IWD 2020 - which woman do you most admire?

Me. I've made it through another year without:

killing the little white dog that lives at the end of the street and yaps constantly
killing the person at our local Morrisons who is incapable of ordering goods properly, leading to shelves being empty of basics
killing drivers who cut me up
killing people who think it's OK to talk loudly when they're walking home from the pub in the middle of the night
killing people who slam their car doors in the middle of the night
killing people who say 'Cheer up. It could be worse' when I'm in the depths of depression.
killing people who tell me I'll get better if I 'think happy thoughts'
killing queue jumpers
killing people who stand in front of children at events knowing that they're stopping the children from being able to see even though they could just as easily stand behind the children so that everyone could see
killing people who tell me that 'I need to get out more'....not easy with agoraphobia
killing people with annoying voices who always seem to speak louder than anyone else
killing bigots of whatever ilk
killing old people who complain constantly about young people and children

I could go on. I think I'm woman of the year because I've practiced such self control.

Mother Teresa I think a cloud hung over her, didn't she knowingly baptise dying Hindus and possibly some Muslims also

Another vote for Mother Teresa, an inspiring woman.

Mother Teresa. She devoted her life to serving the poor and destitute around the world.

Chestnut The Queen has little power and is in fact just a figurehead for a system of government that has remained virtually unchanged until women actually began to demand changes. Women can, if they choose to, support and uphold patriachy and the Queen has done just that. OK so she's not the generation that burned their bras, but there are things she could have done to change things and to support women. She hasn't done any of them. She even allowed men to dictate how she behaved as a mother. Putting a token woman up as a figurehead doesn't enable feminism it simply masks the patriachy which continues and prospers behind the scenes.

trisher The monarchy is the most patriachal organisation and it hasn't really changed.
?? Patriarchal?? We have had a Queen on the throne for nearly 70 years. Patriarchal means 'relating to or denoting a system of society or government controlled by men.' This is just getting too silly for words. ?

Historically I admire Lisbeth Simm. Most of you won't have heard of her. She was a miner's daughter who trained as a teacher and became active in the Labour movement. She wrote a newspaper column and dealt with problems we still face today. She said women didn't attend political meetings because their husbands didn't do their share of the housework. She organised the Women's Labour League, went to Australia to look at working conditions and when her husband died became the superintendant of a home training domestic servants.

I admire beyond words the women and children who have spoken out against Female Genital Mutilation, Breast Ironing, Forced Marriage etc. and the likes of the Yazidi women who have endured barbaric treatment at the hands of their captors sadly still happening throughout the world.

Chestnut feminism is about doing things differently, so adopting co-operative and inclusive ways rather than dictating from a position of power which is patriarchal. The monarchy is the most patriachal organisation and it hasn't really changed.

trisher you have no idea what Charles and William participate in. I'm sure they do participate behind the scenes, in fact Charles is taking on many of her duties now because of her age. What on earth does that have to do with 'feminising' the monarchy? And for sure the Queen has not been 'stuck in time' because she has done many things which were never done before.

Chestnut had the Queen chosen to feminise the monarchy she could have introduced some of the things which have always been part of the woman's movement. She could for example have introduced a form of power sharing by allowing Charles to have a part in the formal meetings with the PM and even introduing William to things. She could have made many things, more child-friendly. There seems to be an idea that Royal traditions are long-standing when some have been in place only for a century or so. She has spent the last 70 years stuck in time while the world moves on.

Today I’m admiring Patti Smith - singing and looking fierce -on you tube.

Everyday I seem to find a new woman to admire.

Mollypolly, your mum sounds wonderful.

Thank you for the comments about my Mum. She's a feisty little thing and I love and admire her so much

Just another reason why the Queen gets our vote. From today's news:
The 93-year-old Monarch is determined to lead the nation by example as she ‘keeps calm and carries on’ despite the emerging coronavirus outbreak. The Queen will attend the Commonwealth Day service in Westminster Abbey tomorrow with eight other members of the royal family, where she will mingle with representatives from 54 other Commonwealth countries. A senior Palace source said her majesty is determined to rally the nation until there is ‘compelling advice to the contrary’.
Long live the Queen!

Just seen this topic. I would like to nominate our own Gillybob. I admire her strength in supporting her husband through his illness, she is running a small business, helping with Care for Grandchildren, helping her Dad with shopping etc and god knows how many other jobs. Yet she still asks kindly after anyone who isnt well . She comes across as a very special woman to my way of thinking.

The Queen for sure

The Queen.Especially with the current shenanigans in her family.
My mum who at 98 still lives in her own home. She can drive me bonkers but then when I think how hard she has worked and what she has lived through.
And our daughter's. Hard working women at the coalface of the NHs and education.Juggling families and tight budgets ,and one a serious health concern with stoicism and cheerfulness.When I heard a certain soon to be non member of the Royal Family bleating on about existing but not thriving it made my blood boil for all the amazing women holding it all together out there.

Judi Dench so so versatile and a wicked laugh.

Queen Elizabeth 1.
A successful woman in what really was a man's world, and a success made at personal cost to herself.

Definitely the Queen.
All foster parents and carers who give their time and love with very little reward and are largely unsung heroes.

Jacinda Ardern for so many reasons.

But also a few women on here who've impressed me.

trisher She has done absolutely nothing to change or feminise the RF.
Why does the RF family need to be changed or feminised? ?
Maybe you think it does, but that doesn't make it so.

Our Queen .
She has kept her promise to serve her country and what a great job she is doing.

I was thinking how much I would object to the Queen. She has done absolutely nothing to change or feminise the RF. She has in fact reinforced the patriarchal nature of the crown. An opportunity for change and modernisation lost.

Priti Patel for being a strong, woman. She doesn't take nonsense from men. They dislike strong women. Also Catherine Duchess of Cambridge for caring about people's mental health.