A few years ago, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art held a retrospective of Louise-Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun’s oeuvre. Reviewers gave the exhibit so much praise that, despite never having heard of the artist, I went to see it. Vigée Le Brun’s paintings were riveting, her brief introductory biography intriguing. This unusual woman, I vowed […]
Shaping Space: Women Who Redefined Geography
Geography has long been shaped by the contributions of pioneering women who have overcome barriers and reshaped the field through groundbreaking research and scholarship. These women have played key roles in mapping uncharted territories, redefining spatial theory, and influencing environmental and social policies. Their work has not only expanded our understanding of the world but […]
Johanna van Gogh-Bonger: The Woman Behind Van Gogh
The following is an excerpt from “Saving Vincent” (She Writes Press, April 15, 2025), which tells the untold story of the woman who saved Vincent van Gogh’s art after his death, thoughtfully marketing his works and turning his once-failed career into one of art history’s biggest successes. “Saving Vincent” has been hailed as “intense, vibrant, […]
Helicopter Heroine: Valerie Andre, Surgeon, Rescue Pilot And Her Courage Under Fire
“Valérie André is one of the great military aviators of the twentieth century. She was the first woman to fly a helicopter in combat and one of the first three helicopter medevac pilots. Flying more than 150 helicopter rescue missions during the French war in Indochina (including at Dien Bien Phu), and parachuting into the […]
Amelia Bloomer: Temperance, Suffrage, and Rational Dress Advocate
Amelia Bloomer was a women’s rights activist famous for popularizing “bloomers.” A women’s rights activist, writer, and editor, she founded a newspaper called The Lily which she used to advocate for women’s suffrage and temperance as well as more sensible dress for women. The Early Life of Amelia Jenks Bloomer Amelia Bloomer was born Amelia […]
African American Women Firsts in Medicine
Though today over half of medical school graduates are women, it hasn’t been a level playing field for very long. Women have had to struggle and fight hard for the right to study and practice medicine, and Black women in America have had to face the double barriers of racism and sexism in this struggle. […]
The Rational Dress Reform Movement
How did women’s fashion change from the restrictive corsets and heavy petticoats worn for centuries, to the more comfortable and practical clothes available today? The Rational Dress Movement of the Victorian era played a small role in women casting off their cumbersome clothing. Women’s Fashion in the Victorian Era Women’s fashions in Victorian times emphasized […]
Mary Richards, Civil War Spy: She Never Surrendered
Mary Richards was born into slavery in Richmond, Virginia. Freed by the Van Lew family who owned her, she was sent to school in the North, in order to become a missionary. At age 15, she was sent to teach in Liberia, West Africa. But after four years, ill and miserable, she wrote to her […]
The Matilda Effect: Invisible Women in Science
Women have made contributions to science throughout history, despite facing a variety of challenges due to their gender. One such challenge, which affects the acknowledgment of women’s scientific achievements, is called the Matilda Effect. In order to fully appreciate the accomplishments of women in science and the barriers they have faced, it’s important to understand […]
32+ Best Quotes by Women On Motherhood
From the whimsical to the wise, these quotes on motherhood come from some of the most famous women in history. Learn from the wisdom of Anne Frank and the wit and whimsy of humorist Erma Bombeck in these quotes on the joys and trials of motherhood from the perspective of mothers and daughters. Unconditional Love […]