Who are some underrated people in history?

Women are probably the most underrated people in history. Men are often credited with the accomplishments of women. Look at Mary Shelley. The women from Hidden Figures. Women have done so many things. Flying, programming, code breaking, spying, leading, writing, painting, and they are not credited for it. Approximately half the population is made up of women and we continue to overlook them.

When I saw the musical Six, I went home and looked up all the wives of Henry VIII. All six of them were fascinating women all on their own. His first wife was in charge of England while he was at war in Europe. Scotland thought they could attack while he was gone. She sent her husband the Scottish ruler’s blood because his head would have spoiled before reaching him. She was a powerful and competent Queen. Yet everyone only knows her as his first wife.

While learning history growing up, I always made a point to pay attention to any accomplishments that women were credited with. If none were mentioned in school, I would do my reports about women of those time periods and their contributions. When I go to museums and see exhibitions, I always seek out the women’s section where they actually talk about what a woman’s life was like during the time or place of the exhibit. They are always put in a small section unless the exhibit is specifically about a woman. Want to know about ancient Egyptian women? Go to the five item display in the exhibit.

I have so many books that specifically go over women’s achievements. There is some crazy stuff in there. Things that never get talked about in classrooms. While I am grateful we have a women’s history month where women are highlighted for a few days of the year. I do not understand why there cannot be more representation all year long.

My favorite women of history are the suffragists who fought for a woman’s right to vote in the US. Without them, who knows where we would be. Women’s rights are so far behind where it should be. Even today people think women should not have bodily autonomy. They struggle to see the worth of a woman on her own, without a man. It is not because women cannot do things. It is because we do not teach what women have already done.