Better with Age: 5 Women Over 70 Who Kick Ass
by Jules Spector
1.Gunhild Swanson. This woman did something that most of us UNDER 70 probably couldn’t accomplish: she finished a 100-mile endurance race. Swanson, at the age of 70, ran the Western States Endurance Run from Squaw Valley, California to Auburn, California. She finished in 29:59:54, which is AMAZING; just thinking about it makes my heart rate increase.
2. Gloria Steinem. You’ve probably heard of this incredible woman, but anyway: she is a world-famous feminist who founded Ms. Magazine, one of the first feminist magazines, in 1972. She has written numerous bestsellers, including Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, which is my favorite book in the entire universe. This brief description cannot even compare with the long list of Steinem’s work, but at the age of 81, she is still going strong as a women’s rights activist.
3. Louise Bourgeois. One of the most influential contemporary artists of all time, Bourgeois was most famous for her large sculptures, including her famous spider sculptures that earned her the nickname of Spiderwoman. She was active as an artist until her death in 2010 at the age of 98.
4. Eleanor Roosevelt. This woman is most often referred to as the First Lady of the United States, though she did some really awesome stuff outside of the White House. She was one of the first delegates of the U.S. in the United Nations. She led the John F. Kennedy administration’s Presidential Commission on the Status of Women. She was also the Honorary President of the Girl Scouts of America. Pretty awesome woman, right?
5. Elizabeth Hamilton. If you haven’t seen the musical Hamilton, you HAVE to. It’s inspired by a book, Hamilton, written by Ron Chernow. Basically, without Eliza Hamilton, almost nothing would be known about Alexander Hamilton. She also spent most of her life working with widows and orphans, later founding the New York Orphan Asylum Society.
