With International Women’s Day fast approaching, on the 8^th March, I felt it would be important to reflect on the importance of this day and the women who inspired it.

Below, are just a small number of women who have inspired me and continue to do so:

Queen Elizabeth II

After inheriting the throne at only 25 years old, I feel that the Queen deserves an honourable mention as taking over a country at such a young age is an extremely brave act. Not only this, but she is now the longest reigning monarch and female head of state– reigning for almost 67 years! I am continuously motivated the work and responsibility taken on by the Queen, even at her age, as it is a reminder to work hard and rise to any and all situations I find myself in. I know that as Queen Elizabeth II inspires me, she will inspire others across the globe.

Serena Williams

The sporting world is dominated by male figures resulting in women being overlooked, I felt it is important to show recognition to female sporting figures who continue to inspire. Serena Williams is the person who first came to mind; often regarded as the greatest tennis player of all time. Not only has she won the grand slam 23 times but managed to win the 2017 Australian Open whilst two months pregnant! Serene Williams is resilient, determined, and, driven which all make for the perfect role model and somebody to thank for the progression of women in the sporting world.

Maya Angelou

Being a poet, singer, memoirist among many other talents it is clear Maya Angelou can be considered a jack of all trades. Her work in campaigning for civil rights was monumental in the movement for enforcing constitutional and legal rights for African-American Citizens. Throughout her whole life Maya Angelou was devoted to doing what was right, and her passion clearly showed. A quote that has remained with me is ‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel’ and she made myself, as well as many others, feel as though they are able to make a change in the world.

Although I could go on listing the women who inspire me daily, I felt that these three are able to sum up why we should take the time to celebrate International Women’s Day. All three of these women may be from different decades, backgrounds, and even moved into completely different career paths but they have managed to break the status quo, challenge enforced stereotypes, and change how we think of women today.

International Women’s Day is important as we can look back and learn from women of the past, but possibly more importantly, ensures that the women of today can see what they need to do in order to carry on changing the world.