List Rules Vote up the women who had the biggest impact in 2018.
The greatest women in history change the game in terms of the power and the presence women have in society. From inspirational female celebrities to business women to political activists, women have made a truly amazing impact in 2018! While much of the news about women in the world has been bleak, it has been a great year for women in terms of illuminating and addressing systemic problems in the United States and the world.
The Me Too movement has made many aware of the epidemic of sexual violence in Hollywood and elsewhere and has been spearheaded by the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Ashley Judd, and Salma Hayek. In the wake of Hillary Clinton's 2016 loss, female politicians like Elizabeth Warren have become an increasingly vocal presence in the political sector. Powerful world leaders like Angela Merkel and Meghan Markle continue to make headlines and female writers like Roxane Gay put difficult topics into perspective for the public.
Who are the most inspiring women of 2018? Vote up the most influential women below and feel free to add anyone you think is missing!
list ordered by
1
439 206
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter. Raised in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, Swift moved to Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 14 to pursue a career in country music. She signed ...more
2
526 485
Michelle Obama Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is an American lawyer, university administrator, and writer who served as the First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She is married to the 44th U.S. ...more
3
395 364
jsnungaray added Sandra Bullock Sandra Annette Bullock is an American actress and film producer. She is one of Hollywood's highest-paid actresses, and is the recipient of one Academy Award from two nominations, and one Golden ...more
4
400 383
Emma Watson Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson is an English actress, model, and activist. Watson rose to prominence as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series, appearing in all eight Harry Potter films ...more
5
373 362
jsnungaray added Charlize Theron Charlize Theron (born 7 August 1975) is a South African-American actress and film producer. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and the ...more
6
352 374
J. K. Rowling Joanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE FRSL, pen names J. K. Rowling and Robert Galbraith, is a British novelist best known as the author of the Harry Potter fantasy series. The books have gained ...more
7
377 417
Ellen DeGeneres Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American comedian, television host, actress, writer, and producer. She was the star in the popular sitcom Ellen from 1994 to 1998, and has hosted her syndicated talk ...more
8
386 431
Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer, and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her multi-award-winning talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show, ...more
9
427 485
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (born Rachel Meghan Markle; August 4, 1981), is an American-born member of the British royal family, and a former film and television actress. Markle was born and ...more
10
360 402
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II is the Queen of 16 of the 53 member states in the Commonwealth of Nations. She is Head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Upon her accession on 6 ...more
11
316 355
The Superhero Nerd added Gal Gadot Gal Gadot is an Israeli actress and fashion model. She won the Miss Israel title in 2004 and went on to represent Israel at the 2004 Miss Universe beauty pageant. She is the leading fashion ...more
12
252 309
Meryl Streep Meryl Streep is an American actress. A three-time Academy Award winner, she is widely regarded as one of the greatest film actors of all time. Streep made her professional stage debut in The ...more
13
214 257
Beyoncé Knowles Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child, and ...more
14
258 336
Reese Witherspoon Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon is an American actress and producer. She made her film debut as the female lead in the film The Man in the Moon in 1991. In 1996, she appeared in Freeway and ...more
15
184 228
Katherine Gallardo added Selena Gomez Selena Marie Gomez is an American actress and singer. Born and raised in Grand Prairie, Texas, she was first featured on the children's series Barney & Friends in the early 2000s. In 2007, ...more
16
259 348
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Ruth Joan Bader Ginsburg is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Ginsburg was appointed by President Bill Clinton and took the oath of office on August 10, 1993. She ...more
17
64 53
Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera, known professionally as Ariana Grande, is an American singer and actress. She began her career in the Broadway musical 13, before landing the role of Cat Valentine on the ...more
18
228 316
Angela Merkel Angela Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany and the head of the political party CDU in Germany. In addition to being the first female German Chanchellor, she is also considered by Forbes ...more
19
359 537
Melania Trump Melania Knauss-Trump is a Slovenian former model and the wife of American real estate magnate Donald Trump. They married on January 22, 2005.
