Badass Women Who Made History So You Wouldn't Have to

• 01

  Ruth Bader Ginsburg

  
  via @TBoisseauATX

  When they say good things come in small packages, they're def talking about RBG, the second woman to serve on the US Supreme Court. 

  When it comes to gender equality, we owe a helluva lot to this little lady. She is behind a lot of what we take for granted today. My fave? Financial independence, hands-down. Thanks to this feminist icon, we've got that cash cash at our fingertips, no male chaperone required. Brb, skipping all the way to the bank. There's obviously a reason she's called Notorious RBG.

• 02

  Aretha Franklin

  
  via @247LC

  This queen produced "Respect," the song that became the ultimate battle cry for women demanding respect in the 1970s. We need to bring that kinda hot girl energy into 2021. 

  The "Queen of Soul" may have inspired the music of your fave artists' today (God bless for her influence on Beyonce), but she's accomplished so much more than producing iconic music. Let's hear it for this social justice warrior, who also fought for civil rights, charity, and health! 

• 03

  Amelia Earhart

  
  via @Sofialoubert

  She had the guts and stamina to become the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Evidently, you don't need a man to travel the world, so take note, ladies. Do like Amelia Earhart, and don't let your dreams be dreams! Spread your wings, and (quite literally) fly!

• 04

  Rosa Parks

  
  via @OverTables

  Rosa Parks changed the world without getting out of her seat. What's your excuse, you lazy sack of potatoes? This one defiant moment ultimately changed the segregated fabric of society. So get TF out there and break some rules! You might just change the world as we know it (No promises though. Set your standards low). 

• 05

  Eileen Collins

  
  via @MojoAerospace

  This woman shooting for the stars to the next level, taking charge as the first female Space Shuttle commander. Meanwhile, we're all out here hoping the stars will align so that we'll get a solid weekly horoscope. Maybe it's time to take one out of Eileen's book, and physically go to space to set the record straight to the stars ourselves. 

• 06

  Marie Curie

  
  via @insta_science

  The quote in this tweet is my fave. Ms. Curie was like "f*ck social interaction, I have my huge brain to keep me company." She discovered radium and polonium, and made huge contributions to finding cancer treatments. 

  Her scientific genius scored her two Nobel Prizes, making her the first woman to win a Nobel prize. You don't meet a woman like that every century. 

• 07

  Heddy Lamarr

  
  via @HistoryNorthwe1

  This icon was a triple threat: bombshell actress, genius inventor, and inspiring pioneer! She spearheaded the technology that would one day come to be WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth communication systems.

  So you could thank her for the ability to post those thirst traps to Insta, or get exactly where you're going because you're an idiot with no sense of direction. 

  She's a prime example of hot girl sh*t and smart girl sh*t. Contrary to what society has you believe, remember that the two aren't mutually exclusive. 

• 08

  Anna May Wong

  
  via @ERnurse86

  As the first Chinese American Hollywood movie star - and the first to gain international recognition - Anna May Wong completely changed the game. I mean, this Twitter photo collection is to die for! 

  Even at the peak of her fame, she had to carry papers under the Chinese Exclusion Act to prove she was allowed to be in the US. Nonetheless, she didn't let that stop her from rising to the top and significantly paved the way for Asian-American actresses of the future. 

• 09

  Nancy Wake

  
  via @DSouza_Claudia

  As if fighting Nazis wasn't bad-a** enough, imagine being on the Gestapo's most wanted list! Based on the way this British agent cleverly avoided their traps, the Gestapo even nicknamed her "The White Mouse." 

  Catch her if you can, Nazi trash. Spoiler alert: they simply couldn't keep up. Just look at that smirk in the photo. She's hot sh*t, and she knows it. 

• 10

  Mabel Lee

  
  via @JamieFord

  We've all heard of head suffragette, Susan B. Anthony, but Mabel Lee was also quite the feminist force in her time. She was not only denied the right to vote as a woman but also as someone of Chinese descent under the Chinese Exclusion Act. 

  Regardless, she held her head high and joined the suffragette movement at the young age of 16, riding horseback and leading parades through New York, demanding equality. What was I doing at age 16, you ask? Definitely not that. 

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