The year is almost over, and I know you might be getting tired of hearing everyone talk about their own “best of” series, but this one will surely be a delight! The past year brought many new faces into the spotlight, and this list highlights some of the talented women who made headlines in 2008.
Lilly Ledbetter
At the Democratic National Convention, she had all the delegates standing on their feet. During the election the New York Times called Lilly Ledbetter the Democrats’ “secret weapon.” We know her as the “Face of Pay Equity,” the woman who put pay equity issues on the national stage with the passage of the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in the House. Her close ties to President-elect Barack Obama might even influence any Supreme Court appointments he makes.
Gov. Sarah Palin
Not only did she single-handedly revive Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign but she also put much-needed life back into SNL. No one will ever forget her moments with Katie Couric, her foreign policy experience, and of course the strength of hockey moms everywhere. Honestly, who knew this governor from Alaska could make such a big splash in such a short period of time? Like it or not, Sarah Palin is not going anywhere anytime soon, so get used to seeing her pageant-winning smile.
Sen. Hillary Clinton
The senator from New York, former front-runner in the presidential campaign, and potential vice presidential candidate will soon be the next Secretary of State of the United States of America. Hillary Clinton has never really left the spotlight, but this year has definitely taken the former first lady to new heights. Let’s just say 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling were enough to keep Hillary Clinton on our list.
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler
Why not? If you’re going to have a list with Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin, then you have to have their comedic twins. In all seriousness, both women show that women can be funny, too, in the male-dominated business of comedy. Additionally, Fey and Poehler are trailblazers in producing their own projects — Poehler’s Smart Girls at the Party and Fey’s 30 Rock and, formerly, SNL.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro
The congresswoman from Connecticut’s third district has been a tenacious champion of the Paycheck Fairness Act for more than a decade. Rep. DeLauro has also led a crusade to pass various other laws on women’s issues, including the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act. With her determination and sponsorship, the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R. 1338) passed on July 31.
J. K. Rowling
Rowling’s new book became the fastest-selling title of 2008, having already sold more than 2.6 million copies. Most commonly known as the creator of the Harry Potter series, Rowling earned $300 million between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008. All proceeds from The Tales of Beedle the Bard are going to a charity of Rowling’s choice, which makes J. K. Rowling even more notable! http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/dec/17/jk-rowling-beedle-the-bard-tops-bestseller
Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody
When Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody became the first woman to attain the rank of four-star general, it truly was one small step for women, one giant leap for equity in the military. I salute Gen. Dunwoody for her remarkable, groundbreaking achievement, and I am sure there are many other women serving in the military and women veterans who will never forget this moment.
Danica Patrick
Danika Patrick has been racing cars professionally for several years, but this year the 26-year-old made history as the first woman to win a major-league open-wheel race in Japan. Although she has always hoped for a win in Indy, so far her best finish has been in 6th place. At this pace, who can tell where her racing car will take her next year?
Yi-Han Su, Natalie Saranga Omattage, and Sana Raoof
These girls happen to be the winners of the 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. They not only had great projects but also showed that girls can do science, math, and engineering as well as and even better than boys!
Oraia Reid of RightRides and Emily May of HollaBackNYC
These young women are working to make New York City streets and public transportation safer for women and for queer and transgender people through their own organizations and in collaboration with the Metropolitan Transit Authority as part of the Subway Safety Coalition. A coalition initiative now has ads on subways informing riders that sexual harassment on the subway is a crime that can be reported to transit authorities.
Women Leaders from Around the World
It’s nice to know that some parts of the world have gotten over the gender issue in electing national leaders. There is Cristina Fernandez, Argentina’s first popularly elected woman president; Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, president of Liberia and the first democratically elected female president in Africa; Yulia Tymoshenko, Ukraine’s first female prime minister; and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who leads Europe’s biggest economy. Although not all of these women were elected in 2008, they did make huge strides this year, handling problems like the global economy and the effects of civil war.
Sheila Blair
The chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) is leading the fight to help struggling American homeowners and reassuring bank depositors in the face of a slumping economy. Look for Blair to be put in the spotlight even more in the upcoming year.
Pregnant Teens
Before Juno, Jamie Lynn Spears, Gloucester (MA) High School, and Sarah Palin’s daughter, teen pregnancy seemed to have faded out of news coverage. Believe it or not, these cases have brought much-needed discussion about comprehensive sex education back to the forefront.
You
This list would not even be possible without the support and help of AAUW members and avid readers of our blog. What better way to praise the people who make our jobs possible than by nominating them as people of the year. So, tip your hat to yourselves, because you have made 2008 another successful year for AAUW!
Change
Yes, this is not a physical being, but it has had many physical female forms this year. And let’s face it, everyone has used the slogan of change in 2008, so “change” must be given its credit for the progress it has promised for 2009!
So, who do you choose for Woman of the Year?
How about women bloggers like Pundit Mom? Women are being empowered and empowering other women to speak out on critical issues that concern them and impact their families. According to the Pew Internet and American Life project, 43% of bloggers are women. There is true power in those voices to bring about discussion and change.
Alexis Moore, the founder of “Survivors in Action” has got to be added to this list — not just because she just added Myra Spearman and me to the list, but because she is so completely dedicated to helping other women specifically, and other people in general. She is a relentless, brilliant, innovative “survivor in action” showing others how to survive and succeed. See http://alexisamoore.blogspot.com. Love you, Alexis and Myra!
The last comment had the name wrong. Rania is from Jordan, but has been working with Morocco’s First Lady Lalla Salma. Both are great examples.
I would like to include Queen Rania of Morocco as woman of the year. She is not an elected world leader, but her work in educating the girls of Morocco is changing that nation’s future.
Myra Spearman the founder and director of the nation’s first free public national domestic violence offenders registry.
A survivor who is making a difference by helping to prevent domestic violence!
http://theweakervessel.org/
Attorney Dawn V. Martin is definitely one to add to this list for her 10 year fight for the rights of women in the workplace. Martin v. Howard University is one case that should not be forgotten by anyone.
http://www.DVMartinlaw.com