WOMEN WHO DEFIED GENDER ROLES
Added on: 4th Jun 2016
BOUDICA
Boudica was an Icenian ruler during the 1st century A.D. in what is
now Great Britain. As Queen of the Iceni, Boudica fought back
after her recently-deceased husband’s lands were annexed,
her daughters raped, and she was publicly beaten. Boudica
and her armies rose up against the Romans, even burning the
city of Londonium, killing tens of thousands of Romans and
Roman sympathizers. The stronger Roman forces ultimately
prevailed and it’s claimed Boudica took her own life
rather than be captured.
OLIMPIA PAMPHILI
Sister-in-law of Pope Innocent X, Olimpia Pamphili in effect ran the
Catholic Church and Rome behind the scenes in the early
17th century. Speaking about succession, papal historian
Ludwig von Pastor said, “the misfortune of Pope [Innocent X]
was that the only person in his family who would have had
the qualities necessary to fill such a position was a woman.”
ANNE LISTER
Sometimes called “the first modern lesbian”, Anne Lister was a
wealthy British woman and a savvy businesswoman, owning
multiple properties and industry shares. Along with her wife
Ann Walker (yes, they were married, but without legal
recognition), Lister was the first person to officially climb the
Vignemale (the highest mountain in the French Pyrenees)
and excelled at business.
CORRIE TEN BOOM
A Dutch Christian, Corrie ten Boom was a woman who didn’t
restrict herself based on gender roles but rather did what had
to be done when she saved the lives of many Jews during the
Nazi Holocaust. Extremely active in charitable pursuits,
ten Boom raised foster children and ran a church for mentally
disabled people. Arrested by the Nazis in 1944, ten Boom had
already helped many Jews escape the Holocaust, even
hiding many in her house’s secret room.
QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI
Bearing a full name of Lydia Liliʻu Loloku Walania Wewehi
Kamakaʻeha-a-Kapaʻakea, Queen Lili’uokalani was the last
monarch of the Hawaiian Islands. A staunch opponent of the
United States’ annexation of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Queen
Lili’uokalani was an accomplished poet and advocate
for orphaned and indigent children.
MOLLY PITCHER
A name likely attributed to more than one woman, Molly Pitcher
often refers to Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley. During the
American Revolutionary War, women, including Pitcher and
Martha Washington, cared for wounded soldiers and carried
water to the battlefield to cool down cannon barrels. Pitcher
was with her husband while he was fighting the British at the
Battle of Monmouth. When he was carried off the battlefield
after collapsing, Molly Pitcher defied all gender roles and
jumped up to take his place loading the cannon. It’s even
reported a British cannonball flew just between her legs,
not injuring her but tearing off her lower skirt.
Her epic response?
“Well, that could have been worse,”
before she went back to loading the cannon.
CORAZON AQUINO
Referring to herself as a “plain housewife”, Corazon Aquino was a
major contributor to the modern-day Filipino state. Aquino
launched her bid for the Presidency after her husband was
assassinated upon returning from exile in the United States.
She is especially well remembered for leading massive
peaceful protests after the electoral fraud of the 1986 elections.
Aquino was the first female President in Asia and restored
Filipino democracy after her predecessor’s 20-year rule.
ANNA NZINGA
One of Africa’s best-documented early-modern rulers, Queen
Anna Nzinga (also known as Nzinga Mbandi) ruled over the
Ndongo and Matamba Kingdoms in 17th century Angola.
A famous and well-respected stateswoman even in Portugal
and Europe, Nzinga was a clever military tactician and an
experienced politician. She was also influential in resettling
former slaves and restricting European intrusion into Africa.
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