Opinionated women: International Women’s Day quotes
Greta Thunberg said: "You are never too small to make a difference.”
(Warning: you may disagree with the following opinions, and that’s OK.)
I am an opinionated woman! There, I said it. And on this International Women’s Day, I think it is the right time to say that out loud.
To celebrate, I went on a hunt around history to find strong, opinionated goddesses worth giving a collective shout out to. Feel free to disagree with this list – that is the point of an opinion after all…
Rosa Parks – “I was tired of giving in.”
In 1955 Rosa got on a bus in Montgomery and simply sat where she wanted. Many see it as a pivotal moment in civil rights in the USA. But others decry this as merely the actions of an old woman. Far from it. Rosa had been very much an activist and part of the American civil rights moment throughout and knew exactly what she was doing.
“People always say that I didn’t give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn’t true. I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day. I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then. I was forty-two. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.”
Rosa went on to be a very active voice in the moment, fighting for, and witnessing, all the changes in integration in her lifetime. She died in 2005, aged 92.
Source: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/rosa-parks
Ruth Bader Ginsburg – “Fight for the things that you care about.”
RBG, as she became known, is another American and a full-on force of nature. As a fiery Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, she fought and won many legal battles on ‘the constitutional principle of the equal citizenship stature of men and women.’ Whether she was lecturing at university or being interviewed on TV, it was her strong opinions on gender equality and women’s rights that made her world famous. And world respected.
“Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” —Harvard University, 2015
Source: https://www.rd.com/article/ruth-bader-ginsberg-quotes/
Simon de Beauvoir – “Each of us is responsible for everything and to every human being."
This is one of my favourite Simone de Beauvoir quotes. And coming from this woman of a thousand quotes, that’s saying something. A prolific and award-winning writer, feminist, existentialist, philosopher, social theorist, and all-round supporter of women’s empowerment, she certainly achieves when it comes to controversial opinions. Whether you agree with her opinions or not, I am drawn to her fierce, compelling arguments and interrogation of the world around her.
Gloria Steinem – “The truth will set you free…”
“…but first it will piss you off.” It’s amazing just how many people look at the same ‘truth’ and see vastly different versions of it. That’s one of the great things about taking online surveys, it is your version of the truth you can share. And the more something ‘pisses you off’, the more you feel empowered to share that opinion. By now, you may be asking yourself who Gloria Steinem was? Well, like a lot of the women on my list, she was outspoken. An American journalist in the 1960s and 1970s, she was seen as a spokeswoman for all things feminist. I recommend you look her up – she’s good at changing hearts and minds.
Jane Goodall – “What you do makes a difference…”
OK, so there are a lot of feminists on this list so far. Jane Goodall uses her voice as an animal behaviour expert and conservationist to represent those without a voice at all. She’s best known for her work with chimpanzees in Africa, preceding the equally famous Diane Fossey who worked with Gorillas. But like the others on this list, she understands how powerful a voice she has and tours the world today sharing her insights and her humanity.
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
Source: https://www.chathamhouse.org/2021/11/jane-goodall-life-woman-defending-wild
Greta Thunberg – “You are never too small to make a difference.”
If you’re looking for a champion for the power of unpopular opinion, Greta Thunberg, the young environmental activist, is it. Her stance on climate issues is unequivocal. The straightforward and powerful way her speeches can stop you in your tracks is testimony to the emotion and passion of her belief. Her simple quote shows how everyone, regardless of their age or background, can believe in their power to effect change and to speak out on issues that matter to them.
What matters to you?
I may not have a global press platform to make the world hear me. But I count myself lucky that online surveys, such as LifePoints, give me a chance to exercise (or is that exorcize?) my opinion. And, in my own small way, I feel I am making a difference even if it’s about how brands create the next generation of products for us mere mortals.
And if you have an opinion to share – on pretty much anything that ‘pisses you off’ too – then I suggest you sign up to LifePoints and in your own small way, make your voice heard.
Here’s how:
1. Join LifePoints
LifePoints works with some of the world’s biggest brands to gather opinions on how you, the consumer, feel about their products. This is done through surveys, and when you fill in a survey, you earn points, called ‘LifePoints’.
2. Swap your LifePoints for gift cards
The more surveys you do – the more LifePoints you earn. The more LifePoints you earn – the more rewards such as PayPal cash or free gift cards you get. It’s that easy. It’s a great side-hustle you can do in your spare time and on the go using our app.
3. Use your gift cards in high street shops
Take a look at our rewards pages to find out how much you can earn and turn into gift cards.
What are you waiting for? Sign up today for 10 points right away, or make life even easier and download our app to earn on the train, on your sofa and anywhere in between.
You never know… it might just be your passionate, outspoken, radical, fierce opinion that changes the world. One survey at a time.
