International Women's Day: Celebrating Famous Women Who Loved Fiercely

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International Women's Day is a time for reflection on what women from past generations achieved. It's about celebrating each individual who committed to taking, always further, the cause of women's rights.

Today, we are offered the opportunity to pause and wonder: what progress has been made? How do I feel as a woman in society? And if you're a man, in what way can I perceive the lack of gender equity?

Why is International Women's Day important?

International Women's Day was created with the idea that women should have the same rights as men, be who they want to be, love who they want to love - regardless of their sex.

For centuries, if not millennia, women have been expected to fit the bill of the perfect housewife: faithful, fertile and submissive, being a mother and responsible for household duties.

Today is a reminder that we still need to question social norms that continuously affect gender parity. This year 2021, the theme for Women's Day is #ChooseToChallenge.

Famous women who challenged the norms of their time

Love with another woman, Virginia Woolf

The recent coming out of the movie Vita and Virginia (2018), based on hundreds of love letters, shows how much their story has to be told. In the 1920s, the writer Virginia Woolf fell in love with another woman, Vita Sackville-West, and began a passionate affair. 

Vita was impressed by Virginia's charm, genius and eloquence. Victim of child abuse, Virginia finally found admiration and sexual satisfaction with her lover.

The profound effect this relationship had on Virginia inspired her to write about bisexuality in her novel Orlando (1928). Considered the first trans novel in English, the story is about a protagonist who changes gender (pretty polemic at the time!), unveiling deep reflections on sex and self-identity. Whence the famous quote: "Different sex. Same person."

The serial lover, Elisabeth Taylor

With eight marriages under her belt, we can safely say that the Hollywood star was a love enthusiast. She even declared that she couldn't have sex with a man without being married (with a few exceptions).

Among a few divorces, one of her husbands - for whom she converted to Judaism - died tragically in a plane crash. After remarrying and having three children, she began another affair with one of the biggest love of her life, Richard Burton, while shooting Cleopatra in Rome. 

A relationship that was seen as an insult to the sanctity of marriage by the Vatican. Not for long, though: Taylor and Burton get married and spend glamorous years together. But it was a tumultuous relationship, passionate for sure, which ended up in a divorce. Before remarrying and divorcing. Again.

After that, Elisabeth wedded two other men, but never forgot Burton. When he died, she confessed that she never stopped loving him.

The man-eater, Catherine the Great

A lot of myths surround the love life of the Empress of Russia. She was accused of being nymphomaniac and sexually deviant, among other allegations regarding her sexuality. Something that strong women are well too acquainted with: particularly those that don't fit the role of submissive wives.

A few years after marrying her first and only husband, Czar Peter III (who was not really her kind of man, by the way), she kicked him out of the throne to take his place. The Empress of Russia was born.

Indeed, she realized that marriage meant less power, especially for women. She even began to choose love partners that would suit strategic positions within the government. Who said, mixing business with pleasure was not preferable?

All along her life, Catherine the Great had a total of twelve romantic relationships (that we know about). And she assured one thing: she would never marry again.

The love specialist who never got married, Jane Austen

Jane is quite an interesting case. Her novels are recognized all over the world for being the most romantic love stories. She gave life to famous lovers: who hasn't heard of Elisabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice? 

Jane Austen covered themes such as passion and reason, deception, the upper-class and social pressure.

Yet, the brilliant writer never married. Having had a few chances to love, she even accepted a proposal but broke the engagement the next day. 

Well, she lived in a time when marriage was linked to economic stability, and less from a perspective of love. We know that too well from reading her novels! Perhaps she feared that marriage and motherhood would come in the way of her writing?

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This article was a way to honor women that chose to live their love lives as they wanted it, bold or ordinary, despite the social norms of their time. Women loving other women, sexually free women known for their countless lovers, and those who decided to stay away from marriage by conviction.

There are no rules when it comes to love and happiness ♥︎

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