It’s easy to list off men who have made history: Nelson Mandela, Neil Armstrong, Mozart. These names are drilled into us from day one. But to list women requires effort. The knowledge is rarely a given, and if you want to know, you have to go looking. But today Google wants to change that.
On International Women’s Day, Google sported a beautiful new doodle featuring a young girl learning of women around the world who have done remarkable things.
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It’s #IWD2017 around the
! Celebrate women pioneers who have shaped history in today’s #GoogleDoodle → https://t.co/fWWhkbKLY3pic.twitter.com/PeCRDGprWc — Google Doodles (@GoogleDoodles) March 8, 2017
The slideshow doodle features the girl listening to her grandmother telling her favourite bedtime story — the tales of historical heroines. In each slide she visits one of thirteen women in her imagination, picturing herself in their shoes.
Google’s International Women’s Day doodle honours women who have ‘each made a mark in her own way’
And chances are, you aren’t going to recognise the names of all thirteen women on the list
“Although some of the women showcased in today’s Doodle aren’t household names, each made a mark in her own way. They pursued a range of professions and passions and hailed from an array of backgrounds and countries,” Google says.
Featured in the slide show, among others, are painter Frida Kahlo, computer scientist Ada Lovelace, journalist Ida Wells, pilot Lotfia El Nadi, astronaut Sally Ride, lawyer Lee Tai-Young and South Africa’s very own Miriam Makeba.
Google says it wanted to highlight women’s stories that may not otherwise have been told.
“Today we’re taking the opportunity to share their stories with everyone,” it writes. “After all, that’s part of the original spirit of International Women’s Day: giving a voice to women who might not otherwise be heard.”
And if you find yourself wanting to learn more about these incredible women, the doodle directs you straight to a list featuring the mentioned thirteen.
So get learning here, and let the young girl in your life know exactly what she’s capable of.
