Wolfe, Helen

"There were rules that forced Muslim women athletes like Ibtihaj Muhammad to choose between competition and wearing hijab. There were laws that caused Indigenous women like Mary Two-Axe Earley to lose their official First Nations status when they married white men. When there was no law to prevent violence against women, Afghan politician Fawzia Koofi tried to pass one. All of the women here went against the rules, laws, and traditions that surrounded them. Sometimes, they used their voice, like disability rights activist Judy Heumann, and Alicia Garza, the co-founder of Black Lives Matter. Sometimes, they challenged the very way we see ourselves, like plus-size model Olakemi Obi. And sometimes, they led by example, like the STEM-loving Afghan Dreamers, and anti-apartheid politician Pregs Govender. These women, and the others you will find in this book, had the courage to shake the world and make it better for the women who will follow in their footsteps"--Provided by publisher.

"Around the world, people living with disabilities face barriers in the built environment, in employment and education, and in social attitudes and policies that can make it hard to live a full and satisfying life. The ten women we meet in this book face physical and mental health challenges, some from birth and some who became disabled later in life. But they all share the determination to make the world a better place, not just for themselves but for those who will come after them. Their fields are as diverse as elite sport, neurosurgery, architecture, and environmental activism, and while some have devoted themselves to disability policy, others prefer to lead by example. In either case they have proved themselves to be unstoppable"-- Provided by publisher.