Relax... and happy International Women's Day

Greetings, humans! Before you I come once again to grace your visual processors with more of my incomparable wisdom and ineffable genius. And as soon as I acquire said properties I shall get all up in that.

So, it's the 8th of March 2017, a day we have earmarked as International Women's Day (seriously, it's in the title. Surely you knew where this was going). That today is also my son's birthday is mere coincidence.  But aside from the inevitable and hilarious Deadpool memes...

You're welcome.

...there's much more to this event than whips, bondage and pegging.

Today is an occasion for us to remember and celebrate the myriad accomplishments and achievements of women throughout the world and across history, often against the backdrop of difficult, sometimes near insurmountable odds.  From struggling single mothers to scientists to athletes to political leaders, there is no point in which women have not played a major role in shaping and reshaping the landscape of this world.

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Take Margaret Hamilton. A background in abstract mathematics led to her developing weather prediction software at MIT at Project MAC, before she moved on to the SAGE Project, which created simulations of weather systems and predict their movements. Her success on this project would eventually lead her to NASA's Apollo program, where she led the team which developed flight software for the command module, lunar lander, and later the Skylab. This software would eventually be used to land Apollo 11 on the moon after computer errors nearly aborted the mission 3 minutes from the lunar surface.

Hamilton's work on the Apollo project would earn her a nomination for the NASA Space Act Award. She is credited with coining the term "software engineering". She was one of the pioneers of women entering the male-dominated STEM industries And in 2016, her accomplishments were recognised by Barack Obama, who awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the US's highest civilian honour.

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More recently, we have a woman for who I personally harbour a great deal of respect and admiration. Malala Yousafzai grew up in Pakistan's Swat Valley during its occupation by the Taliban. She blogged for BBC Urdu in early 2009, before becoming a prominent advocate for female education.

Then, on 9th October 2012, a Taliban gunman shot Yousafzai on her way home from an exam. The news quickly spread globally, even as surgeons worldwide raced to save her life.

The aftermath saw Pakistan ratify the Right To Education Bill in late 2012, guaranteeing education for all children.  World leaders, celebrities, religious leaders and many more voiced their support for Malala, and condemnation for the Taliban. After her recovery, she met Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, spoke at the United Nations and Harvard, and gained an audience with then-US President Barack Obama.  The Malala Fund was created to continue striving for education for all children worldwide.  And in 2014, Yousafzai was named co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize with Kailash Satyarthi - making her the youngest person to win a Nobel Prize in any discipline.

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I really wish I could write a lot more, both on the iconic women above and on hundreds of others. There's Marie Curie, renowned for her work on radioactivity as well as in the fight against cancer, after whom the Marie Curie cancer charity is named.  Or Rosa Parks, whose simple refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man became the catalyst for civil rights movements nationwide, and also influenced Martin Luther King, Jr.

In music, there are women such as Billie Holiday, who powerful and expressive voice helped redefine jazz and blues in the 20th century.  Madonna is, as of this writing, the most successful female musician of all time, and no stranger to controversy, pushing the boundaries of music, gender, and sexuality frequently. She is a principal player in redefining the role of women in pop culture and in general.

On stage and screen, Emma Watson has grown from the frizzy-haired young witch in Harry Potter to become a successful actress, as well as a model, and a prominent feminist, appointed by the UN as a Goodwill Ambassador for Women.  Meanwhile Angelina Jolie is one of the leading lights of Hollywood, with an extensive library of box office hits to her credit, while also serving as a recognised humanitarian, having worked with the UNHCR as a Goodwill Ambassador, as well as contributing to environmental, conservationist, and child welfare issues.

This paltry article doesn't even scratch the surface of the massive contributions made by women, even in the last few decades, let alone throughout humanity's history.  From Cleopatra to Christina Ricci; from Joan of Arc to Joan Armatrading; from Queen Victoria to Tori Amos; Lady GaGa; Laverne Cox; A.J. Lee; Boadicea; Eleanor Roosevelt - the list is seemingly endless.  I strongly urge you to look up the women I've named here today, and many more besides.

Who knows? Maybe one day it'll be our daughters who change the world.

As always, feel free to leave your comments. And if you've liked my little bit of blog, give me a +1 and tell your friends.

Much love to you all.
4L

Allan H.