Brilliant women you admire

[ElephantsAndMiasmas]

Thought it might be nice to have a thread to celebrate the women, past or present, who have achieved great things (conventionally "great" or not), and who inspire you.

Most of mine are writers, but I have to put in a word for Ada Lovelace, who invented computer programming (and thus, eventually, MN ).

Also, Malalai Joya, an Afghan campaigner for women's rights and other human rights. She stands up to the warlords fearlessly, in a way that no-one else (even our own government with their own army) does. Profile in the Independent here

Who do you admire, and why?

sorry Maggie Aderin-Pocock

I was going to nominate all the woman who are or were Women's Aid workers particularly in the early days of the movement. But on consideration I nominate the thousands of brave, determined women who have successfully managed to extricate themselves and, most importantly, their children from abusive relationships, providing not only inspiration to the Women's Aid workers and other women embarking on the same perilous journey but living, real, defiant proof that male dominance or abuse will not be tolerated.

Helen Suzman, for her effort on behalf of all disenfranchised South Africans, and her promulgation (sp?) of womens' rights in RSA.

www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/01/helen-suzman

For anyone interested, her memoirs 'In No Uncertain Terms' in worth a read.

That should have read as 'disenfranchised South Africans in the apartheid era'. Duh!

Jo Brand and Joan Bakewell are my two favourite women in the public eye.

So glad this thread was revived, I've just spent a fascinating half hour reading up on all these wonderful people.

these

Hmm, this thread is 3 years old. Why do the trolls bump such old threads?

On topic I have to say I'm immensively grateful for the hard work of all the suffragettes.

LittlePushka Tue 23-Mar-10 01:26:20
Ellen McArthur...because she knows about dreams, adversity, risk, terror and tenacity , she is interesting, self- depracting, driven and she just gets on with it...totally.

had I not bore sons, I'd have named a daughter after her

I had a daughter and did.
But my nomination is Erin Prizzey and brave and principled woman.

Ooh I missed this thread first time round. It's a goodie.

bump

Maya Angelou

I know why the cadged bird sings is a must read

Marie Curie. Won the Nobel prize twice.

Elizabeth the First. Assembled a brilliant court. Highly intelligent, showed a woman could rule effectively.

Hilary Clinton high profile, influential politician.

Gareth Pierce. Solicitor who has taken on the cases of the unpopular, the demonised, the apparently completely guilty and fought them hard, exposing miscarriages of justice in the process.