The third Prime Minister (1966-1977 & 1980-1984) of India, Indira Gandhi, was the daughter of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

She was India's first female Prime Minister and served for 15 years until her assassination in 1984.

Born in 1917, Indira Gandhi grew up in a political atmosphere, and was active with her father's efforts in the nationalist movement for India's independence from Britain; which achieved in 1947.

As a child, she is said to have even burned her own doll because it was made in England.

When she was twelve she lead the Vanar Sena (Monkey Brigade) with over 70,000 young revolutionaries who did everything possible to support the nationalist movement. They did everything from making flags to putting up advertisements for public demonstrations.

Even in marriage in 1942, Indira Gandhi was setting the stage to be a maverick of her time. She married Feroze Gandhi, a Parsi. However, Indira Gandhi was Hindu. Mixed marriages were not common at the time, and the fact that the marriage was not arranged was very taboo.

The marriage caused such a spectacle and backlash from the public that Mahatma Gandhi (a family friend of Indira Gandhi and with no relation) had to issue a public statement requesting that the public dismiss their unease and vocal distaste of the union for blessings instead.

As Prime Minister, she led a newly independent India into self sufficiency. Through the Green Revolution, India became independent for grains.

In 1971, Pakistani conflict erupted and she was vocal of her support of the Bengali movement to separate East Pakistan from the West, and create an independent Bangladesh. India then provided much needed refuge to over 10 million Pakistani citizens; which thinned Indian resources and became politically "complicated" with the United States. However, U.S. war with India was avoided with Pakistan's surrender.

When Indira was found guilty of electoral malpractice, she declared a state of emergency rule.
Freedoms were limited, opponents imprisoned, the press censored, and millions were sterilized in the face of over population. When she finally ended her undemocratic emergency rule she lost re-election in fear of her sterilization policy; which was used to sterilize 7.8 million men.

Despite her shortcomings, and marriage that was filled with her husband's illicit affairs. She is still held as one of history's most influential female political leaders. Why is this? She practically declared a dictatorship when she faced being kicked out of office for malpractice, and sterilized 7.8 million boys and men within India without any form of consent....

However, for the time her actions and political power were revolutionary. A friend to Margaret Thatcher and Mahatma Gandhi, a saint to Pakistani refugees in their fight for freedom, and the ruler of an independent India with a firm hand following her father made Indira Gandhi a forced to be reckoned with. She will still be remembered and honored for the incredible work she has done and for pioneering a way for strong female political leaders in the future.

We will hold lessons to be learned from her both empathetic and controversial actions throughout her political career as India's first female Prime Minister.

​-SP

​​



​
​


Works Cited:
https://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Independent/Indira.html
http://www.history.com/topics/indira-gandhi
http://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/indian/indira-gandhi.html
​http://www.biography.com/people/indira-gandhi-9305913
http://www.biography.com/news/indira-gandhi-biography-facts

​Images Provided By:
http://www.conservapedia.com/Indira_Gandhi
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Indira-Gandhi
http://www.gyaaninfo.com/indira-gandhi/

My last post was received with mixed opinions and positions from feminists and non-feminists alike on my Facebook post. Regardless of the various arguable aspects regarding Carl Fiorina's statement, I wanted to acknowledge all the admirable work of Margaret Thatcher and the continued inspiration that Margaret Thatcher is to women in the political field. Thus, you will find a summarized bio. below to hopefully find both informational and motivating. Should you ever find offense in any of my statements or wish to state a differing view please comment below or contact me directly and I will gladly create a public forum for readers to observe and take part in. Thank you, SP.

Margaret Thatcher was born to a family of grocers, and later became the first female prime minister of Britain and one of the longest office-holding prime ministers in the hundreds of years before her.
But how did this daughter of a working class family rise to be the political leader of Britain?

She received her college education from Oxford University and earned a degree in Chemistry. At the time, it was remarkable for a women to major in a field of science and she was, thus, a pioneer for women at Oxford studying in the field of sciences. While in college, she served as the president of the Conservative Association and began her adult career in political activism.  Following graduation, she began her work as a chemist and in her free time she taught herself law and passed the bar soon after.

Her political career began with a failed attempt to enter Parliament in the 1950s. She then successfully earned a seat in the House of Commons in 1959 after passing the bar, getting married, and having two children (twins). In 1961 she became a member of the Shadow Cabinet and in 1970 her political party came into power and made her the Secretary of State for Education and Science.

She struggled with the inability to get the prime minister to hear and consider her ideas. Consequently she was ironically quoted as stating, "I don't think there will be a woman prime minister in my lifetime." - Margaret Thatcher (1973).

However, her frustrations and disheartened attitude did not inhibit her to continue her political pursuits and she became leader of the Conservative Party in 1975. Thus she was the first oppositional leader in the House of Commons to be a female in all of British history.

 When the Conservative Party came into power in 1979, she became the first female British Prime Minister. She served from 1979- 1990 and left office by resigning due to inter party debate and controversy over her policy stances. 

She carried Britain through a recession and the Cold War. She, undoubtedly, lead Britain through one of the most challenging political periods in modern history...

