Have you heard of these disabled women who made history?
Take our quiz and test your knowledge on these trailblazers!
Her determination to fight for women’s rights is truly inspiring. In 1910, she participated in a demonstration at the Houses of Parliament, which became known as Black Friday due to police violence. The police made attempts to restrict Rosa’s mobility and stop her from protesting. But she didn’t give up – she attended the next demonstration, and this time, she used her tricycle as a battering ram to help her fellow suffragettes past police lines.
Noor Inayat Khan bravely sent messages as a wireless operator, crucially linking occupied territory and London during WW2. Her style of tapping out morse code was regarded as unique, as her fingers were permanently swollen from chilblains due to a circulatory condition. She was posthumously awarded the George Cross, the UK's highest civilian decoration.
The image below is one of the first paintings this artist ever sold.
Frida Kahlo faced challenges from birth – she was born with spina bifida and later experienced childhood polio, both of which meant she needed extra support moving around. Determined to beat the odds, she took up a variety of sports, like boxing. At 18, a bus accident left her with injuries, leading her to take up painting during recovery.
Born on 30 July 1992, Hannah faced two heart attacks in the first 24 hours of her life and has since showed remarkable resilience. In 2012, she became the first Paralympian to break a world record in the 100 meters T34 at the London Olympic Stadium. And she's been winning medals around the world ever since.
After finishing university with a law degree, Liz volunteered at a law centre, campaigning for civil rights for disabled people in the UK and around the world. She later tapped into the comedy scene, where she candidly talks about living with a rare joint condition and uses humour to raise awareness. You might know her best from her recurring role on the BBC crime thriller 'Silent Witness.'
The image below are of the uniquely carved prosthetic legs worn by the model to open Alexander McQueen's fashion show in London.
Born with a medical condition, Aimee had both legs amputated below the knee, and walking with prosthetic legs by age 2. Breaking barriers, she became the first amputee to compete against able-bodied athletes in US college sport events. Aimee started modelling in London, where her height could vary from 5 ft 8 to 6 ft 1. As well as becoming the face of L’Oréal Paris, Aimee went on to be featured in publications like Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Vogue and many more.
No worries, everyone starts somewhere!
You're on the right track. There's so much more to learn about disabled women who are making waves, let's keep exploring.
Not bad!
You seem to know a bit about who's who. Let's continue bringing light to the diverse experiences of disabled women!