50 Women Empowerment Quotes from the Most Inspirational Women in History

Author image: about face matte fluid eye paint review chelsea candelario

Published Mar 11, 2021

Let’s face it—we’re incredibly lucky to be surrounded by empowering women on a daily basis. Whether that’s grandma, your work wife or your BFF, we can always count on these women (and FYI, they should be celebrated every single day). If they’re in need of motivation, a spark of creativity or simply a morning dose of wise words from Princess Diana, how about sharing a quote (or two!) from the most badass women in history? From Malala Yousafzai to Meghan Markle, here are 50 women empowerment quotes to share with the important gals in your life.

women empowerment quotes malala yousafzai

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

1. “i Raise My Voice—not So That I Can Shout, But So That Those Without A Voice Can Be Heard...we Cannot All Succeed When Half Of Us Are Held Back.” — Malala Yousafzai

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

2. “i Know My Worth. I Embrace My Power. I Say If I’m Beautiful. I Say If I’m Strong. You Will Not Determine My Story. I Will.” — Amy Schumer From Her Book The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo

women empowerment quotes shirley chisholm

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

3. “if They Don’t Give You A Seat At The Table, Bring A Folding Chair.” — Shirley Chisholm

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

4. “women Don’t Need To Find A Voice, They Have A Voice, And They Need To Feel Empowered To Use It, And People Need To Be Encouraged To Listen.” — Meghan Markle

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

5. “when Black Women Win Victories, It Is A Boost For Virtually Every Segment Of Society.” — Angela Davis

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

6. “[unlikeable Women] Accept The Consequences Of Their Choices And Those Consequences Become Stories Worth Reading.” — Roxane Gay

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

7. “each Person Is Born With Very Individual Qualities And Potential. We As A Society Owe It To Women To Create A Truly Supportive Environment In Which They Too Can Grow And Move Forward.” — Princess Diana

women empowerment quotes alexandria ocasio cortez

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

8. “justice Is About Making Sure That Being Polite Is Not The Same Thing As Being Quiet. In Fact, Often Times, The Most Righteous Thing You Can Do Is Shake The Table.” — Alexandria Ocasio-cortez

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

9. “you Deserve To Be Here. You Deserve To Exist. You Deserve To Take Up Space In This World Of Men.” — Mckenzie Lee

women empowerment quotes serena williams

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

10. “every Woman’s Success Should Be An Inspiration To Another. We’re Strongest When We Cheer Each Other On.” — Serena Williams

women empowerment quotes arianna huffington

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

11. “fearlessness Is Like A Muscle. I Know From My Own Life That The More I Exercise It, The More Natural It Becomes To Not Let My Fear Run Me.” — Arianna Huffington

women empowerment quotes madeline albright

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

12. “it Took Me Quite A Long Time To Develop A Voice And Now That I Have It, I Am Not Going To Be Silent.” — Madeline Albright

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

13. “the Most Effective Way To Do It, Is To Do It.” — Amelia Earhart

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

14. “hey Girl, Hey Girl, We Can Make It Easy If We Lift Each Other. Hey Girl, Hey Girl, We Don't Need To Keep On One-in' Up Another.” — “hey Girl” By Lady Gaga Ft. Florence Welsh

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

15. “and One Day She Discovered That She Was Fierce, And Strong, And Full Of Fire, And That Not Even She Could Hold Herself Back Because Her Passion Burned Brighter Than Her Fears.” — Mark Anthony, the Beautiful Truth

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

16. “you Can Waste Your Lives Drawing Lines. Or You Can Live Your Life Crossing Them.” — Shonda Rhimes

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

17. “i Am Thankful For My Struggle Because Without It, I Wouldn’t Have Stumbled Across My Strength.” — Alex Elle

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

18. “this Is Your Moment. Own It.” — Oprah Winfrey

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

19. “who Run The World? (girls). Who Run The World? (girls). Who Run The World? (girls). Who Run The World? (girls).” — “run The World (girls)” By Beyoncé

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

20. “no One Ever Became A Success Without Taking Chances...one Must Be Able To Recognize The Moment And Seize It Without Delay.” — Estée Lauder

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

21. “women Are Always Saying, ‘we Can Do Anything That Men Can Do,’ But Men Should Be Saying, ‘we Can Do Anything That Women Can Do.’ — Gloria Steinem

