Zelda D’Aprano was done being polite. In 1969, she chained herself to the doors of Melbourne’s Commonwealth Building to demand equal pay. Zelda co-founded the Women’s Action Committee in 1970, a catalyst for the Women’s Liberation Movement in Melbourne. She later presented a successful submission to the Arbitration Court in support of equal pay in 1972. Zelda proved that progress doesn’t come from playing nice, it comes from bold, action.

Gertrude Ederle was a trailblazing American swimmer who, at age 20, became the first woman to swim across the English Channel, beating the men’s record by nearly two hours. Despite partial deafness, she won Olympic medals and proved women’s athletic power in a world that doubted it. Her 1926 swim reshaped expectations, inspired future generations, and helped open more Olympic events to women.

Lhakpa Sherpa is a record-breaking Nepalese mountaineer with ten Mount Everest summits, the most by any woman. Born in a cave in Nepal's Makalu region, she began as a porter, often disguising herself as a boy to find work. In 2000, she became the first Nepali woman to climb and descend Everest. Despite facing abuse and raising three children while working low-wage jobs to support them, she never stopped climbing.

Cheers to Merle Thornton and Rosalie Bogner, who didn’t just want a drink, they demanded equality! In 1965, after being refused service at Brisbane’s Regatta Hotel, where it was illegal to serve women in public bars, the pair chained themselves to the bar in protest. Merle formed the Equal Opportunities for Women Association, and her activism was so powerful that ASIO kept her under surveillance until 1977.

The suffragette movement was led by fearless women like Emmeline Pankhurst in the UK, fought tirelessly for women’s right to vote. These women didn’t wait to be given power, they demanded it. They chained themselves to buildings, disrupted parliament, and risked jail and violence for the cause. Their courage paved the way for women’s voting rights around the world.

Edith Cowan was a pioneering force in politics. In 1921, she became the first woman elected to the Western Australian Parliament, championing women’s rights, child welfare, and education. Her passion for justice was shaped by a traumatic childhood and witnessing the failures exposed through her husband’s legal work. Determined to create change, she co-founded the Karrakatta Club in 1894, Australia’s first women’s club. Cowan’s legacy lives on as a symbol of courage and relentless advocacy.

Julia Gillard was Australia’s first female Prime Minister, and she refused to stay silent. In 2012, she delivered a blistering speech in Parliament calling out sexism and double standards. Watched by millions, it became a defining feminist moment and proved that calling out misogyny is leadership.

The 78ers were brave queer activists whose protest sparked what would become Sydney’s Mardi Gras. In 1978, they marched against discrimination, risking their jobs, homes, and safety. Police violently shut down the parade, arresting and beating many. Days later, a newspaper published the names of those arrested, outing them publicly and causing devastating consequences. The 78ers didn’t get an official apology until 2016, but their courage lit a fire that still burns today.

Rosa Parks, the woman who sat down so others could stand up, was a lifelong activist who helped spark the American civil rights movement. Her refusal to give up her bus seat in 1955 wasn’t about fatigue, it was a bold, strategic act of resistance. As Parks later said, “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in.”

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, or RBG, was a trailblazer for gender equality and a fierce defender of justice. The second woman appointed to the US Supreme Court, she became known for her unwavering advocacy for women’s rights and civil liberties. Her legacy continues to inspire generations of activists and changemakers. She was quoted as saying: “Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” And she lived it, every step of the way.

The Stonewall Riots lit the fuse on the modern queer rights movement. When police raided the Stonewall Inn in New York’s Greenwich Village in 1969, the LGBTQIA+ community fought back, sparking nights of defiant protest. This uprising became a turning point, igniting a global movement for queer liberation, equality and inspiring the first Pride marches around the world.

The Women’s March on Versailles was a revolutionary roar. In October 1789, thousands of women stormed the palace to demand bread and justice. They forced King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette to relocate to Paris, proving that women weren’t just witnesses to history, they were making it. This act of defiance symbolised women’s power in shaping history and was one of the most significant events of the French revolution.

Maya Angelou was a groundbreaking writer, poet, and civil rights activist whose works have touched millions. Her autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings became a classic, highlighting the struggles of racism, trauma, and resilience. Angelou’s powerful words and activism continue to inspire movements for equality, and she remains one of the most respected literary figures in American history.

Amelia Earhart proved women belonged in the cockpit, not just the passenger seat. Her solo flight from Newfoundland to Ireland defied brutal weather and shattered expectations. In 1935, she made history again with solo flights from Hawaii to California and Los Angeles to Mexico City. A fearless pioneer and symbol of possibility, Earhart’s legacy still inspires rebels and rulebreakers today. Her mysterious disappearance in 1937, during an attempt to fly around the world, only deepened her legend.

Marie Curie was a groundbreaking scientist who defied the limitations placed on women in science during her time. As the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, she made pioneering contributions to the study of radioactivity, eventually winning two Nobel Prizes in two different fields, Physics and Chemistry. Her groundbreaking work paved the way for advances in medicine and modern physics, and she remains a symbol of resilience and intellectual brilliance.

Billie Holiday was a jazz legend and fearless voice for justice. In 1939, she sang Strange Fruit, a haunting protest against the lynching of Black Americans. Written by teacher Abel Meeropol after seeing a photo of a lynching, the song’s chilling metaphor, bodies as “strange fruit” hanging from trees, cut through silence and denial. Holiday’s emotional performance made the song an icon of resistance, despite efforts to silence her. Strange Fruit endures as one of the most powerful protest songs in history.