Thoughts of women

Image: Christophe Archambault / AFP

Of course I am not worried about intimidating men. The type of man who will be intimidated by me is exactly the type of man I have no interest in.
—Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Nigerian writer

Nothing is worth more than laughter. It is strength to laugh and to abandon oneself, to be light.
—Frida Kahlo
Mexican painter

Tremendous amounts of talent are being lost to our society just because that talent wears a skirt.
—Shirley Chisholm
American politician

A girl should not expect special privileges because of her sex but neither should she adjust to prejudice and discrimination.
—Betty Friedan
American activist

Have no fear of perfection; you’ll never reach it.
—Marie Curie
Polish-French chemist and physicist

In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.
—Coco Chanel
French fashion designer

I didn’t get there by wishing for it or hoping for it, but by working for it.
—Estée Lauder
American businesswoman  

I have learnt over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.
Rosa Parks
American civil rights activist

Normal is not something to aspire for, it’s something to get away from.
—Jodie Foster
American actor

A good compromise is one where everybody makes a contribution.
—Angela Merkel
German politician

There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there.
—Indira Gandhi
Former prime minister

No one changes the world who isn’t obsessed.
—Billie Jean King
American tennis player