The Heroines Time Forgot
Women have been jumping hurdles and breaking barriers since time immemorial. Unfortunately, some of these brave and heroic women seem to have slipped the history books. Here, I commemorate some forgotten heroines the world over.
Shakila Rajendra
Beyonce may have made the term ‘slaying it’ popular but it seems our Queen Bey was simply emulating many women who have come before her. Women have ‘slayed’ the scene and paved the way for future females to really bring their A-game and give men a run for their money in a variety of fields; be it sport, politics, monarchy or battle, for centuries. However, the history books (which may very well have been written by men) have decided to leave their names aside or relegated them to the side lines.
To this day, there has been a somewhat patriarchal rhetoric in the way women are portrayed both in the media and in the history records. In the recent Olympics, female sporting champions and their achievements have often been referred to as second only to their husbands (who may have coached them but by no means were responsible for their victories) or their fashion choices. Females in positions of power are often berated for their determination to climb their way to the top and are single-handedly dismissed by being referred to as any number of derogatory names.
It saddens me that little girls have a whole album of heroines that they could (and should) be looking up to but these awesome women have simply been ignored, devoiding a whole generation of learning about them and taking inspiration from them. And even as we lament the missed opportunity of having the first female president of the United States, little girls out there must remember their worth. As Hillary Clinton put it, “never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance in the world to pursue your dreams.”
And so, I have scoured the internet for some of these heroines that deserve at least a worthy mention and have come up with a list of 5 of my favourite forgotten females who ‘slayed’. Here they are in no particular order:
1. Annie Smith Peck (1850 – 1935)
In her heyday, Annie Smith Peck was as famous an explorer as you can find and she rose to fame when she climbed the Matterhorn mountain in 1895. This was a day and age when women could be arrested for wearing men’s clothing but Annie did the climb in trousers as she thought it ludicrous that women had to conform to wearing skirts when attempting outdoor activities. A lifelong adventurer and supporter of the women’s suffragette movement, Annie defied all the rules and was revered not just in the USA where she was from but also in South America. She was the first woman to scale Mount Huascarán, the highest peak in Peru and even has one of the peaks named after her. She led her own expeditions, didn’t believe in marriage, was an influential scholar as well as continued to climb up to the age of 82! Annie was definitely scaling heights in more ways than one before her time.
2. Lyudmila Pavlichenko (1916 – 1974)
One of my favourite stories that has emerged in recent times is about one of the deadliest women that ever lived. She may have been responsible for an unimaginable amount of deaths but this is one woman defied all convention and took on a job few men would ever have the courage to even think about – that of an expert sniper. Lyudmila Pavlichenko was born a Ukrainian and joined the Soviet Union’s Red Army. At 14, upon hearing a boy boast about his prowess at the shooting range, Lyudmila thought to herself that a girl could do just as well and she started to practice her shooting skills. A few years later, when WW2 has broken out and Hitler had set his sights on invading the Soviet Union, the Red Army were hesitant about letting Lyudmila, a girl who looked more cut out to be a model than to be a sniper join their ranks. She passed any test they had set for her and subsequently went on to kill 187 Germans in her first 75 days at war.
Lyudmila soon became so feared as she not only shot German soldiers but also took out some of their most skilled snipers, that the Germans tried to bribe her and often spoke to her directly through loudspeakers trying to coax her to join them instead. Lyudmila stayed true to her army though and by the end of the war had a total number of 309 Nazi kills including 36 snipers. Her reputation was so great that she was also the first Soviet woman to be invited to the White House where she met Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. There she spoke of her incredible journey and in the midst found her voice with the First Lady cheering her on. Lyudmila even took on sexist journalists who were more interested in questioning her about her appearance rather than her accomplishments but she soon found a way to ‘shoot’ them down figuratively!
Read about Lyudmila’s incredible story in illustrations here:
http://www.rejectedprincesses.com/princesses/lyudmila-pavlichenko
3. Fatima al-Fihri (circa 800 – 880)
Did you know the oldest university in the world was founded by a woman? Fatima al-Fihri was born to a wealthy family who were from Karaouine which is in present day Tunisia. Fatima had one sister Maryam and the family later moved to Fez in Morocco, a bustling city at the time and the perfect place for their father, a member of nobility and successful businessman to expand his business. The girls were both pious Muslims and were committed to giving back to community by patronising the Islamic arts, culture, architecture and religious learning.
As Fatima’s father and husband had both passed away early on, she was bequeathed with a sizeable fortune, she used her financial independence to construct the great Qarawiyyin Mosque. The mosque soon became the religious hub of Fez and around it Fatima had begun to construct schools or madrasas that would attract intelligent minds from all around the land. Soon this became what we now know as the University of Al-Qarawiyyin and is even in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest degree-granting university in the world! The university still stands today in the form of a giant library…What an amazing contribution to education!
