It is 2018: feminism and empowering other women is no longer a foreign concept to most of the world. In today’s society, it’s time to recognize boss ladies for all they’ve done so far. Here are 11 boss ladies that you need to know about:
1. Anna Akana
When tragedy strikes you either fall apart or rise from it, with Anna Akana— you make a revolution. Actress, YouTuber, comedian, producer, filmmaker, model, and author— you name it and she’s probably done it. Not only is she incredibly ambitious with her career, she’s a huge advocate for mental health awareness. After losing her sister at a young age to suicide, she spreads awareness to suicide prevention and shows videos to help her viewers. Someone who dedicates their life to make people laugh and prevent suicide is the definition of a badass woman.
This woman is a whirlwind of adventure and ambition: from being an American politician to a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, she’s already accumulated an impressive life. But later in life, she became the first Asian American women elected to Congress in Illinois, the first disabled woman in Congress, and first Congress member born in Thailand. With an impressive life under her belt, she utilizes her badassery to fight for veteran’s rights, women’s rights, and instill hope in disabled members of society.
Sex is fantastic, consent is sexy: someone who advocates for both in a safe manner is the best. The CEO and founder, Meika Hollender, has created a company, Sustain, that provides everyone access to environmentally friendly, safer sex through vegan condoms, lube, tampons, wipes, and so on. Their mission is to provide healthy products to keep your reproductive health in top condition, and they donate 10% of all profits to women’s healthcare organizations.
4. Fraidy Reiss
Childhood marriage is still present in 2018, even in the U.S.— yet so many people don’t know about it. Although being a victim of child marriage herself, Fraidy Reiss founded and leads a non-profit organization called, ‘Unchained at Last.’ This organization is all about helping girls rehabilitate their lives after forced marriages through legal action, mental counseling, all-around life securing, and bringing awareness to the ongoing problem.
After years of being a pivotal member of the photography industry, Stephanie Sinclair is a boss lady everyone needs to know about. With unwavering bravery, she’s collected multiple stories and access to extremely sensitive human/gender rights issues in a worldly context to show the globe. Along with being a distinguished photographer, she reigns as Founding Executive Director for a nonprofit entitled ‘Too Young to Wed,’ which inspires and bring awareness to end child marriage.
Actress Amandla Stenberg is a voice for the future—from feminism, race, gender, LGBT rights—she speaks her mind. After her video ‘Don’t Cash Crop my Cornrows’ went viral, she’s become an internet phenomenon. She tells it like it is and brings discussion/awareness on the Internet on topics that people need to hear, she’s a total boss.
Economist, environmentalist, and writer, Winona LaDuke, has dedicated her life to the preservation of tribal land. But that’s only a fraction of all that she’s done for the world. She’s also involved in presidential elections and advocacy groups. She’s an executive director for the native nvironmental advocacy, Honor the Earth, which is known for helping the prevention of the Dakota Access Pipeline, sexual violence in excavation zones, and more. Within presidential elections, she received an electoral vote in 2016 for Vice President and is recognized as the first Native American woman to do so.
8. Tahani Amer
Being a boss woman doesn’t mean you can only be a boss in one industry, boss women are taking over the world— and outer space. Senior Technologist for NASA, Tahani Amer is taking the field by storm. While she’s amazing at her job, she’s also a huge advocate for education. Can I get a badass?
Joyita Mondal became the first transgender judge in north Bengal. From dropout to judge, she’s faced a lot in her life, but that doesn’t stop her from inspiring other transgenders around the world with her story.
Someone who needs to be known more in the LGBT history is Sylvia Rae Rivera. As a self-identified drag queen, transgender activist, gay libertarian, and LGBT rights activist, she spent her life fighting for the LGBT revolution. She founded the Gay Activist Alliance and co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries. Along with founding and organizing so many organizations, she fought back with drag queens against the police raid in a gab bar in 1969 and led a charge of Stonewall riots in NYC. This was considered the beginning of the LGBT revolution— just let that sink in.
11. Leah Sibener
John Hopkins and Stanford Graduate, Leah Sibener, is one part of the 3T Biosciences team. But this is no ordinary team, this company utilizes machine learning to predict the chemicals in cancer cells. Through extensive research, they’re modifying types of white cells to prevent cancer cells. Someone who’s using their knowledge and life to figure out what causes cancer is truly a boss woman.
There are so many boss women in the world just waiting to make a change in the world and these women are already making a huge difference in the world. Remember: Empowered women empower women!
Cover Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash