we have stood up and against barbarian acts, we have invented and discovered the unknown, we have written the unforgettable, we have chased the most feared, we have done the unbelievable, WE have made a change.

The women who have been leaders of this race of change are boundlessly many, the writers, the scientists, the politicians, the mutineers but today we shall borrow the time to recount the glories and honor a few outstanding ones out of them. No 1. Everyday millions of people ride the buses of America; some prefer to sit in the front rows while others at the back. In the 1950s, Rosa Parks rode a bus to work five days a week. Even though black people had supposedly been equal citizens for almost a hundred years, the law did not allow her to choose her seat.

Rosa Parks known as the “mother of the civil rights movement” put the wheels of change in motion by refusing to give up her seat for a white man. That is what ignited the eternal spark of anti racism. No 2. Marie Curie was the first women to receive the Nobel Prize and the first person to win it for 2 separate categories. Her first award was for research into radioactivity (Physics 1903). Her second Nobel Prize was for Chemistry in 1911. A few years later she also helped develop the first x-ray machines. Marie Curie was not only a scientific pioneer, but also a social pioneer.

Marie Curie: Overachiever, who cooked, cleaned, discovered radium, and raised a Nobel Prize-winning daughter. Her many accomplishments were not only astonishing for her time but have yet to be equaled in our time. No 3. Some books are timeless, and even though they were written long ago they are still enjoyed by modern readers. Jane Austen was an English novelist whose books, set among the English middle and upper classes, are notable for their wit, social observation and insights into the lives of early 19th century women.

She was the author of several enduringly popular English novels, including: Pride and Prejudice, Emma and Mansfield Park. Jane Austen wrote at a time when female writers were very rare, helping pave the way for future writers. She made a change by writing when women were forbidden to do so another pride to the long list of history makers. No 4: The patron saint of France, Joan of Arc received “heavenly visions” giving her the inspiration to lead the French in revolt against the occupation of the English.

An unlikely heroine; at the age of just 17 the diminutive Joan successfully led the French to victory at Orleans. Her later trial and martyrdom on false premises only heightened her mystique. Joan of Arc achieved a remarkable achievement in her short life of 19 years. In particular she embodied religious devotion with great bravery and humility, her life helped change the course of French history. Her words of wisdom have gone down in history, “One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it.

But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying. ”  No 5: One of the most innovative fashion designers Coco Chanel was instrumental in defining feminine style and dress during the 20th Century. Her ideas were revolutionary; in particular she often took traditionally male clothes and redesigned them for the benefit of women. In her own golden words “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening. She prided herself on her great taste, fashion and practicality combined with an awareness of what people wanted. It was this that made her the most recognizable name in world fashion. And last but not the least No 6: Devoting her life to the service of the poor and dispossessed Mother Teresa became a global icon for selfless service to others. Through her missionary of Charities organisation she personally cared for 1000s of sick and dying people in Calcutta. She was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1979.

When Mother Teresa received the prize, she was asked, “What can we do to promote world peace? ” Her answer was simple: “Go home and love your family . “Over the last two decades of her life, Mother Teresa suffered various health problems but nothing could dissuade her from fulfilling her mission of serving the poor and needy. Until her very last illness she was active in travelling around the world to the different branches of “The Missionaries of Charity”. Mother Teresa was a living saint who offered a great example and inspiration to the world.

Through the centuries, women have tried to be equal to men. From their position in the workplace to voting rights, women have struggled to gain equal rights. It is this struggle, this strive, this pain, this suffering that has made women so much more capable than they were once believed to be, these have given women the power and have ignited the flame that has gone on to change the world . Women, not only the handful that I have listed, but far more than these have changed and continue to change our world for the greater good, every single day.