Well-behaved women rarely make history

Lotti Rutter, Greenpeace and Climate Rush activist, reflects on the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day, and the vital role the female of our species play in activism today.

This year on the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, it was with disappointment that I saw Leona Lewis had been voted "the most influential woman to live or work in London in the past century". Seriously? I realise that I was reading this in the Metro, but even so I felt the likes of Emmeline Pankhurst turn in their graves.

If I had to describe myself in one word it would be 'activist'.

My journey into activism started with Greenpeace. For a while I had been becoming less and less concerned about my degree in economics and more worried about the state of the world, the injustices that occurred and the devastation wreaked on the planet. Perhaps I couldn't be the same as those students who, when asked what they wanted to be after university, just replied "rich".

The Greenpeace active supporter network was a simple, easy and welcoming path into doing something meaningful about the issues that mattered to me. In a short space of time I learnt a huge amount about the key campaigns, mostly by talking to members of the public whilst getting covered in paint/chalk/insert other creative campaigning technique here!

One great thing about being involved in the network was meeting people who had been around for ever, being inspired by their stories and their experience of direct action. It wasn’t long before I was doing my first action. Sitting on a precarious ledge halfway up the Unilever building being told to "act more like an orang-utan", I realised that this had to be the most inspirational way to make change happen. I felt empowered to get involved in campaigns and direct action in any way I could.

Some time later, in a field near Kingsnorth Power Station during Climate Camp, I sat with a group of women discussing the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Suffragettes rushing parliament to demand votes for women. Shouldn’t we celebrate that day with our own parliament rush addressing the most pressing issue of our day, we asked? That idea had to be put on hold, as first we had to row an inflatable boat to Kingsnorth jetty, 100 yards away, then be towed away (for the second time) by the police.

And so, from that moment of inspiration, Climate Rush was born. Here we were bringing people together to celebrate women’s suffrage and the impact women can have in bringing about change in the world today. (But, don’t forget the sashes, tea and vegan cake. You can’t save the world without those!)

Rushing parliament, dinner at airport departure gates, cocktails and coal, even chaining ourselves to the gates of parliament: we were strong women taking action against climate change. And reminded ourselves and others that today women are as important as ever, at challenging the assumptions between men and women, rich and poor, powerful and oppressed through activism.

Through its local networks, Greenpeace acts as a forum in turning ordinary women (and ordinary men too!) into inspirational activists who make change happen. Without it, I wouldn’t have done half the things I have done or be where I am today, and I look forward to the next 100 years of activists demanding change through campaigns and direct action.

Inspired by Lotti's story? Find out how to get involved with Greenpeace locally, online and elsewhere.

Read other blogs about women in activism.