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 amazing ladies (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 75 women empowerment quotes to share with the important gals in your life.
75 Women Empowerment Quotes from the Most Inspirational Ladies in History
Who run the world?
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Published Feb 28, 2024
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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
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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, The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo
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3. “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” — Shirley Chisholm
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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
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5. “When Black women win victories, it is a boost for virtually every segment of society.” — Angela Davis
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6. “[Unlikeable women] accept the consequences of their choices and those consequences become stories worth reading.” — Roxane Gay
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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
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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
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9. “You deserve to be here. You deserve to exist. You deserve to take up space in this world of men.” — Mckenzie Lee
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10. “Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.” — Serena Williams
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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 fears run me.” — Arianna Huffington
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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
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13. “The most effective way to do it, is to do it.” — Amelia Earhart
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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 Welch
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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
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16. “You can waste your lives drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them.” — Shonda Rhimes
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17. “I am thankful for my struggle because without it, I wouldn’t have stumbled across my strength.” — Alex Elle
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18. “This is your moment. Own it.” — Oprah Winfrey
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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
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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
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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
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22. “Women are the real architects of society.” — Cher
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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
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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, Note To Self
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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
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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
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27. “I am woman, phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me.” — Maya Angelou
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28. “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.” — Michelle Obama
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29. “Always be a first-rate version of yourself instead of a second-rate version of someone else.” — Judy Garland
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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
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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
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32. “I am woman, hear me roar.” — “I Am Woman” By Helen Reddy
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33. “We need to reshape the perception of how we view ourselves. We have to step up as women and take the lead.” — Beyoncé
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34. “A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman.” — Melinda Gates
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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
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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
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38. “Stand for something or you will fall for anything. Today's mighty oak is yesterday's nut that held its ground.” — Rosa Parks
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39. “I’m gonna break through or somebody gonna break through to me.” — Claireece “Precious” Jones in Precious
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40. “When you have a dream, you’ve got to grab it and never let go.” — Carol Burnett
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41. “I'd 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
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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
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43. “You must always have faith in people. And most importantly, you must always have faith in yourself.” — Elle Woods in Legally Blonde
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44. “My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent. “ — Ruth Bader Ginsberg
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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
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46. “Doubt is a killer. You just have to know who you are and what you stand for.” — Jennifer Lopez
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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
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48. “You are the one that possesses the key to your being. You carry the passport to your own happiness.” — Diane Von Furstenberg
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49. “I'd rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.” — Lucille Ball
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50. “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” — Jane Goodall
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51. “It's important to teach our female youth that it's OK to say, 'Yes, I am good at this,' and you don't hold back.” — Simone Biles
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52. “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” — Maya Angelou
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53. “Behind every great woman... is another great woman.” — Kate Hodges
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54. “I want to build a community where women of all races can communicate and ... continue to support and take care of each other. I want to give women a space to feel their own strength and tell their stories. That is power.” — Beyoncé
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55. “There's something so special about a woman who dominates in a man's world. It takes a certain grace, strength, intelligence, fearlessness and the nerve to never take no for an answer.” — Rihanna
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56. “Destiny said it, you got to get up and get it. Get mad independent and don't you ever forget it. Got some dirt on your shoulder, then let me brush it off for ya. If you're feeling me, put your five high. That's my girl.” — “That’s My Girl” by Fifth Harmony
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57. “I'm not going to limit myself just because people won't accept the fact that I can do something else.” — Dolly Parton
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58. “We know that when a woman speaks truth to power, there will be attempts to put her down... I'm not going to go anywhere.” — Maxine Waters
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59. “I'm every woman, it's all in me. Anything you want done baby, I do it naturally. I'm every woman, it's all in me. I can read your thoughts right now, every one from A to Z.” — “I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khan
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60. “When I’m tired, I rest. I say, ‘I can’t be a superwoman today.’” — Jada Pinkett Smith
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61. “Many receive advice, only the wise profit from it.” — Harper Lee
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62. “I have learned that as long as I hold fast to my beliefs and values—and follow my own moral compass—then the only expectations I need to live up to are my own.” — Michelle Obama
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63. “One of the secrets to staying young is to always do things you don’t know how to do, to keep learning.” — Ruth Reichel
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64. “I can’t think of any better representation of beauty than someone who is unafraid to be herself.” — Emma Stone
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65. “A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That’s why they don’t get what they want.” — Madonna
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66. “When the working day is done, oh girls, they wanna have fun.” — “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper
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67. “There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.” — Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
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68. “We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.” — Maya Angelou
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69. “Instead of looking at the past, I put myself ahead twenty years and try to look at what I need to do now in order to get there then.” — Diana Ross
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70. “I have chosen to no longer be apologetic for my femaleness and my femininity. And I want to be respected in all of my femaleness because I deserve to be,” — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, We Should All Be Feminists
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71. “Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” — Marie Curie
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72. “We all have purpose even if we're still striving to understand what that is.” — Angela Bassett
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73. “A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.” — Coco Chanel
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74. “Whatever the problem, be part of the solution. Don’t just sit around raising questions and pointing out obstacles.” — Tina Fey
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75. “All the women, who independent, throw your hands up at me. All the honeys, who making money, throw your hands up at me. All the mommas, who profit dollars, throw your hands up at me. All the ladies, who truly feel me, throw your hands up at me.” — “Independent Women, Part 1” by Destiny’s Child
