The Dahomey Amazons—traditionally called the N'Nonmiton—were an army of women in the Kingdom of Dahomey, present-day Benin. Their origins are somewhat murky, but there were records of women warriors in the region from the eighteenth century.
Groups
Women Who Fought Back: Madres de Plaza de Mayo
To quote Stephen King: “There’s no bitch on Earth like a mother frightened for her kids.” The Madres de Plaza de Mayo more than prove this, still fighting today for the return of their 'disappeared' children.
Suffrage Around the World: Nüzi canzheng tongmenghui
China’s ‘first wave’ of feminism took place between 1911-1913 when the new constitution contained no mention of women's suffrage. Women's groups across China came together to form the Women's Suffrage Alliance - the first of its kind in the country.
U is for… Undercover
The 1880s and 1890s were the heyday for undercover, stunt journalism. In a field where women had always been pushed to the margins, many female journalists found their niche in the stunt genre, going undercover in often dangerous situations, and later publishing scandalous exposés.
S is for… Six!
We all know the rhyme and, thanks to Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, many more are starting to learn who the women behind ‘Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived’ were. But how much of Six is actually historically accurate? Short answer: A fair amount. Long answer? Read on.
P is for… Poison
In 1945, Sherlock Holmes (played by Basil Rathbone) said, “Poison is a woman’s weapon”. But is it true? Well... Kind of?
D is for… Daughters of Bilitis
In 1955, four lesbian couples came together in search of a space to socialise away from the fear of harassment and police raids. What began as a private club soon turned into a national organisation, which became crucial to the understand and acceptance of lesbianism in 1950s and 60s America.