In case you were unaware, today is International Women’s Day, and I am both a woman and a feminist. So your travel inspiration this week is a round up of links about awesome women.
1. Bosnian Woman Helped Make Rape a War Crime via The New York Times:
“For centuries, rape was considered a byproduct of wars — collateral damage suffered by women, horrors often overshadowed by massacres. Even though the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 prohibited wartime rape, no court ever raised charges until Sivac and Cigelj presented their overwhelming evidence.”
This first link isn’t a happy one, but it’s an important read. It feels especially relevant in light of yesterday’s blog post about Auschwitz.
2. 9 Stories of Badass Women via Matador Network:
This link is more light-hearted, and profiles nine women who have made interesting achievements in travel and sports in the last few years. I particularly liked the description of Polonia Ana Choque Silvestre, “an indigenous Bolivian wrestler and the subject of the documentary, Mamachas del Ring, by filmmaker Betty M. Park.”
3. Inspirational Quotes From Female Writers via Stylist.co.uk:
I’m the daughter of two librarians, so, while these quotes aren’t specifically focused on travel, they are inspirational, and I couldn’t resist.
4. Every Woman Should Travel Alone via Salon:
“…the greatest trip of my life came because I did not get the things I wanted.”
This last article was published last summer, and I read it as I was preparing to travel alone for the first time in my life. I think it’s a wonderful article for anyone trying to plan their next move because it stresses openness towards whatever comes your way and the strength you gain from taking chances alone.
Happy International Women’s Day! To celebrate, tell a woman you love why she’s awesome or call someone out on their misogyny. In fact, try to do that every day of the year.
