Historical Badasses


[image description: painting of redhead woman sitting on couch with a sword in her lap] via Wikimedia Commons
[image description: painting of redhead woman sitting on couch with a sword in her lap] via Wikimedia Commons

Your history class never told you about this French bisexual badass

Amanda Justice
[Image description: "In the days of Sappho" by John William Godward] via Wikipedia
[Image description: "In the days of Sappho" by John William Godward] via Wikipedia

Do you know what they called Sappho, the first documented lesbian?

Yasmin Islam
[Image description: Gertrude Stein smiling at the camera on the left, and on the left, Pablo Picasso's portrait of her.] Via Flickr
[Image description: Gertrude Stein smiling at the camera on the left, and on the left, Pablo Picasso's portrait of her.] Via Flickr

Gertrude Stein, the queer feminist at the centre of the art movement

Amal Als

An image of Wu Zetian from "An 18th century album of portraits of 86 emperors of China, with Chinese historical notes".
An image of Wu Zetian from "An 18th century album of portraits of 86 emperors of China, with Chinese historical notes".

Let me tell you about Wu Zetian, China’s only empress and most hated woman

Neha Merchant
Two portraits of Jahanara Begum side by side.
Two portraits of Jahanara Begum side by side.

Jahanara Begum was the princess we should aspire to be

Neha Merchant
Junko Tabei smiling as she climbs Pico Bolivar, a mountain in Venezuela
Junko Tabei smiling as she climbs Pico Bolivar, a mountain in Venezuela

Junko Tabei, the woman who defied gravity and gender expectations

Simi Segun

A black and white picture of Hedy Lamarr lounging on a chair wearing a sleeveless dress. She has dark, short, curly hair and is looking slightly to the right.
A black and white picture of Hedy Lamarr lounging on a chair wearing a sleeveless dress. She has dark, short, curly hair and is looking slightly to the right.

We have scientist and actress Hedy Lamarr to thank for Wi-FI and GPS

Tatayana Allen
Fatima Jinna
Fatima Jinna

Remembering Fatima Jinnah, the Mother of the Pakistani nation

Izza Malik
Portrait of Fatima Al-Fihri
Portrait of Fatima Al-Fihri

Fatima al-Fihri: Founder of the world’s first university

Rebecca Azad

Elizabeth Catlett’s art reminds us to keep fighting

Jessica Land
Bessie Coleman stands on the wheel of a plane.
Bessie Coleman stands on the wheel of a plane.

Meet Bessie Coleman: the Black woman who became a pilot before Amelia Earhart

Carol Wright

How Mildred D. Taylor’s stories can teach us how to be hopeful throughout hardships

Sabrina Corsiga