18901840 18801870 190018601850 1910 1920 1930 19401820 1830 1950 1960 1970 1990

BARBIE

MURPHYBROWN

MARLARUZICKA

PHOENIX

MADONNA

ERINBROCKOVICH

PRINCESS DI

JUNECLEAVER

OPRAH

HILARYCLINTON

ANDREADWORKIN

ROSIE THERIVETER

ANGELA DAVIS

JANISJOPLIN

WONDERWOMAN

MARTHA STEWART

Z BUDAPEST

CATWOMAN

MADELINEALBRIGHT

JANEFONDA

GLORIASTEINEM

YOKO ONO

BARBARAWALTERS

SANDRA DAYO’CONNOR

MARGARETTHATCHER

INDIRAGHANDI

MARILYNMONROE

ANNEFRANK

MAYAANGELOU

BETTYFRIEDAN

ROSAPARKS

LUCILLEBALL

MOTHERTHERESA

KATHERINEHEPBURN

ELEANORROOSEVELT

MATA HARI

AMELIAEARHART

MARGARETSANGER

LITTLEWOMEN

HESTERPRYNNE

SUSAN B.ANTHONY

HARRIETTUBMAN

JOAN OF ARC

QUEENELIZABETH I

MARYMAGDALENE

CLEOPATRA

ATALANTA

LILITH

VIRGINMARY

Fighting the System

Working Within the System

Cleopatra

70 B

C-30

BC

Queen of A

ncient Egypt who fought for her country and w

as an am

bitious monarch

Valentina Tereshkova19

37-R

ussian cosmonaut w

ho was the first w

oman in space

Frida Kahlo

190

7-1954

An independent, strong M

exican wom

an and painter whose style

was rem

iniscent of Mexican folk art and w

as famous for her

intense self portraits

Agatha C

hristie18

90

-1976

World’s best selling m

ystery writer and all-tim

e best selling author of any genre other than W

illiam S

hakespeare

Virginia W

olf 18

82-19

41B

ritish author, feminist and public intellectual

TrinityFrom

the film “The M

atrix” released in 199

9A

rebel warrior struggling to overthrow

the Matrix and save the w

orld

Rigoberta M

enchú Tum19

59-

Received the N

obel Peace Prize in 19

92 in recognition of her

work for social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation based

on respect for the rights of indigenous peoples

Tori Am

os19

63-A

merican singer songw

riter and founder of RA

INN

(Rape, A

buse and Incest N

ational Netw

ork)

Gabriela M

istral18

89

-1957

Chilean poet, educator, diplom

at and feminist w

ho was the first Latin

Am

erican to win the N

oble Prize for Literature in 19

45

Marie C

urie18

67-1934

Pioneer in early radiology, a tw

o-time N

obel laureate and founder of the C

urie Institutes in Paris, France

Eva Peron19

19-19

52Form

er popular and active First Lady of Argentina w

ho rose from

poverty to politics

XenaFrom

the series “Xena: Warrior P

rincess” which aired from

199

5-200

1A

reformed w

arlord who w

as on a quest to redeem her past sins and

whose nam

e became synonym

ous with a strong and independent

female heroine

Thelma

From the film

“Thelma and Louise” released in 19

91

A strong, intelligent w

oman w

ho boldly challenges society’s treatment

of wom

en and their sexuality

LouiseFrom

the film “Thelm

a and Louise” released in 199

1A

rather subservient and complacent w

aif of a wom

an who transform

s in the film

to an independent strong vigilante

Scarlett O

’Hara

From the film

“Gone w

ith the Wind” released in 19

39A

rebellious Georgia w

oman w

ho fights for herself in the wake

of the Civil W

ar

Buffy the Vam

pire Slayer

Character from

the film “B

uffy the Vampire S

layer” released in 199

2 and the television series of the sam

e name w

hich aired from 19

97-20

03

A young girl chosen by fate to battle against forces of evil, em

braced by m

any as an emblem

of female pow

er

Princess Leia

From the “S

tar Wars” series first released in 19

77A

politician turned fighter and spy, she had a forceful personality and a bright intellect

