US actress Mindy Kaling was briefly mistaken for Malala Yousufzai at a New York party earlier this year.
However, Pakistani children’s rights activist Malala was by far the winner in the list of women who shaped this year.
Malala would be in the list for obvious reasons — for being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize at 17, the youngest recipient, but also for having to wait to give her “first statement after school.”
Here are some more women who stood out this year for their pioneering initiatives:
THE #BRINGBACKOURGIRLS CAMPAIGN
The horrific abduction of 300 girls from their school in Chibok, Nigeria, by terrorist group Boko Haram triggered an international outcry.
On the ground in Nigeria, activists have not gone quiet: Every day since April 30, they have gathered in the capital to protest against the mass kidnapping.
Next year is an election year for Nigeria and the state of security in the northeastern regions will be an ongoing issue.
ACTIVISM’S FEMALE FACE
From Ferguson, Missouri, to New York City and elsewhere across the US, thousands marched for justice following the killings of unarmed black men and women by police, and they were largely organized and led by young women.
The Millions March NYC was set up by Umaara Elliott and Synead Nichols.
Harriet Wistrich won Liberty’s Human Rights Lawyer of the Year award for her work showing police failures concerning the women attacked by a London taxi driver.
THE MANY BATTLES OF THE FEMINIST PR WAR
Beyonce stood in front of a giant FEMINIST sign at the Video Music Awards, inspiring many tenuous thinkpieces and column inches; Emma Watson gave a speech as part of the “He For She” campaign at the UN in New York; Harriet Harman wore her Fawcett Society “This is what a feminist looks like” T-shirt to a UK parliament sitting for prime minister’s questions (a not-at-all subtle dig at British Prime Minister David Cameron); and the media managed to ask every semi-famous woman about her thoughts on feminism.
On balance, the feminist public relations war was largely won and with only minimal bloodletting.
HEROINES OF SCIENCE AND HEALTH
Iranian mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani became the first woman to win the Fields Medal in Mathematics; space scientist Monica Grady celebrated with the rest of the Rosetta mission when Philae landed on a comet, 10 years after its launch.
In Nigeria, hero doctor Stella Ameyo Adadevoh led a team that shut down the spread of Ebola in the most populous country in Africa and died from the virus after exposure.
MOST EXCELLENT IMAGE OF WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE
In September, India sent up the Mangalyaan satellite to orbit Mars, making it only the fourth nation to do so.
The photograph that marked the accomplishment was striking: A command control room showing six women in saris smiling and excitedly embracing one another in the foreground.
Whether in purple or red or pink or blue, this is what a scientist (can) look(s) like.
SMALL-SCREEN QUEENS
Yes, there was UK comedian Dapper Laughs and his patently ridiculous brand of “entertainment,” but generally, women did better than alright in television this year.
British TV was particularly strong, full of complex and nuanced female narratives and roles: Maggie Gyllenhaal in The Honourable Woman, Sarah Lancashire in Happy Valley and Keeley Hawes in Line of Duty were highlights.
Between Olivia Pope and Annalise Keating, Shonda Rhimes dominated US television.
Orange is the New Black actor Laverne Cox became the first transgender woman to be nominated for an Emmy (and be on the cover of Time magazine).
Amy Schumer’s A Very Realistic Military Game sketch highlighted the issue of sexual assault in the US military, using a console game in which her avatar, a private in the army, is raped in the barracks.
On reporting the crime, the character is asked: “Did you know he has a family? Does that change your mind about reporting?” It ends with her attacker found guilty in a military court — right before his commanding officer decides to reject the court’s decision and put him back on active duty.
QUEENS OF THE SILVER SCREEN
In film, Amma Asante directed historical drama Belle and Destiny Ekaragha helmed the comedy of manners Gone Too Far, making them members of a very elite club of black British female directors.
Nicole Perlman, co-screenwriter on one of the highest grossing movies of the year, Guardians of the Galaxy, made history: She is the first woman with a writing credit on a Marvel movie.
LADIES OF LETTERS
British novelist Jessie Burton’s book The Miniaturist became the best-selling literary debut hardback of the decade.
Elsewhere, writer (and Guardian US columnist) Roxane Gay wrote thought-provoking essays on subjects as varied as Bill Cosby and the Oscar Pistorius trial.
POLITICAL ANIMALS
A Women’s Aid petition to save women’s refuges garnered 38,000 signatures — and secured a £10 million (US$15.5 million) injection from the British government to protect the network of safe havens.
Earlier in the year, several centers, including those helping black, Asian, ethnic minority and refugee women had been particularly hard hit by cuts.
Elsewhere, UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage suggested that breastfeeding mothers should sit in the corner and not be “openly ostentatious.” The jokes wrote themselves.
SHE SHOOTS, SHE SCORES!
Republic of Ireland striker Stephanie Roche was nominated for the FIFA Puskas Award for goal of the year, alongside Colombia’s James Rodriguez and the Netherlands’ Robin van Persie.
Claudia Fragapane became England’s most successful female Commonwealth Games competitor in more than 80 years.
TECH WOES
Anita Sarkeesian and Zoe Quinn were two of the targets (and loudest critics) of “Gamergate.” Ostensibly about ethics in games journalism, the movement became something else entirely, with overt misogyny and rape threats on Twitter.
Elsewhere, the ructions between women and the technology industry trundled along as an Uber executive, Emil Michael, was overheard suggesting digging up dirt on critics in the media.
One suggested target was PandoDaily editor Sarah Lacy, a vocal critic of the taxi app.
Earlier this month, a female customer in New Delhi accused a driver of rape.
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