For nearly two centuries now, women have been advocating and fighting for their rights ever since the first Seneca Falls convention in 1848. However, the slow and gradual fight has not only driven massive societal shifts, but also many women’s firsts all over the globe.
The first woman to be sent to space was Valentina Tereshkova, who spent three days orbiting around the Earth in a space capsule. Another significant moment for women in the space administration were the hidden figures in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn and Mary Jackson. Johnson was a key mathematician whose calculations led to multiple successful spaceflights, Vaughn became NASA’s first Black female supervisor and Jackson became the first African-American engineer.
Yet another influential woman who changed the course for women’s rights was Homai Vyarawalla, India’s first female photojournalist. Vyarawalla not only captured the transition of the nation with her work, she pushed against harsh gender stereotypes in India and ignored the whispers of disapproval from society in 1938. Vyarawalla created space for women in India when there was none.
Women created opportunities for other women, proving to the world that not only could they do anything a man could, but that they could also change the course of history. However in 2026, gender equality has still not been achieved, with it significantly adverse in low-income or third-world countries such as Afghanistan or Sudan. According to UN Women, no country in the world has achieved legal rights and equality for women and girls.
Malala Yousafzai was shot at 15 years old on her school bus—an assassination attempt by the Taliban—yet she survived the attack and went on to become a significant advocate for girls’ education. Yousafzai not only co-founded the Malala Fund in order to raise money for education activists, but she also became the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize winner at the age of 17.
Another significant first for women was Jeannette Rankin, a Republican representative from Montana, who became the first woman to be elected into the United States Congress. The focuses of her career were advocating for women’s rights, children’s health and achieving world peace. One of her most prominent achievements was not only becoming the first woman in Congress, but also introducing the legislation that led to the 19th amendment.
However, there are always people that disagree with the notable role of women in government. An election candidate aiming to represent Michigan revealed his views on women’s suffrage surfaced after one of his websites were found: John Gibbs argued against the right for women to vote, writing that he believed women “…did not possess the characteristics necessary to govern.”
After conducting a short interview with Mock Trial member Avery McClatchey, she believes “women should be in government because they would represent 50% of citizens globally.” Another aspect she brings up regarding the role of women in politics is that women tend to resolve conflicts with ease as they’re “stereotypically more nurturing,” according to McClatchey.
Not only have women been pioneers in shifting gender roles and transforming them completely, they have also secured legal victories in reproductive rights, education and workplace equality. The first Black woman to graduate from Yale Law School and become the first female judge in the United States was Jane Matilda Bolin. The first female doctor was Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, and the first female Chief Executive Officer was Anna Bissell.
All of our women around the world have made history in some way, shape or form. Even if gender equality is still an ongoing political issue today, the contributions of independent women in the past have fundamentally shaped our present and our future. Millions of young girls and women now have the opportunity to decide what they want to do in their lives, all thanks to the women of our history.
A solemn reminder from Jeannette Rankin after her 1916 win: “I may be the first woman member of Congress, but I won’t be the last.”
