“For most of history ‘Anonymous’ was a woman.” – Virginia Woolf.

From being suppressed and prohibited from keeping and expressing opinion, to being a piece of possession for men, women have faced suppression in all forms since ages. Although the society continued to be patriarchal in nature, strong women stood up and faced the world. They made efforts in the direction of empowering other women and strongly owning their own opinions.

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Some secretly penned their thoughts, some threaded them into short stories, some in the form of novels and some narrated poems. From using pseudonyms to coming out proudly, female authors from all around the world proved that they can have an opinion about anything and everything and have the courage to take a stand.

There are women writers, who have reshaped the way people perceive women. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate these five influential women authors of all time and why should we continue to be inspired by them.

Sylvia Plath

Born in Boston in the year 1932, Sylvia had strong and unapologetic thoughts that she expressed through her writings. “Go out and do something. It isn’t your room that’s a prison, it’s yourself.”

Maya Angelou

Known for her bold statements and opinions, Maya born as Marguerite Annie Johnson in1928 was an American poet, writer and civil rights activist. “History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage need not be lived again.”

Virginia Woolf

Adeline Virginia Woolf, born in 1882, was an English writer and one of the foremost modernists of the 20th century.

“Lock up your libraries if you like, but there is no gate, no lock, and no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.”

Mary Wollstonecraft

Mary, born in 1759 was an English writer, philosopher, and advocate of women’s rights.

“I do not wish women to have power over men but over themselves.”

Taslima Nasreen

An award-winning writer, physician, secular humanist and human rights activist is known for her powerful writings on women oppression and unflinching criticism of religion, despite forced exile and multiple fatwas calling for her death.

“Religion is against women’s rights and women’s freedom. In all societies women are oppressed by all religions.”

Get inspired, let the spirit be lifted up, for a courageous, strong and unapologetic woman nothing is impossible. The mankind owes its existence to women after all.