Strong. Brave. Slightly arrogant, yet charming. We know all the characteristics of a strong, noble man, because we’ve told countless stories about this ideal, roguish yet respectable debonair.
But what does it mean to be a badass noble woman?
This is a woman who stands up for what she believes in and inspires those around her.
To best understand what defines a strong, virtuous woman, you must understand how a woman lives.
Here are 12 characteristics of an inspiring badass women:
1. She Goes Against The Norm
In the early 20th century, fashion was distinctly separated between the genders.
In Europe and the United States, it was culturally accepted that suits were for the men and dresses for the women.
While we live in a more diverse time now, pants on women were seen as curiosities; something out of the ordinary and not publicly accepted.
It was Hollywood star Marlene Dietrich that proclaimed “I dress for the image. Not for myself, not for the public, not for fashion, not for men.”
She became known for wearing trousers and men’s suits despite society’s expectations of what a woman should wear.
Her confidence and defiance of the norm influenced women to dress however they felt like — suits and all.
2. She Has A Strong Sense Of Self
When the world-renowned African-American poet Maya Angelou lived a troubled childhood.
But after learning the power of literature and the spoken word by an educated African-American woman named Mrs. Flowers, Angelou would go on to use her own words to overcome her past and inspire readers for years.
As she grew older, navigating through life, she worked as a shake dancer, fry cook, street car conductor, even working in a mechanic’s shop.
She eventually found a place working Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X in the civil rights movement.
Despite all that she experienced, she did not allow any of it to change who she was.
It can be seen in her inspiring works, whose common themes included the strength of women and the human spirit.
3. She Works Hard
In the world of science, one of the most significant names in its history is Marie Curie.
She not only defied the sexism that plagued the late 19th and early 20th century by being the first person in history to win 2 Nobel Prizes, but she also made significant discoveries in radioactivity (even coining the term) that still guides scientists to this day.
A little known fact about her and her husband was that the “lab” that they did most of their research and experiments in wasn’t a “lab” at all — it was a shack.
German chemist Wilhelm Ostwald called it “a cross between a stable and a potato shed.”
That didn’t stop her though. She put her head down and got to work. Nothing fancy needed.
Besides the tenacity to get work done, what else makes you unique and exceptional? What’s your best quality as a woman?
To help you find the answer, I’ve created a fun quiz. Answer a few personal questions and I’ll reveal what your personality “superpower” is and how you can utilize it to live your very best life.
Check out my revealing new quiz here.
4. She Stands Up For Other Women
In 2008, the Taliban violently took control of a humble town in Swat Valley in Pakistan. Along with television and music, the Taliban group banned girls from attending schools.
While the town’s residents lived in fear, it was then 11-year-old Malala Yousafzai defied the Taliban’s orders and advocated for girls’ rights to their education.
Even after surviving a direct gunshot in 2012, she courageously kept to her virtues and stood up for other women.
This courage to stand up to authority was also shown in a bus in the heavily segregated Montgomery, Alabama in 1955.
The seats were separated for black and white citizens.
At one point, there were no more white seats for the oncoming white passenger, so the bus driver asked that a row of black passengers give up theirs.
Among those passengers was a woman named Rosa Parks.
In taking a stand for civil rights, Parks was the only one that remained seated.
Her arrest and willingness to fight for her rights sparked an entire movement across America.
5. She Is Outspoken
One of the most common fears that people have is public speaking. The thought of having to talk in front of other people can tremble knees and glisten palms.
This didn’t stop Swedish 15-year-old Greta Thunberg from speaking out to parliament to take more action against climate change.
She showed others that your age doesn’t matter in the fight for what you believe in.
No matter who you are, you can use your voice and your actions to inspire change, big or small.
At 16-years-old, she became the youngest person to be named Time Magazine’s person of the year.
All because she wasn’t afraid to speak up and speak out.
6. She Is Courageous
In the early days of American aviation, the flight across to land in Europe was perilous.
