Issue #23 - For the Ladies!

Broster - A combination of a bro and a hipster. Has the party-loving attitude of a bro, the pretentious taste of a hipster, but is somewhere in between. 

In observance of the Women's March here are several important women in history

Mary Wollstonecraft - (1759-1797) - An English writer, philosopher, and women's rights advocate. Wollstonecraft is best known for "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman." A central argument was that women are not naturally inferior to men and that women should be educated in a rational manner to give them the opportunity to contribute to society.

Harriet Tubman - (1822-1913) - An absolute BAMF, abolitionist, humanitarian and spy for the Union during the Civil War. Most famously known for her role in rescuing slaves with the Underground Railroad. In her later years she worked to promote the cause of women's suffrage. During the Civil war, Tubman acted as a nurse, conducted reconnaissance missions and became the first woman to lead an armed assault.

Kathrine Switzer - (b.1947) - She became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as a numbered entry. During her run, race official Jock Semple attempted to tackle Switzer but was shoved tot he ground by Switzers boyfriend who was running with her. It was not until 1972 that women were allowed to run officially.

Valentina Tereshkova - (b. 1937) - The first woman to fly in space aboard the Volstok 6 in 1963.

Bertha von Suttner - (1843-1914) - An Austrian-Bohemian pacifist and novelist. In 1905 she was the first woman to be solely awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Her pacifist novel, "Die Waffen nieder!" (Lay Down Your Arms) made her one of the leading figures in the Austrian peace movement.

Wangari Maathai - (1940-2011)  a Kenyan environmental & political activist as well as a Nobel Laureate. Founder of the Green Belt movement, an environmental NGO focused on the planting of trees, environmental conservation and women's rights.

My Mom, Eileen Brennan - Granted I am a bit biased with this addition but must add the woman who taught me to be a feminist and highlight her contributions to women's history. In 1972, Nassau County (NY) Police Department refused to place her in a police training program with a police official at the time explaining that a woman is not capable of being a patrolman. The official went on to state that if a woman was trained for such a position she would carry a latent defect that would cause violence. She then promptly filed New York State's state's first sex-discrimination complaint against a police department. Six months later, she won her case and the state ordered Nassau to start training cadets for patrol work without regard to sex.

Music
RIP Dolores O'Riordan
NPR Tiny Desk Concert - The Cranberries