4. Murasaki Shikibu (973 – circa 1025)
This heroine was famous for writing on of Japan’s foremost literary works and probably what is believed to be the first written novel in human history! Murasaki wrote The Tale of Genji while she was believed to be writing a series of poetry while serving in court. Her father was a scholar and often taught the Chinese language to Murasaki’s brother. Women were not allowed to learn the language in those days as it was considered the language that only men could use and women were not given that privilege. Murasaki however learned it by secretly listening in on the lessons taught to her brother by her father and became highly proficient. She later taught it to the Empress Shoshi whom she served in court. This caused further outrage but Murasaki was determined to expand her knowledge of the arts and literature.
Murasaki continued to be a prolific novelist while serving in court as she found court life to be frivolous and was thought to lament that she wrote so much because there was nothing to do as a lady in waiting! She had started The Tale Of Genji before she served in court but most of the novel is loosely based on her observations while serving under the Empress Akiko.
The most astonishing part about this little known heroine however, might be that for all that has been documented about her, nobody ever really knew her real name! Murasaki was a character in her novel while Shikibu simply refers to the position her father held in court. It was considered normal for daughters of the time to remain anonymous and Murasaki Shikibu was simply a nickname that this heroine had gotten from her literary works.
5. The West Computers (Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, Christine Darden)
This group of young, intelligent African American women may now be immortalised in a Hollywood film about their lives but for decades their story was never told and their pivotal roles in science and space exploration may have very well been forgotten. This group of incredibly intelligent women were among the first black women to be employed by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA, the precursor to NASA) in the 1940s. Among them were Katherine Johnson who calculated the trajectory of the moon landing and was instrumental in many of NASA’s first space programmes, Mary Jackson who was among the first African American women to work as an engineer, Dorothy Vaughan who was the first African American manager at NASA, and Christine Darden, an aeronautical engineer and data analyst who pioneered work on sonic booms.
These women defied all the odds in a time when only 2% of black women went to university and even fewer were employed for jobs other than teachers. The women were employed as human ‘computers’ and were meant to crunch numbers for the development of aerospace technology. Despite both racist and sexist sentiments, the West Computers went on to make significant achievements both in aeronautics and in paving the way for other black women to succeed in a field that was usually reserved for not only men but also whites only.
While many of these achievements have been unrecognised for decades, the recent book Hidden Figures written by Margot Lee Shetterly has now been made into a film and tells of their incredible yet iridescent journey of just some of these pioneering women.
For more interesting information:
- The Unwanted Widows of India
- Agvan Dorjiev: The Diplomat Monk
- Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu Book Review
- Mr. Sugihara- Conspiracy of Kindness- MUST WATCH!!!
- A Mighty Girl
- Neerja Bhanot – A Selfless Heroine
- Boo! Why Do We Love The Things That Scare Us?
- Why Are Roshi Jiyu Kennett’s Disciples So Reclusive?
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Thank you for the hidden history sharing of women achievements in the past, probably many never heard of. This story makes one proud to be part of the brave and brilliant women race, humanity that inspires others to shine and to be the best one can be in the face of adversity.
With an emphasis on positive role models and the importance of women from all backgrounds, in the face of huge challenges, they still managed to make groundbreaking discoveries, advocate for human rights and the proper things to do.
It’s sad to discover all the contribution made by heroines was not recognized.
https://bit.ly/3pJ50Li
Women were frequently characterized as second-class citizens those days. There were many notable women who were able to break from societal norms to live the kind of life they chose for themselves. I could tell many women throughout these three eras were not given a chance to outspoken than men. Well those days women were treated as an entirely separate group, regardless of their social status. They had numerous legal, religious, and economic challenges hurdles to go through.
Reading this inspiring post of famous women ,they deserve at least a worthy mention and not forgotten. I only know the inspiring story of Joan of Arc during my school days. Glad to know more heroines from this post. I am sure there were more throughout the centuries, living as independent women, equal to men. Inspiring indeed how these women standing against the odds and having their own vision . The stories of Lyudmila Pavlichenko the deadliest women and Annie Smith Peck the explorer adventurer and supporter of the women’s suffragette movement stood up well in history.
Thank you Rinpoche and Shakila Rajendra for this inspiring sharing.
It really is the inconvenient truth that women have always been side-lined when it comes to historical records. Although 50% of the population are women, but they only occupy around 0.5% of recorded history. Clearly, something has gone wrong here, as logically it doesn’t add up. Interestingly, I read that if one were to look at all the figurines made between about 40,000 BC, until around 5,000 BC – a period which really sees the flourishing of the modern mind- at that time around 90% of all these figurines are of women. Thus, women are very present in the archaeological record, but then start to disappear once pre-history turns into history. Unfortunately, an analysis of historical records revealed that as the myopic projection of man about the role of women becomes more prevalent, women systematically vanished from history by way of omission and side-lining. However, as reflected in the article, there are brilliantly feisty women from history who continue and have made an impact by daring to follow their passion. More significantly, they defied great odds and surmountable societal prejudice as well as pressure. Their stories need to be told and ought to be placed back into the historical narratives so they serve as inspiration, particularly to young girls. It is also only right that recognition be given when due.
