Women who kicked ass

I was reading about Sophie Scholl.




I mostly kvetched about papers & drank coffee when I was in college.

Sophie Scholl & a few of her friends stood up to the fucking Third Reich when they were in college.

List more women who kicked ass!

I thought it said licked ass at first.

They tell me this is much worthier.

They say a lot.

Are you reeeeeeeeeeally a monk?

Of course, my son.

Effie Hotchkiss (and her Ma) kicked ass.


In 1915 20 year old Effie gave the boss her resignation, loaded her mother Avis into the sidecar of her newly acquired motorsickle, and pointed it toward San Fransisco. That's a long way from Brooklyn especially with little pavement in between. Machines weren't even remotely expected to perform reliably yet. Plenty of 'now how to get this thing to the next town' adventures. I heard they once pulled a tire, stuffed a blanket in there & remounted it in order to carry on. I'd marry her corpse if she didn't wed a fella she ran over in San Fran. The lucky bastard.

Effie and Avis


Today a sizable portion of motorcycling men will opt to trailer their bikes from one motel to the next (or behind their luxury coach) on their way to the Big Motorcycling Experience. Upon arriving they will stand in awe of the awesome power of thousands of shirtless fat guys all blipping their throttles in unison. And a little bird will drop a turd on one of their bikes for Effie.

Mae West said the coolest things...

"All discarded lovers should be given a second chance, but with somebody else. "

"Every man I meet wants to protect me. I can't figure out what from. "

"I used to be Snow White, but I drifted. "

"Marriage is a great institution, but I'm not ready for an institution. "

She was so rad, agreed.

I had no idea they still executed people by guillotine by the twentieth century.

Rosa Parks.

"It was not pre-arranged. It just happened that the driver made a demand and I just didn't feel like obeying his demand. I was quite tired after spending a full day working."

I'd also like to mention:

the kick ass women who home school girls under Taliban rule, fully knowing the repercussions of being caught.

the African American girl who threw herself on top of a marching KKK member to protect him from being savagely beaten by fellow protesters. (I have searched long and hard for footage but can't find it anywhere.) It was the most awesome display of bravery and compassion I've ever seen.

the women of Darfur risk their lives every single day in order to feed their children. I don't think you can get more kick ass than that.

Emily Roebling
1843 - 1903



Wife of Washington Roebling (who took charge of building the Brooklyn Bridge after the death of his father). Emily studied civil engineering to assist her husband and later, when Washington was incapacitated with decompression sickness, supervised the completion of the bridge.

She was also the first woman to address the American Society of Civil Engineers.

She also earned a law degree and championed womens suffrage.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/programme_archive/seven_wonders_brooklyn_bridge_04.shtml

I love that woman.

Boudica (or Boadicea) of the Iceni had things going pretty well for her until her husband died. He wanted to leave half his wealth and land to her and their daughters, and half to Rome. Rome decided otherwise and took everything the king had. In addition (possibly in retaliation to some Iceni protests), they had Boudica brutally flogged, and both her daughters were raped. So she gathered up her people, and rallied other British tribes against the Romans and razed three towns before the Romans realized just how much this woman meant business.

She is commonly (and frequently) seen as a model example of British patirotism.

Queen Tamara of Georgia was crowned as a co-ruler with her father and became full Queen six years later when he died. She was able to keep the restless nobles of her country content with frequent campaigns and the occasional military action against rebellion (which rebellions were often led by her first husband!). The 24 years of her rule are viewed as Georgia's "Golden Age", and it is largely attributed to her rule. In the words of the poet Rustaveli, "A lion's cubs are lions all, male and female alike."

"If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution"
-Emma Goldman

Living My Life has an honored place on my shelf.

BTW, my wife has pointed out that there are innumerable woman of the westward movement in the US who endured incredible hardship w/o fame or note. They remain nameless in their roles, living on only through the journals of the literate.

I always thought Sojourner Truth was pretty rad.

"Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that 'twixt the Negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what's all this here talking about?

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?

Then they talk about this thing in the head; what's this they call it? [member of audience whispers, "intellect"] That's it, honey. What's that got to do with women's rights or Negroes' rights? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?

Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.

If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it. The men better let them.

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain't got nothing more to say."

Plus, what an awesome name.

Necrophile!

Claude Cahun
Being an androgynous, lesbian, surrealist photographer turned anti-nazi propagandist = badass

"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."

"I have no dress except the one I wear every day. If you are going to be kind enough to give me one, please let it be practical and dark so that I can put it on afterwards to go to the laboratory."- Marie Curie