Influential Women

The magazines are full of women who, whether we want it or not, influence our lives. By sheer exposure, it is suggested to us that their way of living, their bodies, the point of view is desirable. So, let's check out current covers of the three most popular US tabloid magazines, those we cannot avoid because they are staring at us at every checkout lane, every gas station and in the nail or hair parlor:

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Seriously, apart from their personal stories or challenges, which one of these women serves as a positive role model? Which one of them do we want to be influential? Who of you wants their children model themselves after them?

Quite honestly, I don't think that any of them is a positive role model, and none of them should be as influential as the media makes them. There are many, many more women in this world who should get the exposure those celebrities get, to provide positive images of women in this world, to empower all women, and to have someone our children can look up to.

Here are a few women who are and truly deserve to be influential:

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Malala Yousafzai, a young Pakistani woman who fought for girls' right to an education from her earliest teenage years on. Despite being shot in the head by Taliban extremists to silence her forever, she survived and keeps fighting. For her activism she earned the earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.

What Malala teaches us: Courage to the point that not even threats to her life will silence her.

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Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany's first female head of government,, ruling Europe's strongest economy (which by itself is no. 4 in the world) since November 2005. She's a scientist by profession (she holds a PhD in physics), who dared to show up at the Wagner Opera Festival in the same dress two years in a row.

What Chancellor Merkel teaches us: it's not necessarily the looks but resilience and a brilliant mind that makes us successful. Stand up for yourself, no matter who you are up against, and always follow your goals.

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Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space. Working as a assembly line worker at a textile company and parachuting in her free time, she was selected from among over 400 applicants. In 1963, after months of extremely extensive training, she spent 3 days orbiting Earth in the Vostok 6. After her flight, she went on to study engineering and earned her doctorate in 1977.

What Valentina Tereshkova teaches us: No matter where you come from, not even the sky is your limit with the right amount of commitment, hard work, and even luck.

Who do you think is or should be an influential woman?


This post is part of the Strong and Influential Sisterhood project.