101 Women’s History Month Quotes for Generations
March is a time to celebrate the strength, resilience, and achievements of women throughout history. Women’s History Month 2025 carries a powerful theme: “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations.”
It’s a reminder that every woman—past, present, and future—plays a role in shaping the world through knowledge, courage, and leadership.
In this collection of Women’s History Month Quotes, you’ll find the words of trailblazers, visionaries, and changemakers—women who have used their voices to uplift, educate, and inspire.
Their wisdom transcends generations, reminding us that progress is built on unity, empowerment, and the unwavering belief that we can create a better future together.
Let these quotes fuel your passion, strengthen your resolve, and remind you of the extraordinary power within every woman. 💜
Women’s History Month Quotes to Empower and Inspire You
I’ve curated this collection of quotes by women for women specifically for Women’s History Month 2025.
During the month of March, use them to share on your social media platforms, text to your female family and friends, write on sticky notes for daily inspiration, and journal about them.
Save this page and come back to it often for inspiration! 💜
Breaking Barriers & Building the Future: Inspiring Quotes from Women in STEM
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” – Marie Curie, the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize, scientist who made significant contributions to cancer research
“This new sport is comparable to no other. It is, in my opinion, one of the most intoxicating forms of sport, and will, I am sure, become one of the most popular. Many of us will perish before then, but that prospect will not dismay the braver spirits. … It is so delicious to fly like a bird!” — Marie Marvingt, first woman to fly a fighter plane in combat
“Girls are capable of doing everything men are capable of doing. Sometimes they have more imagination than men.” — Katherine Johnson, one of the first Black women to work as a NASA mathematician
“All adventures — especially into new territory — are scary.” — Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space
“The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity.” — Amelia Earhart, the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean
“Only when our clever brain and our human heart work together in harmony can we achieve our true potential.” — Dr. Jane Goodall, world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.” — Marie Curie, physicist and chemist who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize
Voices of Change: Powerful Quotes from Women in Activism
“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” – Audre Lorde, writer, radical feminist, professor, and civil rights activist
“Women’s rights is not only an abstraction, a cause; it is also a personal affair. It is not only about us; it is also about me and you. Just the two of us.” — Toni Morrison, advocate for equality, author
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” – Helen Keller, author and disability rights activist
“I raise up my voice — not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard … We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.” — Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Peace Prize recipient
“We need women who are so strong they can be gentle, so educated they can be humble, so fierce they can be compassionate, so passionate they can be rational, and so disciplined they can be free.” – Kavita Ramdas, globally recognized advocate for gender equity and justice
“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.” – Helen Keller, author and disability rights activist
“Women are the real architects of society.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe, author and abolitionist
“Who knows what women can be when they are finally free to be themselves.” – Betty Friedan, feminist writer and activist
“Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.” — Coretta Scott King, civil rights leader and wife of Martin Luther King Jr.
“I had reasoned this out in my mind. There were two things I had a right to, liberty and death. If I could not have one, I would have the other, for no man should take me alive.” — Harriet Tubman, American abolitionist and freedom fighter, leader in the Underground Railroad
“We’re all water from different rivers, that’s why it’s so easy to meet; we’re all water in this vast, vast ocean, someday we’ll evaporate together.” — Yoko Ono, musician and peace activist
“The history of the past is but one long struggle upward to equality.” — Elizabeth Cady Stanton, American suffragist and women’s rights activist
“Woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself.” — Susan B. Anthony, American women’s rights activist known for her role in the women’s suffrage movement
“Knowing what must be done does away with fear.” — Rosa Parks, American civil rights activist best known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery bus boycott
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” — Helen Keller, author and disability rights activist
Shaping Nations, Changing History: Wise Words from Women in Politics
“If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.” – Margaret Thatcher, first female prime minister of the United Kingdom
“You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.” — Indira Gandhi, the first female Prime Minister of India
“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg, former U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice
“Until we get equality in education, we won’t have an equal society.” – Sonia Sotomayor, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice
“I was taught to strive not because there were any guarantees of success but because the act of striving is in itself the only way to keep faith with life.” — Madeleine Albright, first woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State
“Tremendous amounts of talent are lost to our society because that talent wears a skirt.” — Shirley Chisholm, first Black woman to serve in Congress