This is a really inspiring post that shows that if you have the will to do something it will be possible.
For a long time women were considered as second class people, they were usually not allowed to hold jobs or do what they wish to. However these 5 daring women decided to go against the odds to show that women were fully capable of doing what most men could, as a result of their actions more people decided to acknowledge the fact that women were equal to men.
Thank You Shakila for writing this interesting post about these 5 courageous women.
What I like about this article, is that all the women here all broke conventions and paved the way for women to have greater recognition and opportunities for the future. Mao said ‘Women Hold Up Half The Sky’, well said by this man who did a lot of good and quite a lot of bad as well.
Lyudmila Pavlichenko, her story, is truly remarkable, against the well seasoned and battled Germans, the Russians usually had more men than weaponry, and their weaponry was no where as sophisticated as the Germans. As a sniper, the effect they had on the morale of the soldiers could make and break battles and even the outcome of the war.
Then we had Fatima, who created the first ever University in the whole wide world. I saw clips of this story on tv before and she probably created a model of how future learning institutions should be, a true pioneer ahead of her times. In the olden days only the elite, powerful etc are learned, can learn spiritually, however in the last 2-3 hundred years with more education, it truly leveled the playing field. Anyone can aspire and become spiritually advanced if that is their choosing. So I guess all ordinary people owe her a debt.
Thank you for this article Shakila. It is indeed inspiring and yet a touch of sadness that these women’s achievements and glory were shunned away during their time in history. I’m grateful that today I and many other women have the opportunity to shine and be acknowledged. However, I do know that in some parts of the world, even today, women are still surpressed and not given equal opportunity. May that come to an end in this lifetime.
Very inspiring and interesting findings of the 5 great women. They have contributed so much but I think we conveniently forgotten what they have gone through and achieved.
It is important that we recognised everyone contributions and not based on ones religion, race, colour and gender.
Thank you Shakila for bringing sharing this article.
Thank you Shakila for this very interesting and inspirational women. Reminds me of my late beloved granny who is our pillar of strength with a very strong character that says”there is nothing that men can do that we cannot do” It’s all in the mind. We must always think positive and willing to try and learn. Always learn. Everyday is a learning process. And my granny is always right! 🙂
What a neat little article and I found the intro playing with the expression, ‘Queen Bey slaying’, a rather fresh and amusing take on women empowerment. I love the stories except for the first snipper story. I understand that she went against all odds to be the best but the thought of a killer does little to inspire me. But the other stories were fantastic examples of great women who truly were great heroines with their incredible sacrifice and contribution.
My favourite one was about the West computers – black women doing complex scientific and mathematical jobs at Nasa at a time when black people were marginalised is really an exceptional story. Thanks to Rinpoche, I have an inkling of what kind of discrimination that black people go through, especially in those early days of the civil rights movement when discrimination was the norm in America. That was really quite a feat I must say and for me, that truly takes the cake for ‘women who slays’! Hehe… Lovely article. Thank you Shakila for this.
I love the fact these were some unusual choices, and the list wasn’t Eurocentric! There was a good mix of women who are celebrated for their intellect, as well as their physical prowess. These women highlight the truth in what Tara said to the elderly monk who kindly advised her to pray for a male rebirth. The only difference is in the mind – it’s not about the body, since you will leave the body behind at death. If you want to do something, you will get it done, regardless of whatever physical differences may exist.
Having said that, it’s interesting that women continue to be recognised and celebrated for their achievements in the context of being able to do what men can do, as opposed to being celebrated based on their own merits. These stories always include some aspect of overcoming sexist odds, or triumphing in a male-dominated field. This reflects a society that pays more attention to male achievements than female ones, and encourages male participation over female involvement.
Thank you Shakila for writing this article. I am really very impressed with what the ladies can do during our parents’ era or generation. Actually, we as female should not just limit ourselves. If we think we can do something, go all out and do it. We will never know that we can achieve something if we never try. One thing I want to bring out here is that male and female should have the same rights and not one higher than the other.
With folded palms,
Vivian
Despite the discrimination and tight restrictions towards women back then, these 5 women have proven that if one has the heart to do something or chase a passion, it is possible despite any obstacles.
I really enjoyed reading each and every story above and I have to say, all of them are special and inspiring in their own way. I really liked the last story about Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, Christine Darden best because these women went against all odds and were the first black women to be employed by NACA and contributed greatly towards NASA’s space programs.
