In no particular order:
Betty Friedan
American writer and activist. Penned "The Feminine Mystique" in 1963, which arguably sparked the second wave of feminism.
Gloria Steinem
Led the women's liberation movement in the 60s and 70s. Co-founder of the feminist themed magazine "Ms" and several female groups that changed the face of feminism (Women's Action Alliance, National Women's Political Caucus,, Women's Media Center).
Bell Hooks
American author known for her social activism which was often mirrored through her writing of oppression, women's rights and race.
Barbra Walters
The first female co-host of any news show and first female co-anchor. Paved the way for women not only in journalism, but the entire workforce.
Yoko-Ono
Most known for her peaceful protests with John Lennon. Has been a voice for gender equality throughout the years. Her essay, "The Feminization of Society" helped mark the female revolution of the 70s.
Coretta Scott King
Helped found the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1966 and devoted much of her life to women's equality.
Maya Angelou
Used her literature, public speaking and powerful writing to inspire women and African Americans to overcome gender and race discriminated.
Diane Von Furslenberg
Built her fashion on the concept of female empowerment. She founded the DVF Awards which recognises women who have made positive impacts on the world through hard work, leadership and philanthropy.
Hillary Clinton
The only First Lady to ever run for public office, serving as the first ever female Senator from New York and the U.S Secretary of State. In 2008, she was a leading candidate for the democratic presidential nomination and will possibly be running again in 2016.
Oprah Winfrey
Motivated by the unequal pay she received when she started her broadcasting career she built her empire from the ground up. She aims to help women grow, develop and thrive. She developed the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, the Oprah Winfrey Network and has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Madonna
Built her career on pushing the limits of women and sexuality. Also living proof that women can wear many hats at once - acting, singing, directing, managing a non-profit organisation and being a mother.
Ellen Page
Actress that has spoken publicly about women's rights and her mission for gender equality.
Angelina Jolie
U.N Diplomat, actress and philanthropist. Sharing her double mastectomy story helped changed the face of breast cancer awareness.
Lena Dunham
Well known for being the writer and creator of HBO's "Girls", Dunham has always been outspoken about defining herself as a feminist. The characters she writes break away from the typical female television character mold and clarified what the word 'feminist' really means today.
Malala Yousafzia
Rose to fame with her memoir, "I am Malala", which documents her fearless journey as a young student in Pakistan. Since then she has been travelling the world advocating for education rights for women and children.
Beyonce
Ultimately responsible for bringing the feminist movement to modern day popular culture. On her son "Flawless" she samples author Chimamand Ngozi Adichie's motivational TED talk titled "We Should All Be Feminists" Since this, she has proudly performed in front of the word 'FEMINIST' - an important message for young audiences as more people need to embrace the word.
Emma Watson
Arguably this generation's newest voice of feminism. After delivering a moving speech in front of the U.N, she helped launch a new initiative "He For She", which reminds us that feminism isn't just a fight for women, but for men as well.
Cleopatra
The ancient Egyptian Queen and the nation's final pharoah. One of the first female state leaders in history, she defended Egypt against the Roman Empire and spoke nine languages.
Mary Wollstonecraft
An early supported or women's rights, with her work "A Vindication of the Rights of Women" she argued that women only appeared intellectually inferior at the time because they lacked access to education.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
In 1848, she was instrumental to getting some serious momentum going for the women's rights movement. As a planner of the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York and her work "True Declaration of Sentiments" was an 'updated' version of the Declaration of Independence - which demanded equal treatmet for women.
Susan B. Anthony
A founder of the National Women's Suffrage Association, she published a weekly journal "The Revolution", that advocated for equal rights for women and African Americans.
Elizabeth Blackwell
The first female doctor in the late 1800s - a time when professions for women rarely existed outside of a domestic sphere.
Emmeline Panhurst
English suffragette that used intense tactics like hunger strikes, chaining herself to rails and even voilence, to ensure the vote for women was granted.
Florence Nightingale
Due to her work in the Crimean War, not only were conditions for wounded soldiers vastly improved but also nurses gained more respect as medical professionals.
Coco Chanel
As well as being a savvy business woman who established a fashion house that still dominates the world of couture today, she changed women's fashion from restrictive and uncomfortable to more simple and casual.
Simone de Beauvoir
Penned one of the most influential books on feminism of the 20th century - "The Second Sex" - in which she argues about the social construct of feminism.
Benazir Bhutto
The first woman to be elected Prime Minister in Pakistan - a Muslim country. She changed the country's political landscape from a dictatorship to democracy and advocated tirelessly for social change.
There is quite a mix of women from the early stages of the women's movement to much more recently - which will be useful when looking at the specific waves of feminism.
There is quite a mix of women from the early stages of the women's movement to much more recently - which will be useful when looking at the specific waves of feminism.
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