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

22. “women Are The Real Architects Of Society.” — Cher

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

23. “ladies All Across The World. Listen Up, We're Looking For Recruits. If You With Me, Lemme See Your Hands. Stand Up And Salute. Get Your Killer Heels, Sneakers, Pumps Or Lace Up Your Boots. Representing All The Women, Salute, Salute.” — “salute” By Little Mix

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

24. “the Best Way To Live Is To Give, To Worry Less, And When We Do What We Love, We Can Do More Than We Ever Imagined.” — Gayle King From Her Book note To Self

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

25. “She's Just A Girl And She's On Fire. Hotter Than A Fantasy, Lonely Like A Highway. She's Living In A World And It's On Fire. Filled With Catastrophe, But She Knows She Can Fly Away.” — “girl On Fire” By Alicia Keys

women empowerment quotes reese witherspoon

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

26. “If you’re one of those people who has that little voice in the back of her mind saying, ‘Maybe I could do [fill in the blank],’ don’t tell it to be quiet. Give it a little room to grow, and try to find an environment to grow in.” — Reese Witherspoon

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

27. “i Am Woman, Phenomenally. Phenomenal Woman, That’s Me.” — Maya Angelou

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

28. “there Is No Limit To What We, As Women, Can Accomplish.” — Michelle Obama

29. “always Be A First-rate Version Of Yourself Instead Of A Second-rate Version Of Someone Else.” — Judy Garland

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

30. “not All Who Wander Are Aimless, Especially Those Who Seek Truth Beyond Tradition, Beyond Definition, Beyond The Image.” — Betty Warren In mona Lisa Smile

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

31. “i Found That Ultimately If You Truly Pour Your Heart Into What You Believe In—even If It Makes You Vulnerable—amazing Things Can And Will Happen.” — Emma Watson

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

32. “i Am Woman, Hear Me Roar.” — “i Am Woman” By Helen Reddy

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

33. “we Need To Reshape The Perception Of How We View Ourselves. We Have To Step Up As Women And Take The Lead.” — Beyoncé

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

34. “a Woman With A Voice Is, By Definition, A Strong Woman.” — Melinda Gates

women empowerment quotes ella fitzgerald

35. “just Don’t Give Up Trying To Do What You Really Want To Do. Where There Is Love And Inspiration, I Don’t Think You Can Go Wrong.” — Ella Fitzgerald

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

36. “i Just Love Bossy Women. I Could Be Around Them All Day. To Me, Bossy Is Not A Pejorative Term At All. It Means Somebody’s Passionate And Engaged And Ambitious And Doesn’t Mind Leading.” — Amy Poehler

37. “a Girl Can Do What She Wants To Do And That's What I'm Gonna Do.” — “bad Reputation” By Joan Jett And The Blackhearts

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

38. “stand For Something Or You Will Fall For Anything. Today’s Mighty Oak Is Yesterday’s Nut That Held Its Ground.” — Rosa Parks

women empowerment quotes claireece precious jones

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

39. “i’m Gonna Break Through Or Somebody Gonna Break Through To Me.” — Claireece “precious” Jones In precious

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

40. “when You Have A Dream, You’ve Got To Grab It And Never Let Go.” — Carol Burnett

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

41. “i Would Like To Be Remembered As Someone Who Was Not Afraid To Do What She Wanted To Do, And As Someone Who Took Risks Along The Way In Order To Achieve Her Goals.” — Sally Ride

women empowerment quotes christina aguilera

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

42. “i Am Beautiful No Matter What They Say. Words Can't Bring Me Down. I Am Beautiful In Every Single Way. Yes, Words Can't Bring Me Down, Oh No. So Don't You Bring Me Down Today.” — “beautiful” By Christina Aguilera

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

43. “you Must Always Have Faith In People. And Most Importantly, You Must Always Have Faith In Yourself.” — Elle Woods In legally Blonde

women empowerment quotes ruth bader ginsberg

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

44. “my Mother Told Me To Be A Lady. And For Her, That Meant Be Your Own Person, Be Independent. “ — Ruth Bader Ginsberg

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

45. “Girl, won't you stop your cryin’? I know that you're tryin’. Everything’s gonna be okay. Baby girl, don't you hang your head low. Don't you lose your halo. Everyone's gonna be okay.” — “GIRL” by Maren Morris

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

46. “doubt Is A Killer. You Just Have To Know Who You Are And What You Stand For.” — Jennifer Lopez

women empowerment quotes mary anne radmacher

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

47. “courage Doesn’t Always Roar. Sometimes Courage Is The Little Voice At The End Of The Day That Says I’ll Try Again Tomorrow.” — Mary Anne Radmacher

women empowerment quotes diana von furstenberg

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

48. “you Are The One That Possesses The Key To Your Being. You Carry The Passport To Your Own Happiness.” — Diana Von Furstenberg