“Never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance in the world to pursue your dreams.” — Hillary Clinton, former U.S. Secretary of State, senator, presidential candidate and first lady
“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” – Shirley Chisholm, first Black woman to serve in Congress
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” — Eleanor Roosevelt, U.S. delegate to the United Nations General Assembly and former U.S. first lady
“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.” —Ruth Bader Ginsburg, U.S. Supreme Court justice
“Dream with ambition, lead with conviction … And we will applaud you every step of the way.”— Kamala Harris, first female Vice President of the United States
“I am an example of what is possible when girls from the very beginning of their lives are loved and nurtured by people around them.” — Michelle Obama, attorney, author, and former U.S. first lady
“They’ll tell you you’re too loud—that you need to wait your turn and ask the right people for permission. Do it anyway.” – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, American politician and activist
“For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end.” – Michelle Obama, former U.S. first lady, attorney, and author
“As women achieve power, the barriers will fall. As society sees what women can do, as women see what women can do, there will be more women out there doing things, and we’ll all be better off for it.” — Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve as a Supreme Court justice
“I was taught to strive not because there were any guarantees of success but because the act of striving is in itself the only way to keep faith with life.” — Madeleine Albright, the first woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State
“My mother did not raise me to ask for permission to lead.” — Ayanna Pressley, U.S. Congresswoman and the first Black woman elected to the Boston City Council
“We need to understand that there is no formula for how women should lead their lives. That is why we must respect the choices that each woman makes for herself and her family. Every woman deserves the chance to realize her God-given potential.” – Hillary Clinton, former U.S. Secretary of State, senator, presidential candidate and first lady
Creativity Without Limits: Powerful Words from Women in the Arts
“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” — Marilyn Monroe, actress
“One of the first steps to happiness is deciding that you want to be happy and knowing what that means.” — Julia Roberts, actress
“I think beauty comes from actually knowing who you are. That’s real beauty to me.” — Ellen Degeneres, talk show host
“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it.” — Brené Brown, best-selling author, researcher, and podcaster
“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.” – Charlotte Brontë, English novelist and poet
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” – Lucille Ball, American actress, comedian, and producer
“I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman.” – Virginia Woolf, English writer
“Step out of the history that is holding you back. Step into the new story you are willing to create.” – Oprah Winfrey, American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist
“Women have to harness their power—it’s absolutely true. It’s just learning not to take the first ‘no.’ And if you can’t go straight ahead, you go around the corner.” – Cher, singer, actress, and television personality
“Women should be celebrated every day, but a month dedicated to female empowerment is extremely special. It doesn’t just honor the iconic women who have changed history, but encourages new generations to dream big and know that anything is possible.” – Molly McCook, American TV actress
“A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.” – Diane Mariechild, author
“We need to live in a culture that values and respects and looks up to and idolizes women as much as men.” — Emma Watson, actor and U.N. Women Goodwill Ambassador
“I’m not here to be perfect and I’m not here to be anything but my best, whatever that means for me.” – Jennifer Lopez, actress, singer, and dancer
“If you were born with the weakness to fall, you were born with the strength to rise.” – Rupi Kaur, Canadian poet, illustrator, photographer, and author
“Women’s History Month pays homage to the trailblazers before us, builds hope and inspiration to us and offers an example of pride and excellence for younger generations.” – Kron Moore, American actress and singer
“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, Nigerian writer
“To me, ‘Fearless’ is not the absence of fear. It’s not being completely unafraid. To me, fearless is having fears. Fearless is having doubts. Lots of them. To me, fearless is living in spite of those things that scare you to death.” – Taylor Swift, singer and songwriter
“As an artist, I feel more strongly than ever that my job on earth is to tell the stories of the invisibles, and women have been invisible on film for a long time.” — Reese Witherspoon, actress and producer
“I don’t have to prove anything to anyone. I only have to follow my heart and concentrate on what I want to say to the world. I run my world.” — Beyoncé Knowles, singer and businesswoman
“I don’t know why I think I can make any kind of difference. All I know is that I want to.” — Angelina Jolie, actress and humanitarian
“I want all the girls without an exception to have that space for themselves where they have opportunities to be the women they wish to be.” – Priyanka Chopra Jonas, actress and producer
“Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.” — Ella Fitzgerald, jazz singer
“Nothing is more important than empathy for another human being’s suffering. Nothing. Not a career, not wealth, not intelligence, certainly not status. We have to feel for one another if we’re going to survive with dignity.” — Audrey Hepburn, actress and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” — Oprah Winfrey, American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist
“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure.” — Julia Child, chef and author
“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, comedian and actress
