So, 2019 has been a rollercoaster…
This year has been both an amazing and an extremely difficult time to be a woman. It was a year of firsts: women in Saudi Arabia being allowed to drive, record numbers watching the Women’s World Cup, Nasa’s all-female spacewalk (albeit delayed due to the lack of space suits in women’s sizes).
However, for every obstacle that was conquered and glass ceiling smashed, there were black moments ranging from the ongoing horror of the Cervical Check scandal to the online harassment of new-mum Meghan Markle.
And that’s all before we get to Greta Thunberg; barely an adult, but already an icon.
Facing into 2020, it’s a case of – to borrow the old political motto – lots done, more to do for women’s rights. But before we move on to a new year, and indeed a new decade, here at Her we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge all of the women whose accomplishments this year deserve a MASSIVE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
Below, in no particular order, you’ll find a list of women from across countries, arenas and disciplines who truly wowed us in 2019 – and who we’ll be looking to in 2020 for fresh inspiration.
Jade’s picks:
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
A woman who has done more for the US in just one year than most politicians have done over the course of their careers, AOC is a beacon of light in an otherwise depressed, disturbed, and deeply problematic political climate. Since becoming the youngest ever woman to serve in Congress, she has taken on Big Pharma, exposed financial corruption, and even called out President Trump’s racism.
She’s also been killing it on social. No bother to her.
Beyoncé
Following on from the monumental success of her Coachella performance turned Netflix documentary, Beyoncé has once again established herself as not just an artist, but a moment. To call her an ‘icon’ almost seem redundant, because it dismisses the rare glimpses of humanity we’ve been privy to in 2019 as she discusses her changing body, her children, and her experience of motherhood.
It’s there that the majority of Beyoncé’s power lies: the ability to relate to so many women, despite being one of the most unattainable women on the planet.
Cathy’s picks:
Anna Whitehouse
A columnist, editor and mother, not necessarily in that order, Anna has been in the public eye for her #FlexAppeal campaign. It’s all about flexible working and although a large portion of Anna’s 230k strong following are parents, the idea has mass appeal with Anna bringing the idea to the bigwigs at 10 Downing Street and getting huge brands like McDonald’s to talk about the cause.
She quit her job after she was refused flexible working and is now encouraging others to ask more of their employers. Anna has faced cynicism and negativity and what I admire most about her is her confidence and steadfast assurance that she deserves more.
Finland will introduce The Working Hours Act next year and Anna is campaigning for this level of flexibility to be introduced in the UK.
Samantha Barry
Samantha hails from Cork and she’s the editor of Glamour US. Need I say any more?
Having grown up idolising the magazine industry and watching The Devil Wears Prada on repeat, I have a solidified girl crush on the very impressive Miss Barry. Starting off with RTÉ and Newstalk, Samantha’s talent for unearthing a good story didn’t go unnoticed and New York came calling.
With a CV including roles such as CNN’s Executive producer, she led coverage of the 2016 American presidential election, resulting in a number of awards. Samantha isn’t from a print background and yet she went on to head up a Condé Nast title. A s a digital gal, this makes my heart sing.
Responsible for pushing a digital-first strategy, Glamour has gone from strength to strength and I am in awe of this media powerhouse.
Aine’s picks:
Florence Given
“Stop raising him he’s not your son.”
Florence Given became my Instagram obsession this year. From what seemed like nowhere, she appeared and quickly started a “self-love” community, encouraging women to “dump him” and to stop being taken for granted.
An artist first and foremost, her prints are what originally drew me to Florence’s feed, but her regular cut-throat to-the-point stories are what have inspired me and motivated me throughout the year.
Roz Purcell
I’m sure I’m not the only one that Rozanna Purcell has inspired this year. Her career journey alone is one that would make you get your arse in gear and make moves. From model, to influencer, best-selling author, and the leader and creator of ‘Hike Life’ Roz really has done it all but manages to do it all while keeping ‘on-brand, acting as a leading example of influencing done well.
