1. Which women do you most admire?

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Elena: I admire Marie Curie because of her invaluable contributions to medicine and science. And because she broke down barriers at a time when it was especially difficult for women to do so. She helped find treatments for cancer, and during the First World War, she developed small mobile X-ray units that assisted over a million soldiers by locating bullets and fractures inside their wounded bodies. So, I can only admire Marie Curie because, with her passion and intellect, she helped change the world for the better.

Jo: So, this is a woman who I've always really admired: Frida Kahlo. I was lucky enough to visit Frida Kahlo's house, the Casa Azul, in Mexico City, many years ago and since then, I've been a huge fan of hers. Frida's main achievements are courage in the face of adversity; she suffered a really bad bus accident when she was young. Another achievement is becoming an icon for women all over the world, and I think her main achievement is that she was an incredibly talented artist.

Zina: For International Women's Day, I have to give a major shout-out to Taylor Swift. She is an American singer-songwriter, and what I admire most about her is her ability to connect with her fans through her music and her advocacy for women's empowerment. Now, her achievements are numerous. She's won the Grammy Awards multiple times, including Album of the Year, and she's actually the first woman in history to win Album of the Year three times.

Jonathan: I greatly admire this woman, Toni Morrison, and I'd like to talk about her. Why do I admire her? Well, what a writer she was. So profound and so powerful, and she created really interesting and believable and memorable characters, and she mainly wrote about racism and its destructive effects on all people. Toni Morrison had many achievements. She wrote many essays and novels, she won a Nobel Prize for Literature, and, on a purely personal level, I read her novels around 20 years ago, but they still stay with me. I still remember them.

Elena: The woman who I admire most is my mum. She's very strong and brave. She taught us to face the problems and decision without fear, but first of all to be loyal with other people. I think that some of her achievements are to be independent, despite a big family to manage, and also to be a reference point for a lot of people such as her family, especially us, and also her team workers. 
 

Listen to some of our colleagues and friends talking about women they admire.

It's your turn

Write a comment about a woman who you admire. She can be someone known internationally, in your country, someone from your family or one of your friends, colleagues or neighbours. With so many amazing women in the world, perhaps you'd like to mention more than one!

  • Tell us about a woman you admire.
  • Why do you admire her?
  • What are her achievements?
     

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Average: 4.7 (9 votes)

There are many women I admire, but I’ll focus on Virginia Woolf, Margaret Atwood, Jane Eyre (as a fictional but influential character), and Agatha Christie—each remarkable in her own way. 

Virginia Woolf 

I admire Virginia Woolf for her groundbreaking contributions to modernist literature and feminist thought. Her works, such as Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse, revolutionized narrative style with stream-of-consciousness writing. She was also a fierce advocate for women’s independence, as seen in A Room of One’s Own, where she famously declared that “a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.” Despite struggling with mental health, she left an enduring legacy that continues to inspire readers and writers today. 

Margaret Atwood 

Margaret Atwood is another woman I deeply admire. Her novel The Handmaid’s Tale remains a powerful commentary on gender, power, and oppression, and its relevance has only grown over time. She blends speculative fiction with sharp social critique, making readers question the world around them. Beyond literature, Atwood is an advocate for environmental issues and human rights, proving that writers can shape both culture and activism. 

Jane Eyre (Fictional but Inspirational) 

Though not a real person, Jane Eyre—Charlotte Brontë’s strong-willed heroine—has inspired generations of readers. She defies societal norms, values her self-respect over wealth or status, and insists on being treated as an equal in her relationships. Jane’s resilience and determination to carve out a life of dignity and independence make her an admirable character who continues to empower women. 

Agatha Christie 

Lastly, Agatha Christie, the “Queen of Crime,” is one of the most influential authors in literary history. She wrote over 60 detective novels, including the iconic Murder on the Orient Express and And Then There Were None. Her creation of legendary detectives like Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple revolutionized the mystery genre. She proved that women could dominate the literary world, and her works remain some of the best-selling books of all time. 