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

49. “i’d Rather Regret The Things I’ve Done Than Regret The Things I Haven’t Done.” — Lucille Ball

Chelsea Candelario/PureWow

50. “what You Do Makes A Difference, And You Have To Decide What Kind Of Difference You Want To Make.” — Jane Goodall

Chelsea Candelario

Associate Editor, Ultimate Fangirl, Aspiring Beauty Guru

Chelsea Candelario is an Associate Editor at PureWow. She has been covering beauty, culture, fashion and entertainment for over a decade. You'll find her searching the internet...

read full bio

50 Women Empowerment Quotes from the Most Inspirational Women in History

1. “i Raise My Voice—not So That I Can Shout, But So That Those Without A Voice Can Be Heard...we Cannot All Succeed When Half Of Us Are Held Back.” — Malala Yousafzai

2. “i Know My Worth. I Embrace My Power. I Say If I’m Beautiful. I Say If I’m Strong. You Will Not Determine My Story. I Will.” — Amy Schumer From Her Book The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo

3. “if They Don’t Give You A Seat At The Table, Bring A Folding Chair.” — Shirley Chisholm

4. “women Don’t Need To Find A Voice, They Have A Voice, And They Need To Feel Empowered To Use It, And People Need To Be Encouraged To Listen.” — Meghan Markle

5. “when Black Women Win Victories, It Is A Boost For Virtually Every Segment Of Society.” — Angela Davis

6. “[unlikeable Women] Accept The Consequences Of Their Choices And Those Consequences Become Stories Worth Reading.” — Roxane Gay

7. “each Person Is Born With Very Individual Qualities And Potential. We As A Society Owe It To Women To Create A Truly Supportive Environment In Which They Too Can Grow And Move Forward.” — Princess Diana

8. “justice Is About Making Sure That Being Polite Is Not The Same Thing As Being Quiet. In Fact, Often Times, The Most Righteous Thing You Can Do Is Shake The Table.” — Alexandria Ocasio-cortez

9. “you Deserve To Be Here. You Deserve To Exist. You Deserve To Take Up Space In This World Of Men.” — Mckenzie Lee

10. “every Woman’s Success Should Be An Inspiration To Another. We’re Strongest When We Cheer Each Other On.” — Serena Williams

11. “fearlessness Is Like A Muscle. I Know From My Own Life That The More I Exercise It, The More Natural It Becomes To Not Let My Fear Run Me.” — Arianna Huffington

12. “it Took Me Quite A Long Time To Develop A Voice And Now That I Have It, I Am Not Going To Be Silent.” — Madeline Albright

13. “the Most Effective Way To Do It, Is To Do It.” — Amelia Earhart

14. “hey Girl, Hey Girl, We Can Make It Easy If We Lift Each Other. Hey Girl, Hey Girl, We Don't Need To Keep On One-in' Up Another.” — “hey Girl” By Lady Gaga Ft. Florence Welsh

15. “and One Day She Discovered That She Was Fierce, And Strong, And Full Of Fire, And That Not Even She Could Hold Herself Back Because Her Passion Burned Brighter Than Her Fears.” — Mark Anthony, the Beautiful Truth

16. “you Can Waste Your Lives Drawing Lines. Or You Can Live Your Life Crossing Them.” — Shonda Rhimes

17. “i Am Thankful For My Struggle Because Without It, I Wouldn’t Have Stumbled Across My Strength.” — Alex Elle

18. “this Is Your Moment. Own It.” — Oprah Winfrey

19. “who Run The World? (girls). Who Run The World? (girls). Who Run The World? (girls). Who Run The World? (girls).” — “run The World (girls)” By Beyoncé

20. “no One Ever Became A Success Without Taking Chances...one Must Be Able To Recognize The Moment And Seize It Without Delay.” — Estée Lauder

21. “women Are Always Saying, ‘we Can Do Anything That Men Can Do,’ But Men Should Be Saying, ‘we Can Do Anything That Women Can Do.’ — Gloria Steinem

22. “women Are The Real Architects Of Society.” — Cher

23. “ladies All Across The World. Listen Up, We're Looking For Recruits. If You With Me, Lemme See Your Hands. Stand Up And Salute. Get Your Killer Heels, Sneakers, Pumps Or Lace Up Your Boots. Representing All The Women, Salute, Salute.” — “salute” By Little Mix

