Heroes, villains and victories – the women who shaped 2014

This was the year we addressed street harassment and made feminist declarations. But there were many more landmarks – big and small
Film director Amma Asante, space scientist Monica Grady, gymnast Claudia Fragapane and Happy Valley star Sarah Lancashire
Film director Amma Asante, space scientist Monica Grady, gymnast Claudia Fragapane and Happy Valley star Sarah Lancashire.

The Malala award

Nominees: Malala Yousafzai, Mindy Kaling (who was briefly mistaken for her at a New York party).

Winner: Malala, by a landslide – for being awarded the Nobel peace prize at the age of 17 (the youngest ever recipient) but also crucially for the fact that she had to wait to give her “first statement after school”. Bless!

The #BringBackOurGirls campaign

The horrific abduction of 300 girls from their school in Chibok by terrorist group Boko Haram triggered an international outcry. On the ground in Nigeria, activists have not gone quiet: every day since 30 April, they have gathered in the capital to protest against the kidnap of the girls. 2015 is an election year for Nigeria, and the state of security in the northeastern regions will be an ongoing issue.

Activism’s female face

From Ferguson to New York and across the US, thousands marched for justice following the killings of unarmed black men and women by police. And they were largely organised and led by young women: the Millions March NYC was set up by Umaara Elliott and Synead Nichols. Harriet Wistrich won Liberty’s Human Rights Lawyer of the Year award for her work showing police failures concerning the women attacked by a London taxi driver. More young feminists with amazing 2014 success can be found here.

The many battles of the feminist PR war

Beyoncé stood in front of a giant FEMINIST sign at the VMAs, inspiring miles of tenuous think-piece and column inches; Emma Watson gave a speech as part of the He For She campaign at the UN in New York; Harriet Harman wore her Fawcett Society “This is what a feminist looks like” T-shirt to prime minster’s questions (a not-at-all subtle dig at David Cameron); and the media managed to ask every semi-famous woman about her thoughts on feminism. On balance, the feminist PR war was largely won, and with only minimal bloodletting.

Heroines of science and health

Iranian mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani became the first woman to win the Fields Medal in Mathematics; space scientist Professor Monica Grady celebrated with the rest of the Rosetta mission when Philae landed on a comet, 10 years after launch. In Nigeria, hero doctor Stella Ameyo Adadevoh led a team that shut down the spread of Ebola in the most populous country in Africa, and died from the virus after exposure.

Most excellent image of women in the workplace

In September, India sent up the Mangalyaan satellite to orbit Mars, making it only the fourth nation to do so. The photo that marked the accomplishment was striking: a command control room showing six women in saris smiling and excitedly embracing one another in the foreground. Whether in purple or red or pink or blue, this is what a scientist (can) look(s) like.

Pinterest

Small-screen queens

Yes, there was Dapper Laughs and his patently ridiculous brand of “entertainment”, but generally, women did better than all right in television this year. British telly was particularly strong, full of complex and nuanced female narratives and roles: Maggie Gyllenhaal in The Honourable Woman; Sarah Lancashire in Happy Valley and Keeley Hawes in Line of Duty were highlights. Between Olivia Pope and Annalise Keating, Shonda Rhimes dominated US television. Orange is the New Black actor Laverne Cox became the first transgender woman to be nominated for an Emmy (and cover of Time magazine). Amy Schumer’s A Very Realistic Military Game sketch highlighted the issue of sexual assault in the US military, using a console game in which her avatar, a private in the army, is raped in the barracks. On reporting the crime, the character is asked: “Did you know he has a family? Does that change your mind about reporting?” And ends with her attacker found guilty in a military court – right before his commanding officer decides to reject the court’s decision, and put him back on active duty.

Queens of the silver screen

In film, Amma Asante directed historical drama Belle and Destiny Ekaragha helmed the comedy of manners Gone Too Far, making them members of a very elite club of black British female directors. Nicole Perlman, co-screenwriter on one of the highest grossing movies of the year, Guardians of the Galaxy, made history: she is the first woman with a writing credit on a Marvel movie.

Ladies of letters

British novelist Jessie Burton’s book The Miniaturist became the best-selling literary debut hardback of the decade. Elsewhere writer (and GuardianUS columnist) Roxane Gay wrote thought-provoking essays on subjects as varied as Bill Cosby and the Oscar Pistorius trial.

Political animals

A Women’s Aid petition to save women’s refuges garnered 38,000 signatures – and secured a £10m injection from the government to protect the network of safe havens. Earlier in the year, several centres, including those helping black, Asian, minority ethnic and refugee (BAMER) women had been particularly hard hit by cuts. Elsewhere, Ukip leader Nigel Farage suggested breastfeeding mothers should sit in the corner and not be “openly ostentatious”. The jokes wrote themselves.

She shoots, she scores!

Republic of Ireland striker Stephanie Roche was nominated for the Fifa Puskás Award for goal of the year, alongside James Rodríguez and Robin van Persie. Claudia Fragapane became England’s most successful female Commonwealth Games competitor in more than 80 years.

Tech woes

Anita Sarkeesian and Zoe Quinn were two of the targets (and loudest critics) of Gamergate. Ostensibly about ethics in games journalism, the movement became something else entirely, with overt misogyny and rape threats on Twitter. Elsewhere the ructions between women and the tech industry trundled along as an Uber executive Emil Michael was overheard suggesting digging up dirt on critics in the media. One suggested target was PandoDaily editor Sarah Lacy, a vocal critic of the taxi app. In December a female customer in New Delhi accused a driver of rape.