The Amazing Stuff

While people absolutely adore fighting on social media about issues of social justice, Facebook fights in general are notorious for being full of opinions and totally devoid of actual information. Arguments about feminism are no different. I’m in not here to impose opinions, but let’s have a look at some facts.

There’s really no denying that lady life has been rough for centuries. While you might think that feminism is about setting bras on fire and braiding armpit hair, it’s really about barring absolutely insane laws like these from existing in any way, shape, or form. Here are eight activities that were illegal for women to do in recent history…and some that women around the world still can’t do today.

1. Opening a line of credit.

Flickr / The.Comedian

In the ’60s, women had to have two things if they wanted to open a line of credit: good financial standing, and a husband. Most banks refused to give credit cards to single women. Fortunately, people removed their heads from…well…you know where in 1974, when the practice became illegal.

2. Serving on a jury.

Flickr / Michael D. Beckwith

Until the ’70s, many states denied women the right to serve on juries because evidently, the people who pushed watermelon-sized masses out of pinholes while their pelvises separated were “too frail” to handle the gory details of criminal activity. Following the 1974 ruling that women without husbands could handle using credit cards, 1975 legislation made it illegal to ban women from sitting on juries based on sex alone.

3. Taking oral contraceptives to actually avoid conception.

Flickr / Beatrice Murch

The pill was created in 1957, but was only intended to fix “extreme menstrual distress.” It was approved for contraceptive use in 1960, but if you weren’t married, you weren’t getting a prescription. Doctors were mostly men back then, which meant that dudes were regulating women’s sex lives. Sounds familiar.

4. Working while pregnant.

Flickr / Torsten Manger

Until 1978, it was legal for employers to fire pregnant women. Thankfully, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act later became a thing. Today, employers respond on the opposite end of the spectrum by giving pregnant women in America the lousiest maternity leave in the developed world. Huzzah!

These might sound archaic, but women around the world still face bizarre legislative injustice today. Check out these little bundles of crazy, for example.

Flickr / simpleinsomnia

5. Driving a car.

Flickr / Robert Couse-Baker

Women in Saudi Arabia cannot drive cars, because officials say that women behind the wheel “undermine social values,” which is an idea that makes about as much sense to me as astrophysics would to a hamster.

6. Serving as a witness.

Flickr / Anne Womer

In Yemen, women aren’t recognized as full people in a court of law. Even if a woman agrees to testify in a case, a man has to back up her testimony. Lawmakers might think that women are half human, but the people who came up with that nonsense are all stupid.

7. Voting.

Flickr / Xiquinho Silva

Women cannot vote in the Vatican City. While women could not vote in Saudi Arabia for centuries, they were finally granted suffrage in 2015. That means that the Vatican City is uniquely screwed up, and is the only country that bars women from voting to this day. Hey, Pope Francis. You’re a progressive guy. Let’s get on that, shall we?

8. Shopping.

Flickr / Hans B. Sickler

Women in Pakistan aren’t allowed to shop during Ramadan in July. Just like people shame girls in school for, like, having shoulders and legs, legislators in Pakistan say that this has to be the law because men will get too distracted. Original, Pakistan. Real original.

(via The Telegraph / All Day)

Again, have your opinions. That’s fine. But let’s try to avoid doing that whole “denying women the right to speak about their lived experience” thing. It’s even less cool than not being able to drive a car for no apparent reason.

We’re all familiar with what a nickel looks like, right?

Flickr / yaybiscuits123

But what about a “Hobo Nickel”?

What, you might ask, is a “Hobo Nickel”? Because of the softness of the metals used in nickels (copper and nickel), people have been carving the money up for decades.

Since the 1700s, people have been creatively modifying the faces of coins.

Flickr / Richard Elzey

Nickels are popular, but other denominations, such as pennies and quarters, have also been transformed.

Flickr / J. Money

Because of the low cost and small nature of the coins, homeless men and women have come to use them for currency, hence the name!

Flickr / Bethany Nowviskie

Nowadays, people uses the coins for more artistic purposes, like this necklace.

Flickr / Steve

Flickr / Tony Alter

Designs range from intricately delicate to creepy-cool.

Wikimedia Commons / Danthoms

Flickr / agirlnamednee

Before you complain that this is illegal, it should be noted that these pieces are made just for artistic enjoyment, so defacing the coins, in this case at least, will not land you any jail time.

If you’d like to try your hand at making your own “Hobo Nickel,” check out this cool tutorial.

Have you ever wondered how much the stuff in thrift stores is actually worth? I mean, if it’s that cheap, it can’t be that valuable, right?

Wrong. Sure, there’s a bunch of junk floating around in thrift stores, but some of it is worth a ton of money. Just ask the guy who picked up a picture for $2 that ended up being worth millions.

Randy Guijarro purchased this picture for $2 at a thrift store because he thought it looked cool.

Where Cool Things Happen

As far as he was concerned, it probably wasn’t worth much.