24. “the Best Way To Live Is To Give, To Worry Less, And When We Do What We Love, We Can Do More Than We Ever Imagined.” — Gayle King From Her Book note To Self

25. “She's Just A Girl And She's On Fire. Hotter Than A Fantasy, Lonely Like A Highway. She's Living In A World And It's On Fire. Filled With Catastrophe, But She Knows She Can Fly Away.” — “girl On Fire” By Alicia Keys

26. “If you’re one of those people who has that little voice in the back of her mind saying, ‘Maybe I could do [fill in the blank],’ don’t tell it to be quiet. Give it a little room to grow, and try to find an environment to grow in.” — Reese Witherspoon

27. “i Am Woman, Phenomenally. Phenomenal Woman, That’s Me.” — Maya Angelou

28. “there Is No Limit To What We, As Women, Can Accomplish.” — Michelle Obama

29. “always Be A First-rate Version Of Yourself Instead Of A Second-rate Version Of Someone Else.” — Judy Garland

30. “not All Who Wander Are Aimless, Especially Those Who Seek Truth Beyond Tradition, Beyond Definition, Beyond The Image.” — Betty Warren In mona Lisa Smile

31. “i Found That Ultimately If You Truly Pour Your Heart Into What You Believe In—even If It Makes You Vulnerable—amazing Things Can And Will Happen.” — Emma Watson

32. “i Am Woman, Hear Me Roar.” — “i Am Woman” By Helen Reddy

33. “we Need To Reshape The Perception Of How We View Ourselves. We Have To Step Up As Women And Take The Lead.” — Beyoncé

34. “a Woman With A Voice Is, By Definition, A Strong Woman.” — Melinda Gates

35. “just Don’t Give Up Trying To Do What You Really Want To Do. Where There Is Love And Inspiration, I Don’t Think You Can Go Wrong.” — Ella Fitzgerald

36. “i Just Love Bossy Women. I Could Be Around Them All Day. To Me, Bossy Is Not A Pejorative Term At All. It Means Somebody’s Passionate And Engaged And Ambitious And Doesn’t Mind Leading.” — Amy Poehler

37. “a Girl Can Do What She Wants To Do And That's What I'm Gonna Do.” — “bad Reputation” By Joan Jett And The Blackhearts

38. “stand For Something Or You Will Fall For Anything. Today’s Mighty Oak Is Yesterday’s Nut That Held Its Ground.” — Rosa Parks

39. “i’m Gonna Break Through Or Somebody Gonna Break Through To Me.” — Claireece “precious” Jones In precious

40. “when You Have A Dream, You’ve Got To Grab It And Never Let Go.” — Carol Burnett

41. “i Would Like To Be Remembered As Someone Who Was Not Afraid To Do What She Wanted To Do, And As Someone Who Took Risks Along The Way In Order To Achieve Her Goals.” — Sally Ride

42. “i Am Beautiful No Matter What They Say. Words Can't Bring Me Down. I Am Beautiful In Every Single Way. Yes, Words Can't Bring Me Down, Oh No. So Don't You Bring Me Down Today.” — “beautiful” By Christina Aguilera

43. “you Must Always Have Faith In People. And Most Importantly, You Must Always Have Faith In Yourself.” — Elle Woods In legally Blonde

44. “my Mother Told Me To Be A Lady. And For Her, That Meant Be Your Own Person, Be Independent. “ — Ruth Bader Ginsberg

45. “Girl, won't you stop your cryin’? I know that you're tryin’. Everything’s gonna be okay. Baby girl, don't you hang your head low. Don't you lose your halo. Everyone's gonna be okay.” — “GIRL” by Maren Morris

46. “doubt Is A Killer. You Just Have To Know Who You Are And What You Stand For.” — Jennifer Lopez

47. “courage Doesn’t Always Roar. Sometimes Courage Is The Little Voice At The End Of The Day That Says I’ll Try Again Tomorrow.” — Mary Anne Radmacher

48. “you Are The One That Possesses The Key To Your Being. You Carry The Passport To Your Own Happiness.” — Diana Von Furstenberg

49. “i’d Rather Regret The Things I’ve Done Than Regret The Things I Haven’t Done.” — Lucille Ball

50. “what You Do Makes A Difference, And You Have To Decide What Kind Of Difference You Want To Make.” — Jane Goodall

Associate Editor, Ultimate Fangirl, Aspiring Beauty Guru

More Stories You'll Love