Since airplanes weren’t as advanced (or safe) as they are today, it would take on the brave few to cross the Atlantic.
It was such a challenge that, by 1932, there was only one person to have made it across twice — that was Amelia Earhart.
In 1928, she was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. Then, just 4 years later, she was the first woman to fly across it alone.
She demanded that she be respected and treated as equally as the men around her were.
She decided not to live the conventional life of being a wife and a mother.
Her courage wasn’t only in flying planes but also in pushing back against societies’ ideas of what women could do.
7. She Uplifts Other Women
It takes a confident voice to speak up against social stigmas.
After learning about her increased risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer due to her family’s genetics, Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie decided to undergo a preventive double mastectomy.
After publishing her story in a personal essay, Jolie bravely wrote that her medical decision “I do not feel any less of a woman. I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.”
Because she was also willing to be vulnerable, she raised awareness of breast cancer, reduced the stigma surrounding mastectomies, and empowered women across the globe to share their breast cancer stories.
8. She uplifts men
Not only does a badass woman empower other women, she also empowers men.
How?
There’s a fascinating new concept in relationship psychology that goes to the heart of what women can do to bring out the best in their partner.
It’s called the hero instinct.
The simple truth is that men have a biological urge to step up for women and earn her respect in return. It’s hardwired into them.
I know it sounds kind of silly.
An elegant woman doesn’t need someone to rescue them. They don’t need a ‘hero’ in their lives.
But here’s the ironic truth. Men do still need to be a hero. Because it’s built into their DNA to seek out relationships that allow them to feel like one.
The few women who actually realize that can gain a lot of strength and power in the way they approach their relationships.
To learn exactly how to trigger the hero instinct in your man, check out this quick video. The video reveals the things you can do today (including a simple 12-word text) to bring out this very natural male instinct in your man.
Click here to watch the free video.
9. She Helps Her Community
In the 1980s, there was still a wide stigma around those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.
They were ostracized by their communities, having to keep quiet about their disease or live in designated hospital wards (if there was one available wherever they were).
Then in 1987, taking a stand against the stigma, Princess Diana opened the United Kingdom’s first HIV/AIDS unit in London’s Middlesex Hospital.
When people thought that merely touching those diagnosed would infect them, Princess Diana let the media take photos of her shaking the hands of the patients.
This simple act showed the world that there was nothing to be afraid of.
She continued supporting the community, becoming a lifelong advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness.
10. She Is Independent
A virtuous woman is capable of managing her own responsibilities. She has no need for a partner to be there to support her. There is no better person to exemplify this than Queen Elizabeth I.
She was known as “The Virgin Queen” because instead of choosing to marry a man, she chose to marry her country.
Her sheer dedication to her people brought England to what is regarded as the nation’s Golden Age.
Under her reign, William Shakespeare rose to fame, the English economy grew, and the nation experienced years of peace and prosperity.
11. She Doesn’t Allow Opinions To Sway Her
The more conservative members of society would be quick to shut down any talks of the range of human sexuality.
While those topics are less taboo in our most accepting time, those were considered to be controversial in the late 80s to the early 2000s — but not for Madonna.
She was unapologetic in her interviews and performances about empowering women to own their sexuality.
While she caused controversy after controversy, that didn’t stop her from standing her ground on what she believed in.
The way she lived continues to inspire conversations about race and sexuality among others.
12. She Defines Herself
The most common trait that virtuous women share is that they don’t let anyone or anything define them — she does it herself.
She continually does so in her works and her actions. She isn’t brought down by her past experiences, nor is she shaped by the opinions of others.
Though she may share the qualities of a virtuous man — brave, charming, endearing arrogance — she is not the same.
Through her unique struggles and ideals, she’s developed her own expression of her values.
She carves her own path in her life, one that is based on her truths and beliefs. She ultimately is what she chooses to be.
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