Career moves aside her #ContentContent Mondays and regular dose of realness has served as a true source of inspiration through 2019. To watch her journey from a model struggling with her image to a woman encouraging others to embrace themselves has been remarkable.
Keeley’s picks:
Chanel Miller
She was previously only known as ‘Emily Doe’ after her letter to her attacker, Brock Turner, went viral in 2016. But 27-year-old Chanel Miller bravely came forward and revealed her identity ahead of the release of her memoir, Know My Name, earlier this year.
Back in 2016, Miller left millions of people around the world stunned with her powerful victim impact statement at Brock Turner’s sentencing. She has been sexually assaulted by then swimming star Turner outside a party at Stanford University. Her statement reached 18 million people within days after it was shared on Buzzfeed. It was read out loud on CNN, the floor of the US Congress, and was reprinted in news outlets around the globe.
The powerful memoir tells the story of her assault, as well as exposing the difficult nature of the legal system in a culture that fails the most vulnerable. And, ultimately, Miller’s Know My Name illuminates the courage required to move through trauma and live a full and beautiful life.
Lucy Foley
Lucy Foley has had an incredible 2019 – and the next 12 months look to be only getting better, with the release of her upcoming murder mystery The Guest List.
After writing three historical novels, the author made the jump to murder mysteries with the release ofThe Hunting Party in January this year. The novel follows a group of old friends who get together to ring in the New Year on a remote Scottish estate, only for long-buried secrets and lies to become unraveled.
The Hunting Party gripped readers in such a way that the novel is back at the top of the charts, reaching #1 on the best-sellers list in recent weeks. And with the The Guest List – set off the coast of Ireland – due out in February next year, it looks like she’s set to have readers captivated for months to come.
Louise’s picks:
On December 10, 2019, 34-year-old Sanna Mirella Marin became the world’s youngest currently-serving state leader when she was voted in as Finland’s Prime Minister. The mum-of-one is a Social Democrat and a known advocate of Finland’s welfare state. Raised by two mums, she comes from what she herself refers to as a ‘rainbow family’ – and she was the first of her family members to go to university.
From uni, she ran for a council seat in a city north of Helsinki. She wasn’t initially successful, but it didn’t stop her from becoming a council leader at age 27 and rising up to increasingly gain power in the Social Democrats. It’s a marvellous achievement for someone of her age – and very inspiring.
Patricia Devlin
Grandmother and climate activist Patricia Devlin stood outside the Dáil for a week in an attempt to get Minister Bruton’s attention and bring more of an honest conversation between the government, the people and the media. With her were other Extinction Rebellion campaigners, but only in the UK. She was the sole person in Ireland to take part in the hunger strike, taking place within certain hours and for a number of days.
She was gracious, kind and you could tell she genuinely cared about the world she would be leaving behind for her grandchildren. Most noteworthy was her ability to stand, even if it was alone, for what she believed in, without giving a care to how others would perceive her or how they would react. She didn’t tell her own family in the days beforehand about her plans to go on hunger strike — they learned from the news and were subsequently very proud and supportive of her. Going forward, we should all take a leaf out of Patricia’s book — stand up for what’s right, what we believe in and use our voice. She’s all too aware that the consequences caused by pollution and climate change are far greater than any negative consequences of shouting for what’s right.
Anna’s picks:
Megan Rapinoe
A surge in support for women’s sport along with increased advertising was, of course, the main factor for the big viewing numbers of this year’s Women’s World Cup, I think that Megan Rapinoe herself played a big role. She used her personality to make soccer go even further than just the sport: she fought for women’s rights, stood as an LGBTQ+ figurehead, and even managed to snub Donald Trump along the way.
The US women’s soccer team made waves all over the world with their record-breaking fourth World Cup win. People who had never sat through a full game of soccer in their lives (me), avidly watched every game and marvelled at the teams as well as the obviously brilliant US captain.
I think that women’s soccer is way more exciting to watch than men’s soccer and I will continue to watch it – but Megan Rapinoe is a big part of what got me into it.
