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Happy International Women’s Day! This year we aim to #BreaktheBias and to recognize the tireless work that women put in not only our lives but towards equality for all. Serpent and the Swan is woman-owned and operated, animals included, and wanted to give back to give back to those who support us.
This year I wanted to learn about Who is a woman that embodies strength and breaks stereotypes to you, and the reasons why they are. For myself, I chose Michelle Obama, my dog Frida’s namesake, Frida Kahlo, Jacinda Ardern, Sanna Marin, Laverne Cox, and recent Australian of the Year Grace Tame. All of these women are trailblazers in creativity, leadership, and advocacy for the rights of others, breaking stereotypes of women in traditional fields for an equal future.
Thank you to all who participated- it was amazing to learn about the women you have all chosen and how they have influenced your world. It was an extremely difficult choice to choose just one winner- so many came close to winning, but there could only be one winner- @madadamss, with her response on Joan of Arc:
“I have to say Joan of Arc! She was a former peasant turned gender bending female warrior who absolutely slayed in France’s hour of need - the pioneer of girl power (not to mention she transgressed all of the restrictions placed on women during this period). also the paintings of her in a full suit of armour are phenomenal ✨👑”
Congratulations to Maddie and thank you again to all those who participated! The reason I chose this is because I have always been captivated by her story- having to cross-dress as a man yet ultimately succeeding as a woman in her own right, saving France from the English Invaders and one of the first major Female figures in history, especially at such a young age!
I loved all your responses so much and just wanted to share it with all of you, see below!
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Josephine Baker for sure, she was not only a singer, dancer and actress she was also known for her civil rights work, she was part of the LGBTIQIA+ community, a spy for the French resistance… had a pet cheetah, what else?
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My mentor, she is an amazing First Nations queer woman breaking down barriers in mental health services and paving the way for inclusivity and diversity in our field.
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My Mumma Bear is the Most incredible Woman I know 🥰Her Strength is Unbreakable 🔥She Embodies kindness,Wisdom ,Patience,Understanding & intelligence She has taught me to be the Woman I am Today 🙏💖 Taught me to be independent, individual & strong.But most of all taught me to be Me.❤️❤️❤️
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Without a doubt, my jujitsu Sensei is the coolest most badass woman I know
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The ladies from Femen, as they fight for women's rights, no matter how dangerous and what the consequences might be. They are brave, fierce and stand up against patriarchy. ❤️🔥
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Harriet Tubman- one of the first to risk everything for the better of humanity!!!
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Women that embodies strength and breaks stereotypes for me are@merylstreep @demimoore@penelopecruzoficial @ari.seix@onabosses because they are all a perfect human beings in their imperfection.
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@fridakahlo As her vision of the world amazes me@jlo as she embodies all a strong beautiful Latina woman is and@g__firenze As she is the strongest woman I know 💕
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@lucyspeaches embodies strength by practicing what she preaches & smashes stereotypes surrounding periods including self love, education, art & entertainment. Introduced to me by my dear friend@tarryngill who also dabbles in jewellery making ❤️
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My gorgeous friend@radcliffeclaire not only does she break stereotypes by working in a not so long ago totally male dominated industry, she empowers other women to be who they want to be and do their best! She is also so smart, funny, caring and giving 😉 I hear you roar Claire 🦁
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Definitely@red_shiraz!!! Growing up in the digital age & the age of influencers, seeing a shining and empowering woman of colour that champions women excellence and individuality has really made me feel so comfortable in my own skin & although simple, being able to relate to someone in terms of appearance when growing up in the age of influencers who u seem to have nothing in common with is so inspiring for a teenage girl - especially a woman such as Raquelle who embraces womanhood, empowerment and intelligence 🔥 and of course, beauty! 💖 she breaks stereotypes for me as she is a woman of colour who thrives in the so called “influencer” age which although seems trivial, for a teenage girl is super super important!!!!
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My bestie@scumdawgmillionaire is the strongest women I know, she has gone through more than the ordinary person but has always kept her caring, loveable and ray of sunshine persona, all while progressing as a person and staying true to herself and knowing what she deserves and her worth and never straying from that even when things get really hard. She never makes anyone feel like their own struggles aren’t valid and always has time to be there for others. I not only respect but admire her so much for the women she has been, is and continues to become and I owe a lot of my own self love and other moments that I’m proud of to her unconditional love and support 💖 love you bb
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@sushimushimushiis breaking the bias every step she takes in her steel caps and hi-viz! As a single mum to a young child, she has retrained at 40 to become an Occupational Hygienist-
definitely not a traditional woman’s job. She climbs over every obstacle built in her way and is an inspiration to me!
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Catherine Hamlin was an absolute warrior woman. She, along with her husband, co founded the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia, the only medical centre in the world that offers free obstetric fistula repair surgery to women in poverty who suffer from child birth injuries. I could honestly write an essay on why this woman is one of my heroes and I recommend anyone who sees this comment to look into the work her foundation does. It’s truly incredible.@sjrocknroll ❤️
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@_quentin.bryce former Governor General of Australia. She remains a pioneer in contemporary Australian society, and yet one who brought more than forty years of experience in reform, community building and leadership to the role.
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My fiancée and mother to our child,@erindevine I’ve never known anyone as resilient and she amazes me every day with her ability to grow and nurture growth around us. We’re each other’s equals and she’s my guide in life who completes me.
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The most inspiring and strong women in my eyes is my nana. Through sickness and pain, she continued to spend her time caring for others and dedicating her days to volunteering and helping those who needed it most. She went above and beyond for people out of the kindness in her heart. In a way broke every stereotype - especially that of what it meant to be an older women in our society today. She never let anything stop her and she’ll forever be my biggest inspiration and best friend ❤️
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For me, it’s@linmick . Her amazingly unique style inspires me to break away from the patriarchal idea engraved into my mind to dress for the male gaze. This idea for ages kept me in a box of not feeling like my style was desirable by men because it was too ‘out there’, however Lindsay has encouraged me to dress for no one other than myself which makes me feel so empowered and strong. Her love of knitting also inspired me to take it up with which I needed help from my beautiful grandma, allowing us to become so much closer and connect 🐇💫❤️🔥
