2019 has been a remarkable year for women. We have been sweeping the Emmys, winning Oscars, leading labels, touring the world and campaigning for climate change like never before. And it’s really nice to see a bunch of first for the women of color, finally, they get the appreciation they deserve, and it’s fun to see teens making waves in the world and showing that age is but a number. 2019 has been pretty cool in that regard. Let’s take a closer look at the 8 remarkable women of the year.
1. Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish has shaken up the world in 2019 and showed the world what a talented teenager is truly capable of. She released the album “When we fall asleep where do we go” and toured the world. She gained worldwide recognition, she collaborated and met with massive stars of the music industry and she won the Billboard Woman of the Year award. All before she even turned 18.
2. Greta Thunberg
Greta Thunberg was only 15 in 2018 when she started campaigning for stronger action on climate change outside of the Swedish Parliament. But by 2019 she led the biggest climate change strike, 4 million people across the globe participated in it. She was even awarded the 2019 Nordic Council Environment Prize and declined it because she’s not in it for the awards. That much was clear from her speech at the United Nations General Assembly where she shocked the world with her frank words about how little has been done to stop climate change: “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words” – said Greta.
3. Meghan Markle
Meghan Markle has had quite a year. She and Prince Harry celebrated their first wedding anniversary, they did a lot of royal visits, traveled the globe completing their royal duties, Harry advocating for mental health and Meghan becoming a royal advocate for equal rights. They welcomed their firstborn, Archie, showed him off to the world two days later and even went on a trip to Africa with him a couple of months later. But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Meghan. Every step of the way she was hounded by the British press criticizing her every move. She mentioned her struggles in the documentary and we’re pretty sure that’s what led her and Harry to decide to step back from the royal duties and leave the royal family.
4. Sandra Oh
It’s been a great year for Sandra Oh. She became the first woman of Asian descent to win two Golden Globes. Her first Golden Globe was for a supporting role on Grey’s Anatomy. She spent almost a decade playing the role of Cristina Yang on that show. But once she finally left she got her leading role in the brilliant British show Killing Eve, which got her a Golden Globe for lead actress. She walked the red carpet with her parents, she knew she was making history that day.
5. Yalitza Aparicio
Yalitza became the first indigenous woman to be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. She was hired to play a part in Roma by Alfonso Cuaron with no prior acting experience, she was actually planning on becoming a school teacher before that. So this was her first role and she got nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. That’s pretty freaking impressive.
6. Rihanna
Rihanna is amazing in so many ways. We love her music, we love her style, we admire her attitude. But this year she went and led a label at the largest luxury fashion conglomerate in the world. And she became the first black woman to have an album on the Billboard 200 for 200 consecutive weeks with her album Anti.
7-8.Christina Koch and Jessica Meir
It’s hard to believe that in all the years astronauts have been stationed on the International Space Station and in all the routine spacewalks that they’ve done, this year was the first time the world saw the first all-female spacewalk. And even that got canceled first and the date was moved but it finally happened. Let’s all rejoice for Christina Koch and Jessica Meir.