40 Unapologetically Empowering Women That Even Men Could Learn From
Women have been described as the ‘weaker gender’ but check history, and you will see that women are anything but weak. There’s Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie, Florence Nightingale, Malala Yousafzai, Harriet Tubman, and we could go on and on naming amazing women. Actually, you need not search any further, just look at your mother! Women can be just as powerful and unapologetic as men. They change history, save lives, invent new technologies, the list goes on. Here we have some stories to back us up; these are just a fraction of the amazing things women have done. Scroll through, and you will laugh, marvel, and admire women. Who knows, they might just inspire you to be great and do things you haven’t done before.
#1 No fancy clothes, no problem
Marilyn Monroe is one of the most famous women in the world, but even she wasn’t able to escape criticism. In the 1950s, one journalist had the audacity to tell her that she was only considered beautiful because she had some of the best clothes and accessories.
To prove him wrong, she wore a potato sack and had her photographs taken. Did the burlap dim her light and reduce her beauty? Not at all. She was still as beautiful as can be, and her gimmick got many people talking.
#2 A little storm doesn’t scare this lady
Force majeure is defined as unforeseeable circumstances that prevent someone from fulfilling a contract; a good example of this is extreme weather phenomena such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and volcanic eruptions. No matter how much you prepare, these things will happen, and nothing can be done other than getting to safety.
Who’s afraid of the wrath of nature? This lady certainly isn’t. When other businesses were closed, she remained open but what we love most is her post informing customers everywhere that she is open for business. Way to go, Grandma!
#3 She dodged a bullet
Marrying someone is one of the greatest decisions you will ever make, and it is not something to enter without thinking long and hard about it. If you take the time to carefully consider things, you’ll be less likely to be filing for divorce a few months later.
This woman is one of our idols. Why? Because instead of marrying her cheating fiancé or breaking up in a fight at home, she saved it for the altar and embarrassed him in front of their family and friends. What a savage, and satisfying, way to break up with someone.
#4 Over the luggage limit?
When traveling, it’s important to be mindful of the things you are packing because the last thing you want to do is to overpack and end up paying overweight and excess luggage fees. Those can get really expensive really quickly.
This woman, unfortunately, ended up overpacking, and when told that she was 2 kilograms over the limit, she didn’t panic. Her solution to the dilemma was epic, if not a little uncomfortable. She put on 2.5kg of her clothing and boarded the plane without paying an extra cent.
#5 Don’t keep carrying dead weight with you
Your boyfriend or husband should be the one person who will give you unconditional love and support. He should be the one who motivates you to become a better version of yourself, and he shouldn’t be a source of pain, frustration, or worries.
Unfortunately, this isn’t always true, and some partners are the ones responsible for their girl’s low self-esteem; they drag them down instead of lifting them up. Obviously, it’s not always so simple, but if you’re in a relationship like that, it’s time to free yourself just like this lady did.
#6 Revenge worth waiting for
Here we go again with boyfriends who are not supportive of their partner’s dreams and goals. If one is in your life right now, you should get rid of him ASAP because he is not going to do you any good.
This lady’s sweet revenge is one for the books, although it took a few years. We don’t mind being called a nerd. It’s a compliment, not an insult! And if that “insult” is for being studious, well, don’t be surprised if that comes back to bite you.
#7 That’s why they are called fairy tales
Fairy tales are there to entertain children; that’s why there are talking animals and magic wands. However, they’re also meant to teach kids about morality and help them learn important life lessons. Even when the advice is practical, the story is far from reality.
Fairy tales are just one more aspect of our society and culture that is unfair to women. Nowadays, we aren’t damsels in distress sitting around waiting for our prince to come. We don’t drop glass slippers, we shatter glass ceilings.
#8 Stay-at-home moms
Why is it that women who choose to stay at home to take of their children are not given the respect they deserve? They are looked down upon because they don’t have “careers,” but most people don’t know how hard being a stay-at-home mother is. It’s more difficult than any normal career path.
You don’t get sick days or vacation days, you can’t clock out early, and you are always on call. There’s no overtime, and often, kids don’t give the appreciation that stay-at-home mothers deserve. On top of that, society doesn’t give them the respect they deserve. This attitude needs to change.
#9 This is the kind of Grandma we aspire to be
There are certain clothing and hairstyles that we associate with grandparents. But there’s no requirement for them to look that way. Some women can’t stand to follow the status quo, whether they’re 16 or 60. Like this cool granny who didn’t let her age change who she is.
This grandma is exactly what we want to be when we grow old. We don’t want to be boring old people who knit all the time or feed homeless cats, not that there’s nothing wrong with that. We want to be ourselves, just like she is.
