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Original poster

Inspirational women in history - who's yours?

256 replies

HecateTrivia · 08/06/2012 13:58

My son has to research and do a biography of an inspirational woman in history. I wondered who you feel inspired by?

OP posts:
CarnivorousPanda · 09/06/2012 22:39

Elizabeth the First
Mary Wollstonecraft
The Brontes
Noor Inayat Khan and Violette Szabo
Maria Callas

Not Mother Teresa after reading Hitchens and speaking to an Indian friend....

GiantPuffball · 09/06/2012 22:38

Anne Boleyn was very intelligent and discussed a lot of what formed the new church of England with Henry, who incidently was a complete psychopath. She was unlucky that she didn't bear healthy sons.

Yellowtip · 09/06/2012 22:29

I'd have thought Anne Boleyn was totally manipulated and then spat out by men, so an object of pity perhaps, but not inspiration.

Poor Elizabeth appears to have been understandably screwed up.

Yellowtip · 09/06/2012 22:23

Mary King????????????????????????????????????????

beatricequimby · 09/06/2012 21:58

Vera Brittain as mentioned upthread and also Winifred Holtby, her great friend, served WW1, social reformer and author

Elsie Inglis, early woman medic, set up women's medical unit to serve in WW1

Noor Inayat Khan - like Violette Szabo, a Secret Agent who died in Occupied France, WW2

The girls of the Little Rock 9 - amazingly courageous teenagers who were the first black students to attend the all-white Little Rock High in Arkansas. Obviously admire the boys just as much but as this thread is about inspirational women ...

Riversidegirl · 09/06/2012 21:39

Sorry, not famous but I have to say my mum has been a great inspiration to me. She had a hard life but raised a large family and a very ill husband. We all turned out OK and respectful. Once we had all left home and dad died she had time to become seriously ill herself but can still see the funny side of many situations...even being burgled once. I have often wanted to nominate her for an award so this is a start.

Mirage · 09/06/2012 21:10

Isabella Bird
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Isabella of Spain
Mary King

backjustforaminute · 09/06/2012 21:08

Wangari Maathai, who won the Nobel peace prize in 2004 for her work promoting environmental awareness in Kenya.

For younger children this book is quite good Amelia to Zora though it does focus on relatively recent (20th century) women.

Original poster
HecateTrivia · 09/06/2012 21:04

madonna? That's a surprising one. I've never really considered her an inspiration to women. She's a good business woman certainly, but inspirational?

OP posts:
Original poster
HecateTrivia · 09/06/2012 21:02

Yes, if there isn't, there ought to be.

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enimmead · 09/06/2012 21:00

There must be a book about this - or is there potential for one? I think many women (and hopefully some men) would love to read it.

Original poster
HecateTrivia · 09/06/2012 20:54

me too, banyan. I think it's great! I am googling each and every one and learning so much about all these amazing women.

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enimmead · 09/06/2012 20:37

I know this is about history but what about contemporary women?

Women who history will look back on.

Aung san suu kyi - I am so pleased she is free now.

coffeeandcream · 09/06/2012 20:36

I would go for Anne Boleyn. She might be 'the other woman' in some people's eyes, but I think she was must have been an incredibly powerful and strong willed woman to have survived so long - she had a thing with Henry viii for seven years before he got her into bed! She influenced the politics of the time, changed religion and caused the biggest stir in society. Plus it was her daughter Elizabeth the 1st who wen onto be one of the greatest monarchs our realm has ever seen.

banyan · 09/06/2012 20:32

Love this thread - I'm learning about lots of women I have never heard of or reading more about women I only knew a little Grin

lazarusb · 09/06/2012 20:22

Can I just mention Helen Skelton?
I know she is young but I think she is an excellent role model, particularly to young girls. As far as I know she keeps her private life to herself, is professional, brave, adventurous and not afraid to cry on tv or admit she was wrong/stubborn etc.

fanjodisfunction · 09/06/2012 20:07

Queen Matilda (our first Queen), the thone was given to her by her Father King Henry I But her cousin Stephen stole it from her and was crowned. She fought him and become Queen herself only for it to be taken from her again. In the end her Son King Henry II did come to the throne.

Gertrude Bell, she did more for the middle east region than Lawrence of Arabia. But she is never recognised. She didnt like the way the area was divded and she knew there would be blood shed afterwards.

enimmead · 09/06/2012 19:40

A good choice. One name who will live on in history.

shuffleballchange · 09/06/2012 19:39

Edith Cavell is a local heroine for me. She was a nurse in WW1, shot by the germans for helping allied soldiers escape. She was incredibly brave.

Original poster
HecateTrivia · 09/06/2012 19:37

He chose Rosa Parks.

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enimmead · 09/06/2012 19:29

So who has he picked :)

Original poster
HecateTrivia · 09/06/2012 19:24

wow. so many wonderful women.

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funnyperson · 09/06/2012 19:19

OK to be explicit J Lumley is inspirational not because she was on ab fab but because she fought for the Gurkha's rights.

morethanpotatoprints · 09/06/2012 18:43

Marg Simpson - for depicting the reality of modern womans life (kid yourself not)

Betty Boop - sex symbol and not blonde (oop oop e doop)

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