Elizabeth Fry178

0-18

45P

rison reformer, social reform

er and philanthropist who w

orked to transform

the prison system and its treatm

ent of prisoners, specifically w

omen and children

Florence Nightingale

1820

-1910

Pioneer of m

odern nursing who challenged traditional gender roles

and expectations

Sibilla A

leramo

1876

-1966

Engaged herself in Italian feminism

and was active in the N

ational W

omen’s U

nion

Qiu Jin

1875-19

07

Chinese fem

ale anti-Qing Em

pire revolutionary and poet who w

as vocal in her support for w

omen’s rights and pressed for im

proved access to education for w

omen

Raden A

jeng Kartini

1879

-O

pened the first primary school in Indonesia specially catering to

indigenous girls and fought against gender and status discrimination

Pauline Roland

180

5-1852

Activist in fem

inist and socialist agitation and worked on num

erous publications

Mary Jane Seacole

180

5-188

1A

British nurse w

ho distinguished herself for her dedication and courage in caring for troops during the C

rimean W

ar, earning the nicknam

e, “the black Florence Nightingale”

Atalanta

Greek M

ythologyC

hallenged gender expectations and roles

Joan of Arc

1412-1431H

eroine of France and Saint of the Catholic C

hurch who com

manded

the French Royal arm

y and has become a prom

inent wom

an in history for her valor, vigor and faith

LilithB

iblical figureFirst w

ife of Adam

who refused to assum

e a subservient role

Virgin M

aryB

iblical figureM

other of Jesus

Olym

pe de Gouge

1748-179

3Fem

inist playwright and journalist w

ho penned “The Declaration of the

Rights of W

omen and the Fem

ale Citizen” in w

hich she challenged the oppression of m

ale authority and the notion of male-fem

ale inequality

Lady Godiva

98

0-10

67A

wom

an who according to legend rode naked through the streets

of Coventry to convince her husband to abolish the heavy taxes that

oppressed the citizens

Mary M

agdaleneB

iblicalW

itnessed the Resurrection, and rather than being acclaim

ed as an act of discipleship in som

e ways greater than the m

en’s, it was reduced by

the church to the final stage in the redemption of a repentant sinner

Dorothy

Main character in “The W

izard of Oz” released in 19

39A

resourceful young girl who goes on fantastic travels and has

enamored children for decades

Mathilde Franziska A

nneke 18

17-188

4A

social activist, feminist, educator and w

riter who focused her w

ork on educating w

omen and progressing society forw

ard

Edith Piaf

1915-19

63O

ne of France’s most beloved singers and a national icon, fam

ous for her tragic beginnings

Coco C

hanel18

83-19

71P

ioneer of French couturier whose m

odernist philosophy and mens-w

ear inspired fashions m

ade her one of the most im

portant figures in the history of fashion

Nadia C

omaneci

1961-

Rom

anian gymnast considered to be one of the greatest athletes

of all time, a sports icon

Elizabeth Blackw

ell18

36-19

17A

n English physican and feminist, the first w

oman to gain a m

edical degree in B

ritain

Benazir B

hutto19

53-W

as the first wom

an to lead a Muslim

country when she w

as elected P

rime M

inister of Pakistan

Jacqueline Kennedy O

nassis19

29-19

94

Was the First Lady of the U

nited States and a cultural icon

Queen Elizabeth I

1533-1603

Queen of England, strong historical fem

ale figure and great patron of the arts

Harriet Tubm

an18

20-19

13Escaped slave w

ho worked as a refugee organizer and leader of the

underground railroad, was also a revival speaker against slavery and

racism and w

as an early feminist

Susan B

. Anthony

1820

-190

6A

merican civil rights leader w

ho lead the effort to grant wom

en the right to vote and w

as fined $10

0 for trying to vote in a presidential election

