10 Women Who Should Definitely Be on the 10 Dollar Bill
Today’s “YAS QUEEN” moment is brought to you by the U.S. Mint. Today it was confirmed that steps are being taken to replace Alexander Hamilton on the ten dollar bill with a woman. The last time a woman was on US currency was way back in the 1800s (shout out to our homegirl Martha Washington, who was on the $1 silver note). USA Today interviewed Jack Lew, the treasury secretary who said that he gets to decide ultimately which lady will get the coveted position, but he’s going to “spend a lot of time this summer listening to people” about who they think should should be on it.
1. Harriet Tubman: Old H Tubs has been a front-runner in the global conversation about women on money for a long time. The former slave and mastermind behind the underground railroad deserves the spot for her tenacity, bravery and over all bad-assedness. (Photo via Wikipedia)
2. Elizabeth Cady Stanton: We have already had sister suffragette Susan B. Anthony on the dollar coin, so now it’s time for another boss lady to shine. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was NOT messing around in her fight for equal rights for women. She rewrote the bible because she was tired of the inherent subjugation of women in it. Think about that next time you think you’re so punk for reposting a controversial thinkpiece. (Photo via Wikipedia)
3. Wilma Mankiller: First of all: Coolest. Name. Ever! Wilma Mankiller was the first woman to become chief of the Cherokee nation. She worked hard to negotiate fair treatment of native people by the federal government and helped form policies that are still in effect today. (Photo via Stephen Shugerman/Getty)
4. Sally Ride: Other than being the namesake of that cool Lou Reed song, Sally Ride was an extremely important American. Thirty five years ago today, Sally became the first American woman to go to space. During her tenure with NASA she completed multiple space flights and is responsible for the development of a sick robot arm. Having her on the ten dollar bill would also be significant because she would be the first gay person to ever grace U.S. money. (Photo via Todd Warshaw/Getty)
5. Hedy Lamarr: Way before this “sexy scientist” b.s. that’s going around there was Hedy Lamarr. Hedy was a gorgeous film actress in the ’40s who got bored of acting (ugh, kissing Clark Gable is suuuuper exhausting and tedious) and started inventing. She worked to invent a frequency hopping spectrum, which ultimately lead to the invention of modern wifi. (Photo via Hulton Archive)
6. Claudette Colvin: Way before Rosa Parks sat in the front of the bus, there was Claudette Colvin. In 1955 she became the first person to get arrested for resisting racist bus rules in Alabama. Her contribution to the civil rights movement is often ignored because she was a teenager who had a baby out of wedlock. Still, every movement starts with a first step, and Claudette Colvin deserves the recognition for her bravery that she never got in life. (Photo via Wikipedia)
7. Margaret Sanger: It would be ironic to call Margaret Sanger the mother of the birth control movement, but she totally was. In the 1900s, Sanger had the radical notion that “hey, people shouldn’t be having babies if they don’t feel like it right now,” and everyone else was like, “MARGARET, YOU CRAZY!” She wrote at length about how women could go about preventing pregnancy and worked to form organizations that eventually became Planned Parenthood. (Photo via Wikipedia)
8. Ruth Bader Ginsberg: Even though policy stipulates that no living person may have their face on money, we feel like the Notorious RBG definitely deserves the spot. If you’re a woman currently enjoying access to birth control and other huge civil rights, you have Ruth to thank. Lady has been a Supreme Court Justice since 1993 and has famously dissented in many controversial cases. She is super smart and savvy, and she has our backs on the Supreme Court. (Photo via Allison Shelley/Getty)
9. Helen Keller: Besides being the most overused Apples to Apples card, Helen Keller has a legacy of achievement. She learned to live with her disabilities and was an activist who aimed to make the world a better place for other disabled people. She also supported the women’s rights movement and was a prolific author. Next time you think about calling in sick because you have a tiny hangover or something, think about Helen Keller and get your butt up! (Photo via Hulton Archive/Getty)
10. Beyoncé: Zero. Explanation. Needed. (Photo via Andrew H. Walker/Getty)
Who would you like to see on the 10 dollar bill? Tell us in the comments or write your answer on an existing ten dollar bill and mail it to the Brit +Co office — I need lunch money today.