But then he found out that this is one of the only photos of Billy the Kid.

Where Cool Things Happen

It’s actually a picture of the famous outlaw and some of his gang members playing croquet in 1878.

The photo’s authenticity has been verified by historians, and it’s valued at roughly $5,000,000.

Where Cool Things Happen

There was a lot of bang in those two bucks.

(via Where Cool Things Happen)

Hundreds of people love browsing thrift stores, and after hearing about this, I might start thrifting myself. Okay, probably not. I’m pretty sure that this type of thing doesn’t happen very often.

Paris’ Pere Lachaise cemetery is the final resting place of some very influential people, including Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, and Jim Morrison, as well as countless others. Like other cemeteries, it’s full of heartfelt memorials and classic grave markers.

There is, however, one exception to the traditional rule, and it’s one that’s been causing giggles for the past 140 or so years. It’s the grave of journalist Victor Noir, who died in a duel in 1870 and whose death had political repercussions throughout the country. And whoever created it made some very interesting stylistic choices.

This is Victor Noir.

Getty Images

He’s happy to see you.

Wikimedia Commons

The grave, which shows Noir at the moment of his death, lying on the ground in street clothes, is famous for the very noticeable bulge in his pants.

Flickr / istolethetv

It’s not clear why this was done. Was it a reference to Noir’s…active social life? We’ll likely never know.

What we do know, however, is that in the years after his death, Noir’s grave became a fertility symbol to Parisian women.

Getty Images

It’s believed that touching or rubbing Noir’s bulge and kissing the statue on the lips, then leaving a flower in the upturned top hat, will guarantee fertility, childbirth, and a good sex life.

Because of this, the face and crotch of the statue show considerable wear, having been rubbed shiny by countless hands — and who knows what else.

Flickr / Mark B. Schlemmer

Although, because of the wear, it kind of just looks like an unfortunate stain.

Flickr / Mark B. Schlemmer

In 2004, a fence was erected (ahem) around the statue to prevent these kinds of goings-on, but it was removed by popular demand.

Flickr / NatalieMaynor

And people still visit Noir to this day for a little quality time.

Flickr / ex nomade

(via Messy Nessy Chic)

If you happen to visit this famous cemetery, stop by the grave of Victor Noir. He’s always happy to have visitors. Let’s keep the inappropriate acts to a minimum, though.

In the early 1900s, English colonizers discovered a strange new animal which resembled the horses they knew back home, but with a dash of pizzazz: the zebra. They were, of course, intrigued by their new equine findings and set out to domesticate the wild animals for transportation.

As you probably noticed, due to the lack of documentation in history books, the attempt didn’t really take off. Though zebras do share a lot in common with their horse cousins, and have added benefits like a resistance to diseases carried by tsetse flies, they simply couldn’t be completely tamed.

But you can’t say it’s for lack of trying. These historical photos provide a glimpse of what you might have seen on your commute back in the day.

Imagine your cabbie rolling up with one of these fellas.

Getty Images / Topical Press Agency / Stringer

Just your average traffic jam in 1935.

Getty Images / Fox Photos / Stringer

“I could do this in my sleep.”

Library of Congress

This is how Dr. Rosendo Ribeiro took house calls in Kenya.

Wikimedia Commons

Adventure seeker Osa Johnson always kept it classy in black-and-white, shown here in 1924.

Kansas Sampler

This was taken around 1930 in Calcutta, India.

Getty Images / Imagno

“So, what’re you in for?”

Getty Images / Keystone-France

Walter Rothschild made sure the royals took notice when he rode up to Buckingham Palace.

Wikimedia Commons

A couple of soldiers from Germany’s calvary of colonial force in East Africa, 1911.

Wikimedia Commons

It is kind of a bummer that it didn’t work out. How cool would it be to ride one of these to your office? It’s almost like they were the snazzy new sports car of the early 20th century.

Of course, we’re also grateful they weren’t able to be tamed because otherwise we wouldn’t be able to see them in all their wild glory.

You already know that ladies are pretty amazing, but history isn’t always quick to tell us about women’s stories. In fact, the actions of smart, brave, and inventive women go largely unnoticed.

But they don’t have to! Here are some of history’s coolest gals.

1. Ahhotep — 1560s B.C.E.

Tumblr / Badass Females in History

First of all, Ahhotep I lived to be 90, which was no small feat in ancient Egyptian times. But she was also responsible for defending Thebes against invading Hyskos, and for founding a dynasty that would go on to rule Egypt for generations to come.

2. The Trung Sisters — First Century C.E.

Tumblr / verysharpteeth

Despite living almost 2,000 years ago, sisters Trung Trac and Trung Nhi are still celebrated today. They were born in Vietnam when the Chinese started expanding their empire southward.

Tired of the restrictive regime and angered after Trac’s husband was killed, the sisters gathered up an army of men and women and began pushing the Chinese out. They eventually became queens of Vietnam, and ruled for three years until they were defeated.

