International Women’s Day: Women in tech name their heroes

Happy Monday! And if you haven’t yet checked the significance of this day—March 8—before grabbing coffee, today is International Women’s Day (IWD).

Since March 19, 1911, the year the very first IWD was observed in several European countries, millions of people have been calling for women to be given more rights, which includes the right to work, vote, and hold public office. A few years later it was moved to March 8 and it has been celebrated on that day ever since.

The United Nations first celebrated IWD in 1975, and two years later proclaimed a United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace to be observed by member states.

Today, people around the world are celebrating the cultural, economic, political, and social achievements of women. And strong female influences help create equally strong women. Here at Malwarebytes, we didn’t have to look very far for examples. With piqued curiosity, we asked a selection of women who their heroes are. Here are their answers.

RBG

My hero is Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Her entire journey is so inspiring, she led the way for so many women as a role model. She spoke up when it wasn’t entirely ok for woman to speak up, she created a path for woman to become professionals in the corporate world, and became the second female on the Supreme Court.

Ruth fought for what was right, gender equality, women’s rights and was a big proponent of making sure that every woman has their voice heard. She pushed through many challenges, overcame so many obstacles and was the voice that was needed to help push gender equality forward. It isn’t often that someone is so brave and stands up for what is right in the face of so much adversity.

— Jamie Hudson, Vice President, Global Support & Services

Amanda Palmer

I’d like to talk about my female hero, the artist Amanda Palmer. Whereas I would’ve liked her in my 20s for her daring style and cool music, I admire her now for using her platform to further empower women, to really understand and celebrate their worth. Her book and Ted Talk “The Art of Asking” taught me about the importance of community and kindness, and how we should overcome this fear of asking each other for help, as we are stronger together.

I had the pleasure of meeting her last year, and was blown away by her kindness and love. The meeting left me with a sense of empowerment and determination to keep paying it forward, to keep lifting other women (and with that, myself) up.

— Tjitske dV, Community Relations Manager

Charlotte Klein (and others)

A few of my famous heroes are Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Joan Didion. They’ve each blazed pioneering trails in comedy, writing, and journalism, advancing the embrace of female leadership in these previously male-dominated industries. They’ve created iconic characters and captivating stories that have made a tremendous impact on society. Their wit, bravery, and pure talent are an inspiration.

And a real-life hero is the dearly-departed, legendary Charlotte Klein. She was the director of the nationally renowned Charlotte Klein Dance Centers where I studied for 10 years. She was tough as nails (hers were always perfectly manicured), expecting excellence from her students, but offering unrelenting support in return. She gave me the backbone, skills, self-confidence, and heart I needed to succeed in my goals—and they were (are) lofty ones!

— Wendy Zamora, former editor-in-chief, Malwarebytes Labs; current tech/security writer

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