#10 World’s best sister
Having a sister is a catch-22 situation. You can’t live without her, but sometimes you can’t live with her, either. But no matter how much you fight, big sisters will always have your back, and little sisters will support you no matter what.
This woman took sisterly love to a whole new level. After her brother was wrongly imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, she was determined to get him out. Dropping out of high school wouldn’t stop her from graduating college as a successful lawyer and successfully freeing her brother. How heartwarming is that story?
#11 I don’t take him to be my husband
We don’t mean to disrespect certain cultures, but we have always been against arranged marriages. What would your reaction be if you were told that you have no say in your future? And what if your future partner was someone you’d never met before?
It’s less common now, but some cultures still hold to this. But we love this story of someone’s grandmother who refused to blindly obey the family rules and followed her heart. It takes a strong will and endless reserves of courage to do what she did.
#12 A friend for life
Almost everyone has a best friend. Someone who will support you and protect you, and they might quietly accept insults, but the second it’s directed at their friend, there’s no saving the bully. This girl in Zimbabwe experienced this first-hand when her best friend came to the rescue.
Naturally, we’d be scared and more than a bit hesitant when confronted with a crocodile, but not this girl. She had a real superhero moment and saved her friend from the jaws of death. Wonder Woman’s got nothing on her.
#13 Stealing from the thieves
This is justice served the way we want it. We had a few laughs reading this story, and we thought it was worth sharing because this isn’t something that happens every day. Most of the time, when something gets stolen, we don’t get it back.
What do you do when you see an ad on Craigslist selling your stolen bike? Do you report it to the police, prove it’s yours, and wait for the cops to help you get it back? This lady took matters into her own hands in a hilarious and ingenious way.
#14 The whole city knows he’s a cheater
We’re not saying that all men are creeps, but there are men who think they are god’s gift to the world and that they can get away with cheating. We have news for you — cheating is wrong, no matter who you are. There is nothing special in you that makes it okay.
How would you react if you found out that your husband was cheating on you? Would you just grin and bear it for the kids, or would you file for divorce instantly? We like this wife’s approach; she let the world know just what kind of an a-hole her husband is.
#15 Brad Pitt has got nothing on these ladies
This photo gives a whole new meaning to the insult, ‘You hit like a girl.’ We won’t even go into how inaccurate that statement is. If you think women can’t hold their own, then you are sorely mistaken. This picture is of a real-life fight club in the 1930s.
During this time, women’s role was confined to household chores. They took kept the house clean, the kid fed, and cooked fresh meals for their husbands. They were expected to be prim and proper, not participating in rooftop boxing matches. Well, not all women were born to conform; some were born to break rules and sometimes even noses.
#16 Things escalated quickly with this one
Speaking of 1930s stereotypes, over the centuries, women everywhere have been subjected to the worst forms of gender biases. They should be at the beck and call of their husbands and should stay at home, doing household chores and taking care of children.
There was a time when women weren’t allowed to have jobs or even an opinion! Times have changed and women all over the world are gaining rights, but there’s still a long way to go. For now, we’ll have comics like these to keep us going and remind us how far we’ve come.
#17 She’s just not that into you
No one should be judged solely by their appearance. Although we all strive to look good and attractive, there is more to us than what we’re wearing and what we look like. Sure, looks can be a part of the package, but it shouldn’t be the whole package.
When it comes to looks, there’s extra pressure on women to look as good as possible, and an assumption that men are the target audience. In their primitive minds, the only reason for them dressing well is for men’s sake. News flash, guys, most of the time women want to look good for themselves and not anyone else.
#18 That’s the kind of skin we like
Women have been objectified since time immemorial and been used as background props, but the women of today are having none of that. They don’t have time for men who disrespect them and think of them as anything less than equal.
So, we’d like to commend this owner who had the right response to a customer who said that the servers in his diner should “show more skin.” Selling potato skins to de-objectify women was an original idea, and using the proceeds to help victims of comments like that is just icing on the cake.
#19 This should be in the Guinness Book of Records
Pringles weren’t originally named Pringles; it was supposed to be Newfangled Potato Chips. We don’t really know where that name came from but let’s all thank our lucky stars they didn’t choose to go with that because it’s a mouthful.
This lady has managed to achieve something with Pringles which no one has ever done before and she deserves a lifetime supply of it, as well as a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records, too. She is a physics master!
#20 Boys vs girls
Growing up, males have always been given leeway, and when they do something wrong, there are always excuses. “Boys will be boys,” was a common refrain. On the other hand, girls were expected to behave better and learn from their mistakes.