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Submitted by MsGonul on Mon, 03/03/2025 - 12:57

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I admire Marie Curie—a woman who struggled for every step she took in science and achieved remarkable success, earning two Nobel Prizes. Despite facing immense challenges and injustice in her work, her unwavering determination and passion drove her forward. I see her as a symbol of every woman in science, from Hypatia of Egypt to Malala Yousafzai.

 

Submitted by huongle on Mon, 03/03/2025 - 04:20

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https://www.speakpipe.com/voice-recorder/msg/uo2wv24e6vymorvm

A woman that I admire is Ngo Thuy Linh. She is known as an influencer and a beauty queen in a small competition in my country. Actually, What makes me admire her is her character, she is extremely independent. She owns a huge beauty spa while still taking care of her family.

Submitted by tanajura on Sun, 02/03/2025 - 19:58

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Hi Jo,

The woman that I most admire today is my wife. I'm very proud of her. She's strong and a very nice person. Despite her difficulty and suffering life, where her last marriage was very problematic with episodes of violence. Now she's left this for the past. She's very respectful in our society. We have been loving each other for the last 15 years.

Submitted by VNatasha on Sun, 02/03/2025 - 19:56

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I admire my godmother she is incredible. She is really smart and kind person. When I reflect on childhood my memories I recall how my godmother gave me the best advices. She  was always near with me in different periods of my live. I'm very grateful a fate that I have her in my live. 

Submitted by eugenia_ryzhuk on Sun, 02/03/2025 - 14:46

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The women I admire are my Mom, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother.My elder sister's achievement was to collect memories about women from our family and write a book about three generations of women, a kind of a family saga. For our children to remember their ancestors and to be proud of them.

Hi eugenia,

That is so lovely, thank you for telling us about it and what a super idea, and a super thing to do so that it can be handed down to generations to come. And thank you for sharing the image with us❣

~ Tinaツ
LearnEnglish team

Submitted by Senasetton on Sun, 02/03/2025 - 12:57

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The woman I admire is my mother. Why do I admire her? First of all, she is a couragious woman. For example my sister, my brother and I were ery young when my father died. But, my mother never complained. She worked hard and sacrified so many things relative to her own happiness just to promive us a normal conditions of life. Another point is that she is always available to help people who are in needs and she thought us to not be tired to help people. Overall, my mother is a brave woman. She never gives up when facing barriers and she is a woman of faith.

Reine

Submitted by Candyveliz on Sun, 02/03/2025 - 10:14

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The woman I admire most, is difficult to say a name because is a huge group of different woman in my life who had showed me the value of life and to fight for our rights. I admire all women in my country that despite all the social difficulties are doing everythig to get their goals with or without children, with and without economic posibilities to do it, with and without support, with and without a path to do it. 

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Submitted by Natalie on Sun, 02/03/2025 - 08:39

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For International Women's Day I'd like to talk about Lina Kostenko. She is an ukranian moder poet and suports ukranian people with her poems in this difficult time. One of Lina Kostenko's main  achievements is beautiful and powerfull poetry that protekts Ukrainian identity and history. Some poems are translated in English. For example "Wings":

"You don't need wings to fly,

Just courage to dare the sky."

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Submitted by salwaGassem on Sun, 02/03/2025 - 02:29

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Hi there 

Let see the world full of women with a-great achievements, but the most women I admire is my boss at work.. i can say she is most strong woman I have ever seen. She is exceptional woman i like the way she leading us … she never overreacted or drama feeding she is probelm  Solver highly educated treating us very kindly even if we made huge mistake she is good listener to us and gives us the opportunity to speak and share I deas 

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Submitted by Shree mana on Sat, 01/03/2025 - 13:15

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The woman, my admirer is the leader of Burma Daw Aung Sang Su Kyi. She is stronger, more powerful, intelligent, and smarter. 

