It may not be Women's History Month, which falls in March, but that doesn't mean acknowledging and celebrating empowering women shouldn't occur. Whether you're in your twenties or your fifties, it's important to remember the words of the late and great talent, Aaliyah Age ain't nothing but a number, and inspiration can come from anyone at any point in your life.
So you want to be a chef but you're 25 and can't cook? You may be surprised the age that culinary icon, Julia Child learned her way around the kitchen (find out below). In addition to Child, here are remarkable women who've achieved success regardless of their age, removing stigma and criticism from the conversation and instead inspiring hard work, dedication, and sometimes, a bit of luck.
Have a look at eight women from food, fashion, TV, film, beauty and media that have a notable name we won't soon forget.
Kathryn Bigelow
Kathryn Bigelow is the first woman to win an Oscar for the Best Director category, an award she won for The Hurt Locker. She remains the sole female to win the award in the 86-year history of the Academy Awards, and she was 58 when she claimed the coveted prize. Among her many big wins to remember was also The Hurt Locker‘s BAFTA Award for Best Direction, where she beat out James Cameron’s film, Avatar (he also happened to be her husband at the time). Not only has she been pivotal in shining the spotlight on female directors, but Bigelow has been a crusader for women’s rights and gender equality in Hollywood. She’s also not afraid to stir controversy with her films, as was seen with her 2012 movie, Zero Dark Thirty. “I have always firmly believed that every director should be judged solely by their work, and not by their work based on their gender,” she told TIME. “Hollywood is supposedly a community of forward thinking and progressive people yet this horrific situation for women directors persists…gender discrimination stigmatizes our entire industry. Change is essential. Gender neutral hiring is essential.”