The fact that this is still heard on playgrounds today shows that we’re nowhere near equal. This user made an excellent point, noting that the phrasing makes all the difference. Why should women have to excuse men when it should be that men learn from women?
#21 Another grandma we’d like to emulate
If you were lucky enough to grow up with your grandparents around, then you know how much they love to pamper and spoil their grandkids. This doesn’t just mean getting extra desert, it extends to protecting their grand-babies from heartbreak.
When her granddaughter got rid of her boyfriend, the grandmother followed suit. She found some scissors and cut him out of her life…literally. What we love most is that the grandmother shared this with her granddaughter. How sweet is that?
#22 Men complaining about dating women
Let’s face it, the dating scene can be very competitive, and there are times when the women you like don’t even like you back, and that’s alright because there’s plenty of fish in the sea. But none of that matters if your response is to insult women for doing the same thing men do.
To start, you shouldn’t consider physical appearance as the only thing that matters. Beauty is only skin deep and looks have nothing to do with personality. And if you judge someone for keeping the same “standards” as you, take another look in the mirror and rethink your priorities.
#23 In your own time
When a woman is single, people will ask her when she will get married. Once a woman is married, people will ask her when she will have kids. Once a woman has a child, people will ask her when she will have more. Women just can’t catch a break.
Nobody asks old people when they are going to die, and nobody asks men when they are going to start being mature, so why are women the ones subjected to all these nonsense questions. Women shouldn’t be pressured to get married or have kids.
#24 Let’s get rid of gender stereotypes
Pink is for girls, blue is for boys. Dolls are for girls and trucks are for boys. Household chores are for women while office jobs are for men. These are just some of the stereotypes that we should seriously get rid of.
All of these stereotypes date back generations, and it’s only now that we feel safer in rebelling. But this picture shows us that there have always been girls who don’t follow the rules. Emma did as she was told, as girls were expected to do, but she wasn’t afraid to share her true opinions.
#25 Men on dating apps
Dating is simultaneously easier and harder nowadays. Thanks to dating apps like Tindr, finding a potential match is done with the flick of a finger. While this is convenient for those in the dating scene, the quality of those available isn’t much higher than before.
With so many women to flirt with at once, men can feel entitled and assume that women will please them whenever they want. Girls, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Take a note from this woman who shoved this guy’s rude behavior back in his face.
#26 A woman who was better than computers
While we’re on the topic of technology, we want to take a woman to celebrate Katherine Johnson. What’s so special about her? Well, when computers were still new and unreliable, scientists needed a human mind to check for errors. It had to be someone unquestionably brilliant and trustworthy…
NASA needed to be sure of the calculations the computers were running, and the best person to take on the task of complex mathematics was Katherine Johnson. It’s empowering to learn that, during a time when women were restricted to secretarial jobs, she was proving that women could be smarter than men.
#27 Even squids can’t catch a break
Women being subjected to advances of men despite their rejection is something we, unfortunately, constantly hear about. To quote Megara from Hercules, “You know how men are. They think ‘No’ means ‘Yes’ and ‘Get lost’ means ‘Take me. I’m yours.'”
It seems that this is not just restricted to humans or land animals. It even happens under the sea, too. Pity that even innocent female squids have to pretend to be something they are not so they won’t be bothered. Women everywhere can totally relate to this.
#28 When men and women collide
Gender equality is a fairly new concept. It wasn’t long ago that women were expected to cater to men and make way for whatever they needed. This was degrading to women, and apparently, it bolstered men to feel more entitled.
To prove this, one lady conducted an experiment, and as expected, she has collided with a lot of men who refused to give way because they expected her to move first. The only thing we’re sure of is that she had a lot of bruises that day.
#29 Makeup isn’t a bad thing
True, makeup is used to enhance a person’s look and cover flaws but there is a limit to what makeup can do while still looking natural. Some women love how they look with bolder, brighter colors to accentuate their looks.
Men who believe women wear makeup to disguise how they really look should be avoided. First off, it is perfectly normal to want a little bit of makeup to make oneself feel better. Second, no woman thinks that ladies who wear makeup are trying to hide anything. This is just male insecurities.
#30 Refusing to let anything stop her
Gaining women’s rights and equality is a hard battle and it just goes to show how perseverent women are. No matter what got in their way, they kept going and didn’t stop until they made a better world for their daughters. Of course, some women have this spirit…just on a smaller scale.