Hester P

rynneC

haracter in “The Scarlet Letter” published in 18

50A

wom

an ostracized, publicly vilified and forced to wear a scarlet letter

“A” to identify her as an adulteress after having a child out of wedlock

Little Wom

enA

novel by Louisa May A

lcott published in 1868

Follows the lives of four sisters trying to find their place in society

Mata H

ari18

76-19

17D

utch exotic dancer who w

as accused, convicted and executed as a spy during W

WI

Margaret Sanger

1879

-1966

Am

erican birth control activist and iconic figure for reproductive rights

Eleanor Roosevelt

188

4-1962

Longest serving First Lady, human rights activist, diplom

at and first w

ave feminist

Am

elia Earhart18

97-19

37Aviation P

ioneer, challenged gender stereotypes

Katherine H

epburn19

07-20

03

Actress, icon and fiercely independent and am

bitious wom

an

Mother Theresa

1910

-199

7Internationally renow

ned Catholic nun dedicated to serving

and educating the poor

Lucille Ball

1911-19

89

Actress, com

edian and television pioneer

Rosa Parks

1913-

Prom

inent figure in the Am

erican Civil R

ights Movem

ent

Indira Ghandi

1917-19

84

Prim

e Minister of India, brilliant political strategist, and contradicted

the passive expectations of her as a leader in a very patriarchal society

Betty Friedan

1921-

Feminist, activist and w

riter of the pivotal “The Feminist M

ystique”

Margaret Thatcher

1925-

First female prim

e minister of the U

K and radicalist on social issues

Marilyn M

onroe19

26-19

62A

ctress, sex symbol and pop icon

Maya A

ngelou19

28-

Author, poet and civil rights activist

Anne Frank

1929

-1945

Inspiration and icon of the effects of Nazi G

ermany

Barbara W

alters19

29-

First female netw

ork news anchor and current TV

personality

Sandra Day O

’Connor

1930

-First w

oman appointed to the S

upreme C

ourt

Yoko Ono

1933-

Artist, m

usician and icon

Gloria S

teinem19

34-Fem

inist, journalist, founder of Ms. m

agazine and spokeswom

an for w

omen’s rights

Jane Fonda19

37-A

ctress, model, w

riter, producer, philanthropist, and political activist notably during the V

ietnam w

ar in which she w

as

Madeline A

lbright19

37-First fem

ale Secretary of State

Catw

oman

First appeared in 1940

Am

biguously both hero and villain that lives by her own m

oral code and abhors killing

Z B

udapest19

40-

Founder of the Susan B

. Anthony coven, author, lecturer and director

of the “Wom

en’s Spirituality Forum

”

Martha S

tewart

1941-

Television personality, magazine/book publisher and

homem

aking guru

Wonder W

oman

First appeared in 1941

Created as a distinctly fem

inist character, the only female character

to have a regular series that has lasted since her creation. She uses

no violence but rather appeals to the good in every person.

Janis Joplin19

43-1970

Singer and outspoken liberated “one of the boys” w

ho created a new

kind of female persona in rock

Angela D

avis19

44-R

adical activist and feminist, prim

arily works for racial and gender

equality and for prison abolition

Rosie the R

iveter19

44-A

fictional character created to encourage wom

en to join the work

force during World W

ar II

Andrea D

workin

1946

-200

5A

merican R

adical Feminist, w

riter, speaker, passionate for social justice, fought against pornography

Hilary C

linton19

47-Form

er First Lady, lawyer and current S

enator

Oprah

1954-

Entrepreneur, television personality and philanthropist

June Cleaver

Aired from

1957-19

63Fictional television character from

the series “Leave it to Beaver”

and archetypal mother figure

Madonna

1958

-S

inger, actress, pop star, author, activist and pop culture icon who

constantly reinvents herself and explores different social, political and religious ventures