Angie Thomas
Angie Thomas released her second YA novel, On the Come Up, this year. The hugely popular book was nominated for Best Young Adult Fiction on Goodreads.
Young Adult sometimes gets an unfair rep as a genre that lacks substance when that isn’t – or at least that shouldn’t be – the case. YA literature is able to have substance and depth, teach good moral lessons and talk about important things without alienating readers who also want an easy, enjoyable read.
The reason I admire Angie Thomas so much is because she manages to deal with important and sometimes heavy topics in a way that is thoroughly enjoyable and, most importantly, accessible to young people. She delivers a great story while teaching us about racial issues that are still alive today.
I love the direction YA is moving in: more meaningful books are being written for this age range and you can tell by the fact that YA is being taken more seriously in the world of literature. Angie Thomas’s work definitely contributed to that.
Niamh’s picks:
Jayda McCann
Jade ‘Jayda’ McCann passed away in October of this year after a two-year battle with a rare form of cancer.
I first came to know Jade through social media. She had a massive following on Instagram as a make-up artist, but her following grew significantly when she began sharing details of her diagnosis. I was truly in awe of her when I met her. This young woman, just 23 at the time, was going through the most unimaginable scenario. People online would tell her she was “faking it” and wonder where the money she was raising was going to. Despite this, she continued to get her story out there in the hopes of helping others.
Jade wanted people to know the journey she’d been on, she wanted them to hear about the pain she was in, the mis-diagnosis, the flaws in our health system… Even when she was clearly in pain she would hop on Instagram in order to do just that.
Her bravery and strength throughout her treatments brought tears to my eyes regularly and I was devastated to learn of her passing. I’m proud that Her has immortalised her words, in even a small way, through her Girls With Goals interview.
Ciara Mageean
In a wonderful year for female sport, Ciara Mageean was a revelation. Not only a ridiculously talented athlete (she ran a personal best in the 1500m final at the Athletics World Championship in Doha finishing in 10th place) she’s also a breath of fresh air for female sport in general.
Ciara possesses a trait which we often don’t find in sport: complete honesty. Ciara holds absolutely nothing back (which we saw this year from her post-race interview that went viral) her openness about her performances and life in general is so infectious you can’t help but smile when you watch her. She captured the hearts of the nation in 2019… many of whom had absolutely no interest in athletics!
When we had her as a guest on our PlayXPlay show, she revealed her rigorous training routine, but she also opened up about mental health and the struggles that athletes sometimes have to face. She’s not afraid to tackle taboo subjects in sport and I greatly admire her for that.
I know she is going to do remarkable things for sport in Ireland, she’s already inspiring the next generation of young athletes and she is COMING for Sonia O’Sullivan’s title.
Leslie Ann’s picks:
Vicky Phelan
Not only was Vicky Phelan the woman who first uncovered Ireland’s Cervical Check scandal, and the woman who refused to sign a gagging order when she successfully sued the HSE, and the woman who revealed to the nation what had happened to her and at least 220 other women – she is also the woman who has been tirelessly fighting for our health rights ever since, despite her terminal cancer diagnosis.
Earlier this year Vicky released her memoir, Overcoming, and revealed that her cancer diagnosis was just one of the tragedies that had struck during her life. As a student, Vicky had been involved in a horrific car crash that claimed the life of her boyfriend, she later suffered from post natal depression, and her young daughter suffered severe burns when her nightdress caught fire in the family home.
The book is a tough, and by times deeply upsetting, read. And yet, when I met with Vicky before the release of Overcoming, I found her to be an upbeat, positive and fun person. Despite having so much to deal with in her own life, she is focused on making sure that every woman in Ireland gets the standard of healthcare we deserve. A true inspiration.
Rosanna Davison
The nutritionist, author and model was one of Her‘s judges for the Best Dressed Competition at this year’s Galway Races – but that’s not why she’s made our Women of the Year list.