We don’t know what happened to lead this girl’s mom to confiscate her electronics, but we can’t help but applaud her tenacity and ingenuity. No phone? That’s fine, a GameBoy will work. No GameBoy? How about a smart fridge? This just proves that if there’s a will, there’s a way.
#31 This savage teacher
Ask teachers and they will tell you that throughout their careers, they have heard a variety of reasons why students couldn’t turn their homework in. We’ve all heard the common excuse that the dog ate it, and in college computer problems is a safe default.
It would be safe to assume that teachers also have a lot of retorts to the reasons students give them. What we have here may not be a reason but it sounds like a great thing to tell students who give their teachers a headache.
#32 Shakespeare and Rumi has got nothing on this lady
We present to you the next greatest poet of our generation. In all seriousness, though, this guy deserved everything he got. The audacity of him to even ask for nudes makes us want to just gag and/or scream in anger.
Instead of just blocking the guy immediately, this lady thought it would be more fun to make a game out of it and annoy him for his sexist tests. Judging from his replies, we’d say she succeeded. She’s not weird and stupid, but he certainly is.
#33 It’s time for folks to change the way they think
For years women have been blamed for countless things, even if they were the victims. This lady makes an excellent point, and it’s all about the narration. Placing the presumptive fault on girls who grew up without their fathers is wrong on so many levels.
And then there’s the negative stigma surrounding single mothers. Why should they be disrespected for being loving, responsible parents? If anything, they should get more praise for their heroism, not insulted for the mistakes their partners made. Women today are warriors and they should be applauded for the things they have dealt with.
#34 Women shouldn’t be forced to do what they don’t want
How would you react to a proposal? (If you haven’t already.) If it was someone you really love, you’d probably instantly say yes. However, if you’re not ready for marriage yet or if you’re not into the guy that much, you’d want to refuse. But that’s not always the comfortable answer.
This woman’s answer is genius. If more women knew this, we bet there’d be fewer divorces. If you don’t really want to marry the guy and he proposes in public you should just say yes to save him from embarrassment and return the ring later. Women should be allowed to say no when they want to.
#35 The student who won’t let her teacher faze her
Art is a form of expression. For some, it is cathartic and a way to show who they are. For others, art is just a mandatory class in school. Like all classes, you can’t skip it, but this person shared the story of a girl who rebelled in her own way.
Her tenacity and resolve to stick to Sonic the Hedgehog artwork despite her teacher’s wrath is something we can’t help but admire. We’re fans of her work, and perhaps the school principal is also her fan because they rightfully took her side.
#36 Wrong resignation letter
This woman has our respect for her self-confidence. How can we tell? Well, her boss’s reaction says it all. Managers are used to employees handing in their resignation letters but to have an employee tell them to print a resignation letter? That’s something else!
Because there was no context to the message, the manager automatically thought that the resignation letter was their employee. His assumption that it was a power move goes a long way to tell us how self-assured she is in the office. We love it!
#37 Not all women are out there to please men
We can’t say this enough: women are not on this earth just to make men happy. In fact, some women prefer to live their lives without a male counterpart; they’re happy just being by themselves pursuing their dream careers, earning as much money as they can, and traveling the world.
Women make themselves look great not to impress men, but to feel good about themselves. For some, it is empowering and confidence-boosting. Men should stop thinking too highly of themselves as the world doesn’t revolve around them. Women aren’t here for you and they’re certainly not a product for you, either.
#38 The secret to not losing pens
There are a few things that even the most well-organized person is prone to losing. We’ve lost at least a dozen pens and pencils in school. This scenario is very familiar, you buy a nice pen, you like the pen, you use the open, and you lose the pen.
This has happened several times, even to the best of us. When this person asked his friend how she managed to not lose her pen, she was offended because truly you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to avoid losing a pen.
#39 Before and after photos
Before and after photos are a great way to track progress, or a lack thereof. If you want to find out if something makes a difference, make sure you take before and after photos. This is true for house cleaning, artworks, and your appearance if you’re looking to make a change.
This guy sent his girlfriend a shirtless photo of himself, perhaps in a bid to start sexy times but the response he got was not what he expected. Instead of going along with it, or politely declining, this woman had a savagely hilarious response.
#40 Huge Ryan Reynolds fan
This lady is a huge Ryan Reynolds fan and she is not ashamed about it. Look at her proudly wearing his face and we should say Reynolds looks good with flowers on his head. The only problem with this photo is the actor next to the girl is not Ryan Reynolds.
Hugh Jackman must be her second favorite actor. If you can’t take a photo with Ryan Reynolds, then a photo with Hugh Jackman should be the next best thing, right? Props to Hugh for being such a good sport about it.