It’s not easy to break a Guinness World Records title – in fact, it takes grit, passion, dedication, and more often than not, courage to be able to achieve such an accolade.
Some of the women who have managed to break records in their lifetime are nothing short of extraordinary.
Not only for the work they put into succeeding, but also for their inspiring stories behind them.
Whether they are well known by the world or an everyday individual aspiring to their full potential, it’s no secret that many of these women are nothing short of powerful.
As we continue to feature exceptional women in honor of Women’s History Month, here are our list of title holders who have made an impact in history.
Greta Thunberg
After a busy year meeting with government officials, lending her support to environmental demonstrations and speaking out at global summits, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg set a record, earlier last year for having become the youngest “Time"Person of the Year” at the age of 16 years and 354 days. Thunberg rose to prominence in August 2018 when she started to lobby her own government in Sweden to step up its environmental commitments, such as pledging to reduce carbon emissions. This inspired other youngsters around the world to strike from school to participate in anti-climate change demonstrations, a movement which came to be known as "FridaysForFuture".
In 2019, Thunberg has met with numerous government officials as well as giving speeches at major conferences such as the UN Climate Action Summit held in New York City, USA, in September 2019 (notably, she made a point of travelling to this summit on a carbon-neutral yacht). She was also shortlisted for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, however this ended up going to the Ethiopian prime minister, Abiy Ahmed. Prior to Thunberg, only four other individual women have been named "Time Person of the Year": Wallis Simpson (1936 – the first female “TimePerson of the Year”), Queen Elizabeth II (1952), Corazon Aquino (1986) and Angela Merkel (2015). Other female recipients have shared the title as part of a group or as a conceptual movement, such as in 1975 when Time celebrated "American Women" in relation to the rise of feminism.
Dolly Parton
Country music icon, Dolly Parton, is well known for talent outside of country – her influence in the music industry has been hugely recognized across several generations. The 4-H alum was featured in the pages of the Guinness World Records 2018 edition, being recognised for holding records for the most decades with a Top 20 hit on the US Hot Country Songs chart and most hits on the US Hot Country Songs chart by a female artist. Beating out fellow country music icons, George Jones, Elvis Presley and Reba McEntire, Parton’s is the only artist with Top 20 hits on across six consecutive decades (1960s–2010s). Parton’s classic, "Jolene" was also Dolly’s 107th chart entry, solidifying her second record title for the most hits on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart by a female artist. Parton’s first hit on this record-breaking list was her 1967 debut, "Dumb Blonde”. The singer is an inspiration as all her hits have been written from her heart, making her efforts a true work of passion.
Dolly Patron attributes many of her success today to the life-changing experiences she had growing up in 4-H. Learn More
Jane Goodall
Dr. Jane Goodall (UK) knew from a young age that wildlife would be a big part of her life. Doctor DolittleThe Jungle Book and Tarzan were all well-thumbed books in her home as a child and, by 10 years old, she had set her mind on travelling to Africa to live with wild animals and to tell stories on them of her own.
Sixteen years later, her childhood ambition became a reality when she intrepidly voyaged to what was then Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve in Tanzania to study its resident primates. A lot has changed since then – both at Gombe, which is now a national park, and beyond with the ever-growing scope of the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), which was established in 1977. Jane’s long-term work at the facility has been admired by those all over the world, and her dedication has led her to achieve the record for the longest-running wild primate study on the planet: 58 years and counting. She has since developed programs such as the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots (R&S) programme – which focuses on causes that matter most to young people – "for children in kindergarten, students in university and all in between". These causes are related to wildlife conservation, as well as environmental and social issues that are vital to society.
Malala Yousafzai
Another young and impressive record holder, Malala made history back in 2014 as she became the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize winner. The Pakistani schoolgirl campaigner managed to achieve this aged just 17 years, 2 months and 23 days for her work promoting the right for girls to have an education. Malala was left seriously injured two years ago after being attacked in Pakistan for her campaign work by extremist group the Taliban. Since then, she has become a prominent figure for women’s education all over the world and has studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University to continue her efforts further. As of now, she stands of a worldwide inspiration for many for women empowerment.
Junko Tabei
Mount Everest is known for being one of the most daunting challenges for climbers anywhere, but Junko Tabei shows boundless fear when it comes to conquering mountains. In 1975 she accomplished the first ascent of Everest (female) which was a feat no woman dared to do at the time. Since her historic climb Tabei also became the first woman to climb the 'Seven Summits' (the highest mountains on each continent) and has tackled over 70 other major mountains around the world. Concerned about the environmental impact of climbing expeditions on Everest and other mountains, she directed the Himalayan Adventure Trust of Japan, an organisation dedicated to the protection of these environments. Sadly Junko passed away three years ago at the age of 77, but her legacy is remembered by her fearlessness and ambition.
Header and thumbnail image credits: Shutterstock
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