International Women’s Day (IWD) has been around for over 100 years. Yet, it feels now more than ever that our newsfeeds are covered in acts of injustice towards women, from disproportionate rates of sexual violence to our reproductive rights being questioned to bans on women’s education; the list goes on, unfortunately.
While it feels like we are taking one step forward and then two steps back, let’s take a moment to celebrate the trailblazers who have shaped history, challenged societal norms, and paved the way for women so far in the world of sexuality, health, and reproductive rights.
Margaret Sanger
First up is pioneering birth control activist from 1879, Margaret Sanger, who is famous for fighting for reproductive rights at a time when discussing contraception was taboo. She founded the first birth control clinic in the United States in 1916, which later evolved into Planned Parenthood. Margaret Sanger’s advocacy provided women with more control over their reproductive choices, fundamentally shifting the conversation around sexuality and personal agency even today.
Did you know?
Sanger believed that having the ability and autonomy to control the size of your family was crucial to ending the cycle of women’s poverty.
Dr Helen O’Connell
Dr Helen O’Connell is an Australian urologist who is a leading researcher in female pelvic anatomy and was the first woman to complete training as a urologist (a medical doctor specialising in the urinary tract and male reproductive system) in Australia. Her research on the clitoris, published in the late 1990s, challenged centuries of misinformation and highlighted the importance of sexual pleasure in women’s health. Her work has reshaped modern sex education and medical practices regarding female sexuality. FYI, before 1993, women were rarely included in clinical trials
Did you know?
One of the motivations for Dr Helen O’Connell’s work came while she was an internship trainee in the surgery operating room. She noticed that special attention was paid to preserving sexual function during surgical procedures on men while preserving sexual function during procedures on women seemed more incidental.
Dr. Ruth Westheimer
Dr Ruth, a Holocaust survivor turned sex therapist, has played a pivotal role in normalising conversations about sex and relationships and, during her life, wrote more than 35 books, including Dr Ruth’s Encyclopedia of Sex and Sex for Dummies. Dr Ruth was known for her frankness and candid discussions on sexuality, pleasure, and relationships, which today have helped countless women navigate their sexual lives with confidence and knowledge. She even appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show for her 91st birthday.
Did you know?
Playboy ranked her 13th among the 55 most influential figures in sex over the past 55 years in its 55th anniversary edition.
Loretta Ross
Loretta Ross has been a powerful voice advocating for women’s bodily autonomy, particularly for women of colour in the realms of reproductive justice. She co-founded SisterSong, an organisation dedicated to advancing reproductive justice through intersectional approaches to health care, education, and policy reform. She is an inspirational speaker, trainer, consultant, and lecturer on many issues, including Reproductive Justice, Appropriate Whiteness, Human Rights, Violence Against Women, and Calling In the Calling Out Culture.
Did you know?
Driven by her personal experience as a survivor of sexual assault, in 1979, Ross became the third executive director of the D.C. Rape Crisis Center, the first rape crisis centre that was primarily run by and geared toward providing resources for women of colour.
Emily Nagoski
Emily Nagoski is an American sex educator, researcher, and author of books, including the New York Times bestseller Come as You Are. It’s known for its groundbreaking exploration of the science of sexuality, helping guide everyone and anyone to understand their sex lives better. She now travels all over, helping train professionals, teaching college students, and learning more about the science and art of sexual wellbeing every day.
Did you know?
As well as being a full-time writer and public speaker, Emily has a podcast, a newsletter, and a social media presence, sometimes featuring a puppet named Nagoggles.
This International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate those who have fought for our rights, challenged outdated narratives, and continued the work of creating a world where every woman has the freedom to make informed choices about her body and sexual health.
Let’s celebrate women everywhere!
April Maria
April Maria is a qualified sex educator, sex and relationships coach and training psychosexual and relationships therapist. For the last four years, April has been working in the field of sex education, sex tech and pleasure, endometriosis awareness and helping others when it comes to sexual wellness, intimacy, dating and relationships.