20
170 251
Melinda Gates Melinda French Gates, is an American businessperson and philanthropist. She is the wife of Bill Gates, and the co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She worked at Microsoft, ...more
21
175 268
Emma González Emma González is an American activist and advocate for gun control. As a high school senior she survived the February 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, and ...more
22
159 247
Tina Fey Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer. She is best known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, the ...more
23
266 453
Ivanka Trump Ivanka Marie Trump is an American businesswoman, writer, and former model. In her role as Executive Vice President of Development & Acquisitions at The Trump Organization, Trump is involved ...more
24
138 221
Jennifer Lawrence Jennifer Shrader Lawrence is an American actress. Her first major role was as a lead cast member on the TBS sitcom The Bill Engvall Show. She appeared in the independent dramas The Burning Plain ...more
25
530 951
jsnungaray added Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. She achieved popularity by pushing the boundaries of lyrical content in mainstream popular music and imagery ...more
26
165 308
jkzion21 added Sarah Huckabee Sanders Sarah Elizabeth Huckabee Sanders (born August 13, 1982) is an American campaign manager and political advisor who was appointed White House Press Secretary to President Donald Trump in July ...more
27
131 251
Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann Warren is an American academic and politician who is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. She was previously a Harvard Law ...more
28
60 113
RobertDowney added Theresa May Theresa Mary May PC is a British Conservative politician, and the current UK Home Secretary. May was first elected to Parliament in 1997 as Member of Parliament for Maidenhead. She went on to be ...more
29
132 265
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is an American attorney, politician and member of the Democratic Party. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was First Lady of ...more
30
98 201
Salma Hayek Salma Hayek Pinault is a Mexican and American film actress, director, and producer. She began her career in Mexico starring in the telenovela Teresa and went on to star in the film El ...more
31
17 33
Kate McKinnon Kate McKinnon Berthold, commonly known as Kate McKinnon, is an American actress, voice actress, and comedian. She is best known for her sketch comedy work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live ...more
32
109 240
jkzion21 added Kellyanne Conway Kellyanne Elizabeth Conway is a Republican strategist and pollster. She is president and CEO of the polling company, inc./WomanTrend.
33
92 203
Tarana Burke Tarana Burke is an African-American civil rights activist from The Bronx, New York who founded the Me Too movement. In 2006, Burke began using the phrase "Me Too" to raise awareness of ...more
34
69 158
Kamala Harris Kamala Devi Harris is an American attorney, politician and member of the Democratic Party who has been the 32nd and current Attorney General of California since 2011. Harris graduated from ...more
35
45 106
RobertDowney added Arundhati Bhattacharya Arundhati Bhattacharya is an Indian banker. She is the first woman to be the Chairperson of State Bank of India. In 2014, she was listed as the 36th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.
36
112 258
Tomi Lahren Tomi Lahren (born August 11, 1992) is an American conservative political commentator and former television host. She garnered international attention as the host of Tomi on TheBlaze, ...more
37
73 170
Tiffany Haddish Tiffany Haddish credits her social worker for her success as a comedian/actress. Growing up in foster care in South Central Los Angeles, it was her excessive talking and imaginary friends that ...more
38
24 65
RobertDowney added Aung San Suu Kyi Aung San Suu Kyi AC is a Burmese opposition politician and chairperson of the National League for Democracy in Burma. In the 1990 general election, the NLD won 59% of the national votes and 81% ...more
39
22 64
RobertDowney added Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (born 29 October 1938) is the 24th and current President of Liberia. She served as Minister of Finance under President William Tolbert from 1979 until the 1980 coup ...more
40
16 51
RobertDowney added Tarja Halonen Tarja Kaarina Halonen is a Finnish politician who was the 11th President of Finland, serving from 2000 to 2012. She was the first female head of state in Finland and while she was in office, in ...more
41
28 80
RobertDowney added Sonia Gandhi Sonia Gandhi is an Italian-born Indian politician, who has served as President of the Indian National Congress party since 1998. She is the widow of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi ...more
42
17 54
RobertDowney added Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović is a Croatian politician serving as President of Croatia since February 2015. From 2011 to 2014 she served as Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy at NATO ...more
43
93 234
jkzion21 added Sarah Palin Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator, and author who served as the ninth Governor of Alaska, from 2006 to her resignation in 2009. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice ...more
44
107 268
Cardi B Belcalis Almanzar (born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and media personality. Born and raised in The Bronx, New York, she first ...more
45
16 52
brianmacdonald added Kim Kardashian Kimberly "Kim" Kardashian West is an American television and social media personality, socialite, and model. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Kardashian first gained media ...more
46
73 188
Betsy DeVos Elisabeth Dee DeVos (born January 8, 1958) is an American businesswoman, philanthropist, politician, and the United States Secretary of Education. DeVos is a Republican known for her support for ...more
47
61 160
Ashley Judd Ashley Judd is an American actress and political activist. She grew up in a family of successful performing artists as the daughter of country music singer Naomi Judd and the sister of Wynonna ...more
48
74 193
Meghan McCain Meghan Marguerite McCain is an American columnist, author and blogger. She is a daughter of U.S. Senator John McCain and Cindy Hensley McCain. McCain first received media attention in 2007 for ...more
49
56 152
Frances McDormand Frances Louise McDormand is an American actress. She married director and writer Joel Coen in 1984 and has starred in several of the Coen brothers' films, including Blood Simple, Raising ...more
50
129 330
RobertDowney added Katrín Jakobsdóttir Katrín Jakobsdóttir is an Icelandic politician and a member of the Althing for the Reykjavík North constituency since 2007. She is the leader of the Left-Green Movement and ...more
not on the list? add item #102
List Rules: Vote up the women who had the biggest impact in 2018.