3. Li Xu — 290s

Tumblr / Badass Females in History

When her father died defending the Ningzhou province in China from rebels, Li Xu jumped at the opportunity to avenge him. She organized civilians and personally led them in battle against the rebels. After seven years of this, the rebels finally gave up. The city was renamed in her honor.

4. “The Island Girl” — 550s

Tumblr / Badass Females in History

Unfortunately, this warrior woman’s name has been lost in the annals of history, but her story has not.

When she was jilted by her betrothed, she invaded his land. It wasn’t love she was after, but the political implications of their union. When her intended surrendered, she sent his current wife packing and assumed a leadership position beside him. Their tribes remained allies for many generations…although we assume that holidays were awkward.

5. Tamar of Georgia — 1160s

Tumblr / verysharpteeth

Tamar was born into Georgian aristocracy and was allowed to be Heir Apparent because of her intelligence. After her father’s death, she became king (not queen) and crushed any public objection to a female ruler. She defended Georgia’s borders and was responsible for the country’s Golden Age. She also banished her first husband after he tried to stage a coup.

6. Tomoe Gozen — 1150s

Tumblr / Badass Females in History

A veteran of the Genpai War, Tomoe Gozen was a rare onna-bugeisha, or female samurai. She was known as an excellent archer and horseback rider, and was frequently sent to the front lines to make use of her gifts. Legend has it that she eventually married a man who bested her in combat at the Battle of Awazu.

7. Elizabeth “Lady Bare Knuckles” Stokes — early 1700s

Tumblr / camperjon

Lady boxing is not a new thing, as Elizabeth Stokes would be happy to tell you. During the 18th and early 19th centuries in England, boxing was done without gloves. This obviously resulted in many injuries and fatalities. Oh, and women participated, too. Elizabeth Stokes made a career out of boxing in the 1720s, famously winning against Hannah Highfield after a 22-minute fight.

8. Louise Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun — 1700s

Tumblr / Badass Females in History

If you’ve ever seen a portrait of Marie Antoinette, it was likely created by this woman, who was also known for the beautiful self-portrait above. (This image was scandalous for the time, since her teeth were showing.) Le Brun managed to escape during the French Revolution by fleeing to Russia, where she continued painting portraits of nobles.

9. Juana Galan — 1810s

Tumblr / Sarah Rees Brennan

When Napoleon marched into Valdepenas, Spain, Juana Galan did not take it lying down. Instead, she rallied the women of her town to fight in the streets, ambushing the French army with pots of boiling oil and water. They even fought hand-to-hand with clubs, batons, and iron cookware. None of the fighters on Galan’s side had guns, but they still managed to repel the French, who abandoned the entire La Mancha region of Spain as a result.

10. Lydia Darragh — 1770s

Tumblr / Badass Females in History

During the American Revolution, British officers decided to take up residence in Lydia Darragh‘s house without her permission. Forced to provide them with room and board, she selected a room for the officers with a large closet.

She then proceeded to hide in that closet and take notes as they discussed their plans to attack American forces. After that, she pretended to go out for flour, but instead, she revealed her notes to General Washington. British plans were foiled, and Lydia was never implicated.

11. Lozen of the Apaches — 1850s

Tumblr / Badass Females in History

Lozen was a Chiricahua Apache woman who fought back against white settlers when they invaded her ancestral land. She helped Apache women and children flee from American forces by crossing the Rio Grande, and fought alongside Geronimo. She died after being captured, but her legacy lives on.

12. Josephine Baker — early 1900s

Tumblr / Badass Females in History

You know her for her banana skirt, but Josephine Baker was far more than fashionable. Fed up with racism in the U.S., she left for France. When WWII broke out, she used her international fame to schmooze with Nazi officials, and then promptly turned over all their information to the French Resistance.

She would later win several military awards for her aid. Upon her return to the States, she refused to perform in venues where audience segregation was required, effectively drawing attention to growing issues of racial oppression in America.

13. The Night Witches — 1940s

Tumblr / valkyrierisen

These Russian fighter pilots were responsible for inflicting heavy damage on German soil. Not only that, but they flew dangerous planes that were known for shutting down midair. They had a penchant for idling their crafts above enemy territory to drop bombs, and over the course of their involvement, they completed hundreds of missions.

14. Parisa Tabriz — 2010s

Facebook / A Mighty Girl

If you don’t think female badassery exists today, meet Parisa Tabriz. She’s a “white hat” hacker who works for Google, detecting weaknesses in their security and, in effect, protecting millions of users form having their personal data stolen.

She protects your bank account information, private correspondence, and whatever weird stuff you Google late at night when no one’s looking. She’s the leader of a team of 30 experts, which is rare in such a male-dominated field. Ever the funny gal, her business cards list her job title as “Security Princess.”

If that’s not inspiration to keep your head up, I don’t know what is. Maybe you’ll end up on one of these lists someday! Keep on keepin’ on, ladies.

Not enough amazing women for you? There are plenty more: