This year, International Women's Day supporters worldwide are smashing stereotypes and unfair prejudice! With a unified voice, people everywhere are raising awareness by circulating the message of the 2022 IWD campaign theme: #BreakTheBias
“Imagine a gender-equal world. A world that is free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality and collectively #breakthebias”
Changes in how gender roles are viewed were brought to the forefront, not by a trending hashtag but with determination, grace, and progressive achievements of female trailblazers who refused the attitudes and practices of the status quo.
Keep reading to see a list of the 5 most incredible American women that have paved the way for the perspectives and possibilities we promote and strive for today.
Ruth Bader Ginsberg
It was said a woman had to do three times the work of a man to get half the recognition. That’s the kind of world that Ruth B. Ginsberg had to compete in. Her amazing intellect, compassion, and duty to justice were the foundation that would build her legacy.
Brooklyn-born, Ginsberg was pivotal in setting standards in equal pay and a woman’s right to choose. From being the first female tenured Law Professor at Colombia University, the illustrious Ivy League law school, to being the first Jewish female Supreme Court justice, she most definitely established herself as a Pop Culture Icon.
Kathleen Hanna
When you have the charisma, talent, and inner fire of the singer, activist, and all-around badass frontwoman, pioneering a feminist punk rock “RiotGrrl” movement is a given. With her influential bands Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, or her new on-stage alias, Julie Ruin, this creative phenom, has been an outspoken voice for equal rights.
A major contributor to the DIY publication called Zines, a photocopied bare-bones periodical that became a call to action for young women to embrace feminism. As well as equal female involvement in the punk rock scene. Now a champion for women's health, she has chronicled her battle with Lyme Disease and life in the music industry as a woman in the documentary “The Punk Singer.”
Rock on Girl!
Gal Gadot-Varsano
You may not know the name but it's hard to forget the beauty of DC film’s Wonder Woman. Already an acclaimed business owner and crowned Miss Isreal in 2004, the Israeli-born actress became a U.S. citizen to attend film school and would eventually become one of the world's highest-paid actresses.
Before she obtained her American citizenship, Gal served two years as a soldier in the Israeli Defense Force where women are educated in tactical combat and military training alongside men. Her homeland stands among only 8 countries in the world where the enlisting of women for war is accepted. That national duty served Gal Gadot well along with numerous awards and accolades. She has since been named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine.
Barbara Walters
Walters graduated in 1951 from Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, New York. She started her career in journalism in 1961 presenting the “Today” show at NBC. Later on we saw her at ABC in charge of the “Evening News” before co-hosting “20/20.” Barbara Walters had the privilege of interviewing top personalities such as US presidents and first ladies.
When she first began working for NBC she was given a speech therapist to work on her speech patterns and attempt to correct her lisp. Hired on as the “Today Girl,” a job that had traditionally involved being attractive, making small talk, and reading commercials. Barbara endured decades of working against gender discrimination in the TV news industry. Despite any roadblocks, she was known for being a tenacious pursuer of untouchable figures in the news. She has attained some of the most exclusive interviews for her popular Barbara Walters Specials, which premiered in 1976.
Barbara Walters has without a doubt earned the respect that makes us listen. She has pioneered the path for female journalists and blazed the trail for generations to come.
Serena Williams
One of the world's most talented, successful, and prolific athletes, Serena Williams has become a known icon in pop culture as well as the world of sports. Her varied and numerous achievements are overwhelmingly abundant and her tenure in the sport of tennis is unmatched.
Being the highest-paid female athlete of all time, Serena has been placed on Forbes magazine's list of 100 highest-paid athletes. She has won four Olympic Gold Medals, and holds 23 major tournament titles. Ranked No. 5 overall in her sport for both men and women, she is widely considered one of the best tennis players of all time.
Being a strong African American woman in a predominantly all-white male sport, her illustrious career has showcased incredible comebacks, dedicated discipline, and some of the most thrilling displays of sportsmanship and athleticism ever to be seen on the court. Her charitable contributions and activism has solidified her place as an inspiration, ushering in a new era of empowerment for women in professional athletics.
