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Women Who Inspire - Historical Edition

by Stephanie Warthling

This week we took a look back at some of the fearless ladies of history who paved the way for us to be as rad as we are now.  

Annette Kellerman (6 July 1887 – 6 November 1975)

We can thank her for being the pioneer of the one piece so we no longer had to be stuck wearing giant heavy wool dresses and pantaloons. She created her own business out of making her swimsuits for other ladies tired of being weighed down (literally) with layers of fabric ...oh and she made mermaid tails for her roles in movies.  Real life mermaid = major inspiration. 

Thanks to Annette's amazing swimsuit designs paving the way for other women to swim and get more than five feet without sinking (we're assuming you would just sink if you were wearing that much wool) our next inspirational woman is the incredible Gertie.

Gertrude Ederle (October 23, 1905 – November 30, 2003) 

Gertie aka Queen of the Waves was the first woman to swim across the English Channel AND she beat the time record of all five men who swam it before her.  If that doesn't impress you maybe her also being a national and world record holder 29 times over and an olympic gold and bronze winner shows just why we respect Gertie so much.
Last but certainly not least is The Tornado ... with a nickname like that you don't even to wonder why she made our list of inspirational ladies.
 
Wilma Rudolph (June 23, 1940 – November 12, 1994) 
 
The Tornado Wilma Rudolph was the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field at a single Olympics game. She was paralyzed by polio as a young child and told she may never walk again, but by age 12 she had overcome her illness and 8 years later became an olympic champion and known as the fastest woman in the world.  
 

 

1 comment

  • This is so cool! Thanks so much for sharing JOLYN! I previously researched Gertrude Ederle and she continues to inspire me as I learn more and more about her! She’s a great women to put on this website and it is well deserved, all of these women are incredible!!!
    Sydney

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