Barbie

1959

-Toy, icon and a sym

bol of both equality and repression simultaneously

Erin Brockovich

196

0-

Activist m

ade famous for constructing a case against P

G&

E of C

alifornia alleging contamination of drinking w

ater

Princess D

i19

61-19

97

Royal H

ighness The Princess of W

ales, fashion icon and philanthropist w

ho brought media attention to issues otherw

ise ignored

Phoenix

Part of Marvel’s “X-m

en” which w

as first published in 196

3Founder of M

arvel´s mutant superheroe team

¨X-Men,¨ sacrificed

her life for her teamm

ates and saved the universe

Sarah McLachlan

1968

-M

usician, singer, songwriter, and founder of “Lilith Fair” a tour w

hich show

cased female m

usicians

Marla R

uzicka19

76-20

05

Am

erican Green Party activist and aid w

orker who w

as killed by a car bom

b in Baghdad

Murphy B

rown

Star of C

BS

television show w

hich aired 198

8-19

98

Fictional character who challenged gender roles and w

as the center of political controversy after having a child out of w

edlock

WOMEN ROLE MODELS

LADY GODIVA

OLYMPEDE GOUGE

ELIZABETHFRY

PAULINEROLAND

MARY JANESEACOLE

MATHILDEFRANZISKA

ANNEKA

ELIZABETHBLACKWELL

MARIECURIE

QIU JIN

SIBILLAALERAMO VIRGINIA

WOLF

RADEN AJENG

KARTINI

COCOCHANEL

GABRIELAMISTRAL

AGATHACHRISTIE

FRIDAKAHLO

EDITH PIAF

EVA PERON

JACQUELINEKENNEDYONASSIS

VALENTINATERESHKOVA

SCARLETTO’HARA

DOROTHY

BENAZIRBHUTTO

RIGOBERTAMENCHÚ

TUM

NADIACOMANECI

TORIAMOS

PRINCESSLEIA

THELMA LOUISE

BUFFY THEVAMPIRESLAYER

XENA

TRINITY

19801770 1780 1790 1800 18101730 1740 1750 1760 2000

SARAHMCLACHLAN

FLORENCENIGHTINGALE

The Maiden (Persephone): Loves to play and go to parties. She is close with her mother or otherwise distraught if she isn’t. She switches friends and interests often; she loves variety. She doesn’t have plans for her future beyond Satrurday night. She seems very gentle and innocent and can be a wonderful listener. She can help people through trauma and can be sensitive and psychic.

Examples: Lucy Ricardo from “I Love Lucy,” Rachel Green from “Friends” and Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz”

The Father’s Daughter (Athena): Loves to be in the city. She prefers male friendships to female and values work and career above all else. She is willing to do anything for the team and is extremely self-reliant. She always dresses for success, even when home alone. She is smart, intellectual, confident and very self-assured.

Examples: Murphy Brown and Queen Elizabeth I

The Seductive Muse (Aphrodite): Loves to be the center of attention and has a strong need to express herself. She is smart and creative, emotional and deeply feeling. She loves herself and her body. She loves to dress up and wear alluring clothes and she of course enjoys sex. She enjoys female friendships but sometimes can feel ostracized. She encourages other women to be creative and sexual; she inspires men.

Examples: Marilyn Monroe, Scarlett O’Hara and Cleopatra

The Matriarch (Hera): Loves to spend time with her family, even if they drive her crazy. She enjoys entertaining, planning parties and get-togethers for her family. She is very committed to marriage and dreams about her wedding day often. She will start a business to run as a surrogate family if she doesn’t have a family of her own. She sees her identity as wrapped up in her family and puts her husband’s image and career above her own.

Examples: Monica Geller from “Friends” and Roseanne from “Roseanne”

The Nurturer (Demeter): Spends a lot of time with her children or students or patients, whoever is in care. She puts others ahead of herself and is driven to help people. She is helpful and a joy to be around. She is a great listener, generous and committed to her family. She stays home most of the time.

Examples: June Cleaver, Florence Nightingale and Mother Teresa

The Amazon (Artemis): Loves to be outside with animals and nature. She prefers female friendships to male, but often winds up with more male friends. She values women and children and is a feminist even if she doesn’t verbalize it. She is unafraid to be out alone at night and is willing and able to fight to the death to defend herself; she stands up for her causes. She prefers function to style when it comes to her clothes. She wants to be self-sufficient and prefers to live with a man instead of marrying him.

Examples: Xena, Wonder Woman and Joan of Arc

The Mystic (Hestia): Loves to be alone most of the time. She tries to keep the peace no matter the cost and values her home life and solitude. She works carefully and slowly on one task at a time, as if there’s more than enough time. She is able to resist others who try to manipulate her. She takes part in a spiritual life and may be into the occult. She lives without material desires and expensive possessions. She may be a vegetarian and is into recycling and saving the earth. She doesn’t care if others see her as eccentric or spacey.

Examples: Phoebe Buffay from “Friends” and Annie Hall from “Annie Hall”

The Female Messiah (Isis): Cares more for others than about herself. She has a healthy sense of who she is and has a strong belief system to pull her through tough times. She seemed smarter and older than most adults when she was a child. She is willing to sacrifice herself for the good of all and stands up for her beliefs no matter the cost. She renounces material possessions and lives in tune with nature. She has an inner strength that never dies.

Examples: Trinity from “The Matrix,” Erin Brockovich, Joan of Arc, Wonder Woman, Hester Prynne and Lady Godiva

MAIDEN

MOTHER

CRONE