Fabulous Female Firsts

Book excerpt: Profiles of pioneering women past and present who’ve shattered glass ceilings from the author of Women of Means and Women Who Launch. Sexism has kept generations of women on the sidelines of history—but in every era, there are women who refuse to sit back in the shadows. Fabulous Female Firsts is a celebration of those women—the role models who proved that with enough daring and tenacity, the impossible can become possible. From the first woman to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor to the first female candidate for US President (it wasn’t Hillary Clinton!) to the first woman to win an Academy Award for Best Director, this collection of biographical profiles celebrates the trailblazers who persisted—in spite of being labeled stubborn, improper, or worse. This book is written in praise of “difficult women” who made the world a better place, and offers the inspiring stories of: Aretha Franklin • Sandra Day O’Connor • Lucy Walker • Sally Ride • Kathryn Bigelow • Misty Copeland • Viola Desmond • Pauli Murray • Emma Gatewood • Brig. Gen. Anna Hays • Junko Tabei • Gertrude Ederle and many more. “Effervescent stories about diverse groups of female creators, entrepreneurs, and dynamos . . . every page gives the motivation to strive for greatness.” —Becca Anderson, bestselling author of The Book of Awesome Women and Real Life Mindfulnes