There are so many female celebrities, but these women are overshadowed by their male counterparts. They do not gain as much attention for their hard work or accomplishments, but rather solely for their physical appearance. It's time to praise some of the women on the long list of influential female celebrities.
1. Ronda Rousey
Yes, Rousey recently lost the UFC championship title to opponent Holly Holm, but there are many reasons why she remains one of the biggest and most influential female athletes today. Rousey is a mixed martial artist, judoka and actress. She is the FIRST UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion and remained undefeated in her first twelve mixed martial arts fights.
She is the first U.S. woman to earn an Olympic medal in judo during the summer Olympics in 2008. Rousey currently is UFC's highest paid fighter, male or female! Also, ESPN recently poll voted her as the 'Best Female Athlete Ever.' Beyond all her athletic accomplishments is the message she is sending to young girls all over the world. She shows them they can be dominant in sports, just like men. Best wishes to Rousey as she copes with her loss to Holm.
2. Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is probably best known for her role in Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Maleficent, but she is also a filmmaker and a huge humanitarian. Jolie has received an Academy Award, Golden Globe Awards, and has been cited as Hollywood's highest-paid actress. Which in our world, means a lot! Jolie produced and directed the 2011 wartime drama In the Land of Blood and Honey, which depicts a love story during the Bosnian War. Jolie advocates various causes, including conservation, education, and women's rights.
She is a recipient of a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. Jolie is also an UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) Goodwill Ambassador. Her interest in refugees came from first witnessing the effects if a humanitarian crisis while filming Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in 2001 in war-torn Cambodia. She has always been actively involved with humanitarian work. She is an inspiration to women all over the world who want to become filmmakers after being actresses, in a world where male actors are paid more and recognized more than their female co-stars.
3. Emma Watson
Emma Watson is globally known for her role as Hermione Granger in the "Harry Potter" film series, but she also has a bachelor's degree in English literature from Brown University. She is an active women's rights activist and helped launch the UN Women campaign HeForShe. The campaign calls for men to advocate gender equality along with women. Watson is a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and has recently spoken out about being a feminist and women's rights all over the world.
She is inspirational (in my eyes, and I'm sure in other people's eyes as well) because many people believe feminism has been achieved and females have gained equality, but Watson's HeForShe campaign addresses otherwise. And yes, it is true. There isn't gender equality, and Jennifer Lawrence speaking out about her being paid less than her male co-stars is a prime example of the inequality between women and men.
4. Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence rose to fame as Katniss Everdeen in the "Hunger Games" film series. But one of the main reasons she has gained admiration from women all over the world is for her personality and the way she speaks about what she believes in. Lawrence has spoken out about the criticism she receives for eating the way she does (a.k.a. eating whatever she wants) and that she will be the only actress without anorexia rumors. She says she will never starve herself for a part.
The way she speaks about her eating habits sends a message to females of all ages to love your body the way it is! You'll have many opportunities to rise in your desires ladies! Despite being the highest-paid actress of 2015, J-Law has recently spoken out about the issue of being paid less than her male co-stars in an interview with ABC News. J-Law's fearless attitude on speaking about Hollywood's gender pay gap is motivating and inspirational to women who experience inequality in their own workplaces and lives.
5. Beyonce
There is no doubt Beyonce Knowles is one of the most famous and wealthiest female celebrities out there. But there is more than meets the eyes. Beyonce is a well-known singer-songwriter, actress, and model. But she is also a self-described "modern-day feminist." Queen Bey first came into fame as lead singer of the late 1990's R&B girl-group ran by her father.
Beyonce represents a "modern-day feminist," as she likes to call herself as a strong, independent business woman. She is a representation of a powerful woman in all she does and a lead example of a woman who can make as much money as any man. In her songs such as "Flawless" and "Pretty Hurts," Beyonce Knowles depicts issues women have to deal with because of society's ideals, norms and expectations. Her portrayals in these songs are encouraging messages to girls of all ages listening to her music.
Many women look up to her because of the person she presents herself to be, a motivating inspiration to women of color and women in general.
6. Viola Davis
Viola Davis is an American actress most recently known for her lead role as Annalise Keating on the ABC drama How to Get Away with Murder. At the Emmy Award ceremony this year, Davis became the first African American woman and first black woman of any nationality to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Her acceptance speech at the Emmy Awards ceremony, was extremely encouraging to her fellow women of color who are often suppressed because of the color of their skin.
In 2012, Time magazine listed her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Davis is a huge role model to women of color who do not get to see a black woman with a lead role as an intelligent, dominant, and powerful woman on a TV series. Her character as Annalise Keating is a wonderful achievement as she gets to be one of the few women of color in today's time with a positive role in a TV series that has been gaining a lot of attention since its premiere.
7. Gina Rodriguez
Gina Rodriguez is mostly recognized for her role as Jane Villanueva in CW's comedy-drama Jane the Virgin. Gina Rodriguez is an American of Puerto Rican descent, and one of the few Latinas with a positive role on a TV series. Gina Rodriguez became the first Latina to be nominated for a Lead Actress Golden Globe award since American Ferrera was nominated for Ugly Betty back in 2009! This is not surprising since there is a lack of Latina actresses nominated for awards in the TV/film profession. Rodriguez also became the second Latina to EVER win the award since America Ferrera last won in 2007 for Ugly Betty.
Gina's recent accomplishment is genuinely motivating to hear of as a young Latina myself, because Latinas in the TV and film industry do not generally receive as much positive recognition as Gina has been gaining. She is also an ideal role model to all Latinas pursuing a career in acting, because she sets an example of being able to make it an industry mainly dominated by white males. You go girl!
To all the women out there succeeding in their professions and in life, you are all truly admirable. You all have someone looking up to you, whether you know it or not. So keep the grind going ladies!