Thank you Shakila for sharing this wonderful article!
It is so true, Shakila. Women had played second fiddle to men forever and little has changed even today. Women are seen to be less capable than the male species in most fields, considered a liability due to maternity leave and are always paid less for the same job scope. Traditionally men were considered the breadwinners and their wives were their dependents and their role was to stay at home and take care of the children, husband, household and pets. But today, many women are the breadwinners, on top of taking care of the children, husband, household and pets. But they still get paid less than the men, are denied promotions, given only desk-bound jobs and even get sacked for getting pregnant. The gender pay gap is a strategy and is expected and industry standard.
When the job calls for a strong personality and the woman fits the bill, she is considered a bitch or tyrant.
In the fashion world, it is a well known fact that women’s clothing and accessories are always priced higher than men’s. Women pay more than men for nearly identical products. This is also industry standard.
Men always crack jokes about women being lousy drivers. But truth be known, the insurer MetLife states that 51% of women drive more safely than men. The evidence suggests: Men are 3.4 times more likely than women to get a ticket for reckless driving and 3.1 times as likely to be cited for drunk driving. According to Quality Planning, a research firm that works for insurance companies, “Women are on average less aggressive and more law-abiding drivers — attributes that lead to fewer accidents”. As a result, auto insurance rates are lower for women in most states in America.
Well, women get the raw deal and have to work doubly hard to get any recognition for the job we do.
Thank you Shakila for sharing this article. It was a very conservative society in the old time. It really took them a very big courage to the breakthrough. This is inspiring. Not only to women, but to many men in current days. I always respect women, to me, since the day I was born, I already know the mightiness of women. It is because no men in the world would be able to bear the pain for 9 months and the pain of giving birth. It is already an incredible thing that women can do. Can I say, women has got stronger will power than men? Thus, it is at least equal now to women, unlike the old society where women not allowed to wear pants, not allowed to study, not allowed to go to war and so on. So, when we feel like giving up something, we should always remember the story of these heroine, to inspire us to keep going.
One should always not underestimate women. These 5 classic examples proved so. They achieved in an era where people would usually belittle women to a capacity of just someone’s wife or slave, basically someone whom men can demean. This makes the sort of achievement they achieved even more bigger because it is even harder to do that those days.
Women who paved the way, who pioneered always had a very hard time and had to be really determined to the point of stubborn to get ahead in their chosen dream.
Thus they were kept in the background and those that went ahead and pursued their choices were shunted to the sidelines and left to be forgotten by time. So, little girls were encouraged to emulate subservient women. Even today, that is still happening. But, nowadays, little girls are encouraged to be more than they think, and be given choices.
Choices in education and life are available for girls as it should be. That is what equality means. By the same extent, it should be for all regardless. Life is about choices.
So, these heroines mentioned made their choice, excelled in them and proved themselves worthy examples for little girls of today. Let them not be forgotten but instead celebrated.
Thank you, Shakila Rajendra for bringing awareness to this plight of women and to respect and appreciate their achievements.
Inspiring and very motivational indeed! (except the sniper part.. hehe)
Although time has passed a long time for some, but they are still remembered here for their courageous acts and selfless attitude. What I find interesting is the part where they went against the ‘rules & regulations’ at their time, just to pursue what they want without worrying about the consequences. It takes a lot of ‘guts’ to do that, I am pretty sure. I believe that we should also do the same, to be courageous and do what we want to do (in a benefitting way, of course).
Whether it be Lyudmila Pavlichenko or Annie Smith Peck or Murasaki Shikibu, these women whom History books had skipped, showed tremendous courage to have “slayed” conventional ideas about women.The first 2 showed their physical skills and prowess, one a mountain climber and the other an expert sniper.while Murasaki used her vivid and unbridled imagination to write one of the most well-known books of all times. the”Tales Of the Genji”.In fact she was a prolific writer. She never allowed herself to be daunted by anything in her quest for knowledge . The irony of it all wa s that no one knew her real name!
Women always had difficulty in the past, to break the rigid bias and prejudice against them. Hence, American female writers, like Mary Anne Evans , had to use the male pseudonym of George Eliot to write and be accepted as a writer.
Elizabeth Blackwell , the first woman to graduate as a medical doctor, had a rare father who was very liberal-minded in giving both his sons and daughters equal opportunities to realise their dreams and potentials.
These women, as trail blazers, are truly inspiring examples for us to look up to and emulate in their courage and tenacity.
Very inspiring to read of women of yester-years who had achieved much despite the oddities against women all over the world prior to the 21st century. These five ladies are the archetypal figures of how race, background, circcumtances and looks have little impact on their success or the legacy they left behind. Thank you Shakila Rajendra for this beautiful article.