“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” — Dolly Parton, singer, songwriter, and philanthropist
“I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life — and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.” — Georgia O’Keeffe, artist
“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” — Maya Angelou, poet and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient
“Poetry is the lens we use to interrogate the history we stand on and the future we stand for.” — Amanda Gorman, poet
“If you don’t see a clear path for what you want, sometimes you have to make it yourself.” – Mindy Kaling, actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer
“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, actress, model, and activist
“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” – Maya Angelou, Pulitzer-Prize nominated poet and writer
“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!” – Audrey Hepburn, British actress and humanitarian
“Figure out who are you separate from your family, and the man or woman you’re in a relationship with. Find who you are in this world and what you need to feel good alone. I think that’s the most important thing in life. Find a sense of self. With that, you can do anything else.” – Angelina Jolie, actress and humanitarian
“There is a stubbornness about me that can never bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.” – Jane Austen, English novelist
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” – Maya Angelou, Pulitzer-prize nominated poet
“Accentuate the positive, not the negative. It sounds so trite, but a lot of people will pick out something to complain about, rather than say, ‘Hey, that was great!’ It’s not hard to find great stuff if you look.” — Betty White, actress
“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.” — J.K. Rowling, award winning author
Strength, Grit & Victory: Inspirational Quotes from Women in Sports
“Women need to see other women do well. It empowers them. We in athletics can help be a face of change and be a force. That’s the responsibility of all of us.” — Billie Jean King, former professional tennis player
“When somebody tells me I cannot do something, that’s when I do it.” — Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel
“To go out there and prove what I can do has taught me a lot about who I am. We can push ourselves further. We always have more to give.” — Simone Biles, gymnast, and four-time Olympic gold medalist
“Technique and ability alone do not get you to the top; it is the willpower that is most important.” — Junko Tabei, Japanese mountaineer and the first woman to reach the summit of Mt. Everest
“The only important thing was getting my hands on that car on the race track, and I figured whatever came with the territory, I could deal with.” — Janet Guthrie, female race car driver and the first woman to qualify and compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500
“I am lucky that whatever fear I have inside me, my desire to win is always stronger.” — Serena Williams, professional tennis player
“Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.” – Serena Williams, professional tennis player
Fearless Voices, Unstoppable Truths: Quotes from Women in Journalism
“Friends. Sisters. Mothers. Professors. When women affirm women, it unlocks our power. It gives us permission to shine brighter.” – Elaine Welteroth, American journalist, editor, author, and television host
“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.” — Ida B. Wells, investigative journalist
“The future depends entirely on what each of us does every day. After all, a movement is only people moving.” — Gloria Steinem, journalist and activist
“The longer I live, the more I observe that carrying around anger is the most debilitating to the person who bears it.” — Katharine Graham, first female publisher of a major U.S. newspaper
Giving with Purpose: Empowering Quotes from Women in Philanthropy
“We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored.” – Sheryl Sandberg, American business executive, billionaire, and philanthropist
“A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman.” — Melinda Gates, philanthropist and a former general manager at Microsoft
Leading with Vision & Grit: Motivational Quotes from Women in Business
“We just need to be kinder to ourselves. If we treated ourselves the way we treated our best friend, can you imagine how much better off we would be?” — Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, businesswoman
“Careers are a jungle gym, not a ladder.” – Pattie Sellers, CEO of Sellers Easton Media Co.
“Leadership is hard to define and good leadership even harder. But if you can get people to follow you to the ends of the earth, you are a great leader.” – Indra Nooyi, former CEO of Pepsi Co.
“No one ever became a success without taking chances… One must be able to recognize the moment and seize it without delay.” – Estée Lauder, American businesswoman
“When you help a woman fulfill her potential, magic happens.” – Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx
“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, Duchess of Sussex, businesswoman
“Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else.” – Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx
“Success isn’t about the end result, it’s about what you learn along the way.” – Vera Wang, American fashion designer
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I always knew the woman I wanted to be.” — Diane Von Furstenberg, fashion designer
Final Thoughts
The voices of influential women have echoed through generations, shaping the lives of women everywhere. Their inspirational quotes serve as powerful reminders of resilience, progress, and unity.
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let’s continue to uplift one another, champion women’s empowerment, and honor the trailblazers who paved the way.
Together, we move forward, inspiring future generations to dream bigger, fight harder, and lead with courage. 💜
For more information about Women’s History Month, check out Changing the Future: Women Inspiring Women Everywhere.
Love to ALL! ~ Susan