Rosanna and her husband, Wes, have just celebrated their first Christmas with their daughter Sophia Rose, who was born via surrogate in November. A few months before Sophia’s arrival, Rosanna posted about her struggle to become a mother, outlining how, despite medical treatment and surgery, she had sadly suffered multiple miscarriages.
Pregnancy loss and fertility issues affect a huge number of women and couples in Ireland, but it’s not an area that is widely spoken about, let alone openly addressed as Rosanna has done. This is a subject that people of all ages need to discuss, and there are plenty of people out there who will have been heartened by Rosanna’s openness.
In a country that desperately needs up-to-date legislation covering everything from fertility treatment to surrogacy and the right of same sex parents, Rosanna deserves huge praise for sharing her personal story and shining a spotlight on the area.
Lorna’s picks:
The proud look of someone who’s just had one of their TV documentaries added to the curriculum in the Irish education system! @JCforTeachers #classroomresource #jct #juniorcert #juniorcycle #digitalliteracy #digitalmedia #bigdata #cloudcontrol ???✍?: https://t.co/DN8Zv2b4f6 pic.twitter.com/WpvtQkADFw
— Anne-Marie Tomchak (@AMTomchak) November 24, 2019
Anne-Marie Tomchak
Anne-Marie was named British Vogue’s new Digital Director back in March and no better woman for it. The Longford woman was previously the UK editor-in-chief at Mashable and has been soaring in her career since she left college.
She is tech-savvy, super stylish and knows her stuff about digital. I respect her opinions about important issues. I like that she wasn’t afraid to open up about having a miscarriage, something that is so personal to her, in the hope that it will help somebody else.
An incredible woman leading the way in digital media on a world stage.
Katie Taylor
Katie Taylor is Ireland’s treasure. A formidable force to be reckoned with, and a champion in every sense of the word. I’m a massive fan of hers and everything she’s about.
She is the undisputed and two-weight world champion of the world and is continuously gaining ground, upping her skill and striving to improve. What she alone has done for women’s sport is undeniable. Uprooting her life here in Ireland and moving to Connecticut in the U.S to become professional must off been so tough, but look at her success now.
An absolute legend is the only word for her.
Rebecca’s Picks:
Aimee Connolly
Well, it has been a fairly insane and impressive year for the lovely Aimee Connolly, so I couldn’t not give her my nod for woman of the year. In the space of twelve months, this Dublin native has achieved an incredible amount of success in the beauty industry. In May, she launched one of my favourite products of all time, her Beauty Base primer. She followed this up a month later by opening her own flagship store in Dundrum, where all of her incredible products are stocked. Then in the last few months, she has launched two more products to her Sculpted By Aimee range – Lip Duos and her Second Skin Foundation. Casual.
That’s not all, while also building a brand and working on her product line, Aimee has continued to run her Sculpted Makeup Academy, where she educates aspiring MUAs. It all kind of leaves you wondering “what can’t she do?”
On top of all that crazy hard work, Aimee happens to also be one of the loveliest people in the beauty industry in Ireland and abroad!
Roll on 2020 Aimee, I can’t wait to see all you will achieve in the next few months.
Queen Elizabeth II
Okay so this, I realise, is kind of coming out of left field, but hear me out. Whether you are a fan of the British Royal family or not, nobody can deny how truly impressive Elizabeth II is, and has been this year in particular.
It has been a fairly dramatic year for the Windsor clan. There were alleged feuds within the family, engagement announcements, new babies, and of course, that whole Prince Andrew/ Epstein scandal. And throughout it all, the Queen has remained cool, calm and collected, even at the ripe old age of 93. Hats off to her, it can’t be easy.
Brexit Not only has the Queen faced family drama, but she has seen intense political drama throughout 2019, with regards to Brexit, and the general election. Plus, she celebrated 67 years on the throne in 2019, and also celebrated her 72nd (!!!) wedding anniversary with Prince Philip. So yeah, impressive woman all round.
She has handled her so called Annus Horribilis with grace, and gave a controlled an inspirational Christmas speech. More power to her.