Submitted by Youssef2m15 on Sat, 01/03/2025 - 10:37

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The woman I really admire is my mother ❤️ ❤️ ❤️, she really deserves this because she really loves us with a lot of love and she took care about us, she being sad when we are, she was keeping suffering from my father and protecting us, she was really

Good,e even  though the odds. 

Submitted by Chinnu on Sat, 01/03/2025 - 10:37

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Within own family I do admire my mother and elder sister, both played a crucial role and being instrumental in molding my personality. They taught all the life lessons by setting themselves as example to be independent, brave, courteous and to explore one's dreams irrespective of struggles. Initially i could not realize because of my ignorance but now i am grateful and thank god for making such brave souls as a part of my close family.

Submitted by MariiaRa on Sat, 01/03/2025 - 10:26

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Hi, I admire women who are capable of balancing between life and work and possess great sence of humour.To begin with, it is Michelle Obama. Not only she is a supportive spouse and a mother but also an inspiring educated smart public figure. The next outstanding woman to be mentionned is Jennifer Aniston. She is a successful artist in the business owned and dominated by men, she was able to escape and overgrow her  Rachel's image and she has become one of the most influential people in Holliwood. What is more, she shows that a woman does not have to have a husband or children in order to be "full" and self-confident.

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Submitted by Sou28 on Tue, 19/03/2024 - 05:35

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The woman I admire her is my mom, she is nice, kind, generous persone, she worked hard for us,she was studing, working, and taking care of us at the same time, she was successful working woman, and successful mother,  good sister and good friend, she always supportive of each other. 

Submitted by Yoselin_Negrete on Wed, 13/03/2024 - 20:58

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The woman I admire is my grandmother, for me is a symbol of brave. She had an unfortunately accident 29 years ago that left her in a wheelchair. Despite that she always has an smile and good jokes to tell, she show us the value of living.

She has a incredible life story by the way.

Best.

-Yos

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Submitted by Kemou on Wed, 13/03/2024 - 11:48

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Hi every one,

I admie a lot my mother because she always take care of us and give us all her love.

Submitted by Aminasahra on Sun, 10/03/2024 - 11:56

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I do apologise if I am out of the topic.

However, there is a lot to be dealt with to show respect for the women then selecting a day to celebrate. Gender equality is an issue that needs to be focused on: there is a gap between genders in terms of leadership and decision-making, therefore, that should be a priority.

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Submitted by Erick Estrada on Sat, 09/03/2024 - 06:29

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The woman I admire is my mom. Why? She is a very strong woman and brave. She has been always there for me and my siblings to support us. I achieved a degree with her help because she worked hard to pay for spending. So, my achievements are hers too. She always faces problems to get ahead and for that reason I admire her.   

Submitted by GunElifca on Fri, 08/03/2024 - 22:20

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I'm inspired by women like Türkan Saylan who make big contributions in areas like education and health. Women who fight for women's rights and make a positive impact on society.
I admire Türkan Saylan for her expertise in health and education and her groundbreaking work in these fields. Also, her advocacy for women's rights and her sensitivity to social issues.
Türkan Saylan has made significant contributions in education and health in Turkey, improving people's lives. Her efforts to elevate education levels and support girls' education are noteworthy. Additionally, her achievements in the health sector and efforts to improve access to healthcare are commendable.

Submitted by ruchaud on Thu, 07/03/2024 - 22:45

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A woman that I've always admired is Anne Frank. My mother first read me her diary when I was in second grade. She was a really strong, creative and smart girl that would've been sucessuful in whatever she had chose to do in life. During her years hidden she always talked about writing and publishing her diary, sadly she didn't survive the war to do this. But her father did and thanks to her words generations have learned about the horrors of the holocaust. 

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Submitted by paez ortiz on Wed, 06/03/2024 - 21:30

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I admire myself because I am stronger women who have migrated. I started from zero, new friends, new country, new job and a new culter. Be aways from my family is hard. But, I decided to stay here for the next three years.