Throughout her political career, Thatcher taken a strong stance against communism in all of its forms. She began by criticizing the British state's interference in industry and individual's lives.
 Her beliefs then transcended into her political stances during the Cold War as Prime Minister. The Soviet Union, thus, dubbed her the "Iron Lady" for her strong stance against communism and accusation against the Soviet Union and their motives to spread communism throughout the globe. She emerged as a triumphant figure of British strength.

However, can we take a moment to recap? Margaret Thatcher passed the bar by self- teaching herself the law while juggling working as a chemist? This child of two grocers, and mother of two is later recognized by the Soviet Union as a threat and has become the Prime Minister of Britain? The strength that is required to rise in social class is, in itself, often an insurmountable feat. However, Thatcher not only rose above the status and situation of her parents, but rose above the social norms and success threshold that had been set for women throughout British history. She broke all of those stigmas and social barriers while being a mother of two and defying the bias against the image and acceptance of "strong" women. Okay, continuing...

Upon resigning from Parliament she entered the House of Lords and wrote a book of her political experiences and acquired wisdom. Years later she delivered a eulogy at Ronal Reagan's funeral and then battled a series of small strokes. She died at the age of 87, and remains an inspiration for women in politics to this day.



   Conclusion and Closing Remarks: Carly Fiorina and Margaret Thatcher

Carly Fiorina has publicly referred to Thatcher and made it clear that she admires Thatcher's political accomplishments and pioneering work for women in the political field. Regarding the quote that she referenced in the last Republican debate, I have conducted extensive research regarding the context in which the quote was originally stated by Margaret Thatcher and have found no information beyond the fact that the  quote actually begins with the conditional phrase "In politics" and was delivered in a speech made to the National Union of Townswomen's Guilds Conference on May 20, 1965.  

Despite the debate of whether or not Carly Fiorina's use of the quotation was appropriate in the circumstances and context of the debate, I must state that Margaret Thatcher remains one of the most inspirational historical figures to young women, such as myself, who are preparing to take their place in the political arena. Carly Fiorina also remains an important figurehead of female social, professional and political progression within America's various structures enforced by historical and modern stigmas and biases. Thus, both of these women remain key influential figures to young women and are inspirational despite any of my personal conflicting views regarding a variety specific political views, policy stances, and public statements. 
- SP

Images found here & here.

The Pulitzer Prize winner who started as the valedictorian of her segregated high school.

The only way that Alice Walker was able to attend college was because of a scholarship to Spelman College in Alabama (later transferring to Sarah Lawrence College in New York City). In 1965 she graduated from college, after studying abroad in Africa, and began her writing career.

After graduation she became involved in the civil rights movement and was a key figure in the black feminist movement. These experiences influenced her writing and lead to her most acclaimed piece of work, The Color Purple in 1982. With the publication of The Color Purple, her career skyrocketed and her career as a teacher and social worker shifted to focus on writing.  3 years later, Steven Spielberg brought The Color Purple to the silver screen and the world explored the struggles of a young African American woman named Celia. She went on to win numerous awards for this particular work, including the Pulitzer Prize.

Alice remains an influential figure, because she elucidated the struggles of her community in a way that was relatable for everyone of all colors and sexes to identify with. Thus, she transcended the lines and barriers of our nation through The Color Purple's Celia.Johnson. Such transcendence has the ability to bond and galvanize a nation in a way unlike any other, and that is where Alice Walker's true power lies. In the end, it is her bravery to stand up for a cause she deemed to be true and just that is truly astounding and inspiring for young women today. 

She shifted career paths, fought for an education that others wished to deny her, and made her voice known amid the world's bustling viewpoints.

Today, she still maintains her activism through various pieces of work highlighting her experiences, and prizes the recent trip she made in 2008 to visit Gaza.


​

​
​Photos of Alice Walker found: here​ & here

​Anita Roddick, CEO and founder of The Body Shop natural beauty cosmetics, was an environmental activist and an advocate for women and human rights issues. ​

​
​She started her entrepreneurial engagement with her husband when opening their first restaurant and then hotel. However, Gordon Roddick soon came to America and Anita was left to ensure provision for her and her two daughters. In 1976, she created The Body Shop. 

Her extensive travels and witnessing her mother's frugality during World War II lead to the current Body Shop standards: reusable containers, recyclable materials, and fair retail prices. Anita did not stop with the company whose mission statement proclaimed the "pursuit of social and environmental change," instead she continued her journey by founding Anita Roddick publications. She created a communication center for activism and eventually wrote an autobiography of her life's journey and success.

A year before Anita's passing, The Body Shop was happily purchased by  L'Oréal. The company remains a thriving example of environmental preservation and prides its self on its cruelty-free cosmetics.

Anita is an example of ​persevering outside of one's trained field of knowledge (she originally attended school to become a teacher), and utilizing one's own morals and convictions within the development of a company in order to create a honorable and valued product for many generations. 

Information regarding Anita found: http://www.thebodyshop.com/services/aboutus_anita-roddick.aspx​

​
​

​​To read an Interview of Anita and view the image Above Click here 
Additional Images found here