It is well known today that Iran is one of the most dangerous countries for LGBTQ+ people. However, thanks to the actions and determination of one woman, Maryam Khatoon Molkara, Iran now carries out more sex reassignment surgeries than all but one country.
Trailblazers
Ragnhild Kåta
Ragnhild Tollefsdatter Kåta was born on 23rd May 1873 with five fully-functioning senses. Aged just three-and-a-half, she lost four of these, yet she would grow into a talented woman who was an international inspiration.
Suffrage Around the World: Clara González
During the early 1900s, women all around the world were mobilising to fight for their rights, and it was no different in Latin America. Clara González spent her whole career fighting for women and their rights.
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.
J is for… Jean Batten
If asked to name a female aviator, the first name to come to mind is often Amelia Earhart, or perhaps Amy Johnson, (both of whom, incidentally, disappeared). Yet, despite her achievements being on a par with theirs, Jean Batten is someone whose name has faded into obscurity, like so many women throughout history.
C is for… Christine Jorgensen
Christine Jorgensen was a trailblazer for transgender people in the US. In 1952, she became one of the first people to undergo sex reassignment surgery, becoming an instant celebrity in America upon her return to the country. She was a cornerstone of the LGBT movement, and still remains an important figure in trans history.
Mary Seacole – Mother of the Crimea
In 2007, Mary Seacole was introduced to the UK National Curriculum. Before this, her life went largely unrecognised, and only now is interest in her beginning to resurface.
Phillis Wheatley – A Revolutionary Poet
In 1761, a young girl of seven or eight was taken from her home and sold into slavery. She became Phillis Wheatley, a woman who is now known as the first African-American author of a published book of poetry.
Marsha P. Johnson – The Shot Glass Heard around the World
Every June, LGBT Pride is celebrated all around the world thanks to the campaigning of the LGBT movement. But that movement owes its thanks to one woman - Marsha P. Johnson, who was instrumental in making Pride what it is today.
Nellie Bly – Around the World in Seventy-Two Days
When Jules Verne penned 'Around the World in Eighty Days', no-one could have imagined that it would be a woman who broke Fogg's fictitious record. Nellie Bly, never one to shirk at a challenge, took on the task in 1889, emerging victorious 72 days later.