I got my master's degree, and now I am doing a founded PhD.

Hi paez ortiz!

It's lovely to hear your story and congratulations on facing all those challenges and beginning a new life.
Wishing you a very happy International Women's Day!

Best wishes,

Jo (LearnEnglish team)

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Submitted by Hamid126 on Wed, 06/03/2024 - 10:55

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For every Person probably the most admirable woman will be her Mother, because they gave birth to them feed and takes care in every difficult moment in the life.

Submitted by borikr83 on Thu, 29/02/2024 - 13:30

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I admire a lot a very strong and ambitious lady who is famous in my country. Her name is Stoyana Vatseva. She is a writer and she has written twelve books about personality development. She is an excellent speaker too. She has a lot of videos on YouTube on different topics. 

Submitted by mrbitvn on Wed, 28/02/2024 - 15:37

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The woman i admire is my mom. I love her so much cause she are so loveable, carry me and my younger sister in love

Submitted by Jubys on Wed, 28/02/2024 - 14:09

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The person I admired most is my mother. Unfortunately she has already passed away. She was a very strong person and was able to give the best for me and my brother, even being divorced. She was sensitive, loved animals and she was very emphatetic to everybody.

Submitted by SABRINA DELMIR… on Sun, 25/02/2024 - 17:30

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The woman, I admire is Anitta. She is a brasilian singer.

She speaks three languages, is a businesswoman. 

She went through a lot to be who she is. She encourages me not to give up

Submitted by Bbarth on Tue, 20/02/2024 - 07:03

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Hello

The woman I admire after my mother is Rebecca. She's a tech entrepreneur, founder of tech apps. She was one of the top 100 most influential women in the world (Forbes) and she's cameroonian.

Hi Bbarth,
Thanks for your comment. You must be so proud of your mother and her acheivements ❤️

Best wishes,

Jo (LearnEnglish team)

Submitted by BrunoSF85 on Mon, 19/02/2024 - 21:31

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A woman I truly admire is my wife. She is an amazing person, always happy and radiating good vibes. She's a hardworking woman who constantly supports me. Her greatest achievement is the way she pursued and realized her dreams.

Hi BrunoSF85,
Thanks for your comment. You're lucky to have such an amazing woman in your life, she sounds like an exceptional person.

Best wishes,

Jo (LearnEnglish team)

Submitted by User_1 on Mon, 19/02/2024 - 16:06

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Hello,
As a great actress, I admire Keira Knightley.
Throughout her career, she has played important women's roles in different movies.
Despite the hard time and context where they lived, she has performed interesting and believable characters: not general but complex female personalities in their real life as well.
From "Pride and Prejudice" to current films, she has always described strong behavior and important women in their difficult lives.
Especially in biographies, she seems like a brave woman in the face of adversity.
She plays timeless roles, the covered topics are current, and she is always credible by her ability to fit into different parts.

Does anyone of the team agree with me?

Hi User_1,
Thanks for your comment and your description of Keira Knightley's acheivements. She's an incredibly versatile actor isn't she, having played so many different roles and having portrayed such a variety of female characters. 


Best wishes,
Jo (LearnEnglish team)

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Submitted by Sophouth on Sun, 18/02/2024 - 13:04

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A woman that i admire is my mom, Because she's power full, creative, strongly, lovable, hardworking and talent. her achievement is successful and have good live.

Hi Sophouth,
Thanks for your comment. Your mom sounds like a fantastic woman! ❤️

Best wishes,

Jo (LearnEnglish team)

Submitted by poorna on Sat, 17/02/2024 - 06:23

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The woman, I admire is my mom. I admire and respect her a lot because she is super strong, lovable, hardworking and talented. I consider her family management skills as her biggest achievement.

Hi poorna,

Thanks for your comment. I think that managing a family can be one of the hardest, but most rewarding jobs in the world. Well done to your mom for doing such a great job ❤️

Best wishes,

Jo (LearnEnglish team)